- Title: No easy life for Yemenis - even if they live above the clouds
- Date: 10th October 2019
- Summary: HARRAZ, YEMEN (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VILLAGE OF AL-HAJARA AT HARRAZ MOUNTAINS WITH BUILDINGS SEEN THROUGH FOD FOG RISING OVER MOUNTAIN AND VILLAGE VARIOUS OF HOUSES ON TOP OF MOUNTAIN WOMAN PASSING BY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEACHER LIVING AT AL-HAJARA MOUNTAINOUS VILLAGE, KHALED AHMED ALI, SAYING: "Most of the tourists used to come to the areas here up high, they would camp for a day or two or even more to enjoy the amazing scenery and the high mountains that reach up until the clouds. After the war, the number of tourists started to decrease." VARIOUS OF BUILDINGS AT NEARBY VILLAGE WOMEN WALKING TOWARD VILLAGE VARIOUS OF FARMERS WALKING VARIOUS OF COFFEE FARMS MEN AT MOUNTAIN POINTING TO NEARBY VILLAGE HARRAZ, YEMEN (OCTOBER 9, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HARRAZ LOCAL MARKET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, BAKEEL MOHAMED RASHED, SAYING: "People here depend on agriculture. Because of the crisis (the war in Yemen), there is a shortage in diesel which led to price hikes. (The prices of) the crops no longer cover the cost. People could not cultivate their lands because of the diesel shortage." PEOPLE GATHERING AT MARKET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, SAGHEER ABDALLAH ALI, SAYING: "Goods used to be cheap before the war. Now, everything is expensive. One kilo of tomatoes was sold for 100 (Yemeni riyal) ($0.4) now it is for 500, 700 and even 800 (Yemeni riyal) ($2-$3.2), the same for potatoes. The same applies for wheat, flour, oil and everything else that became expensive as the dollar increased. It is all because of the siege and the war in the country." HARRAZ, YEMEN (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (REUTERS) WHEEL SEEN AS CAR MOVES ALONG ROAD TO VILLAGE VARIOUS OF MOUNTAINS SEEN THROUGH FOG VARIOUS OF NEARBY VILLAGES PEOPLE WALKING AROUND VILLAGE CHILD WALKING DOWNSTAIRS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT, AHMED ALI AL-A'MA, SAYING: "We are facing a lot of problems since the war started in Yemen. Tourism declined and less visitors are coming. We are in a crisis, a fuel and diesel crisis, shortage of medications, and shortage of wheat. Yemen is in big trouble because of this war." VARIOUS OF ROADS, BUILDINGS AND MOUNTAINS IN HARRAZ REGION
- Embargoed: 24th October 2019 15:02
- Keywords: Harraz region Yemen War in Yemen Saudi-led coalition Houthis
- Location: HARRAZ, YEMEN
- City: HARRAZ, YEMEN
- Country: Yemen
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001B0IM79X
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Residents of the Yemeni al-Hajara village, who live right above the clouds in the mountainous region of Harraz, may live in relative peace as war ravages the rest of their country. But they are yet to stay safe from the war's devastating economic impact.
The villages in the mountainous region, nearly 90 kilometres southwest of Sanaa, were once a touristic destination for Yemenis coming from across the country, wishing to enjoy the scenery above the clouds.
The cultivation of Yemen's prized coffee and other important crops also flourished before the war, but most of the villages' diverse economic activities almost came to a halt because of the eight-year-war, residents say.
Due to the continuous shortage of fuel needed for artesian wells used in irrigation, villagers say many are unable to cultivate their lands.
In addition, locals are forced to hike for hours to get much-needed supplies from nearby markets.
The United Nations says tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in Yemen's civil war, which pits the Iran-aligned Houthi movement against a Saudi-led coalition backed by the West.
(Production: Abdelrahman al-Ansi, Abdel Hadi Ramahi, Mai Shams El-Din) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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