The Houthi war paralyzes Sanaa printing presses and causes unemployment
English - Sunday 15 May 2022 الساعة 10:17 am
Sana'a, NewsYemen, Jalal Muhammad:
The terrorist Houthi militia caused the collapse of a number of printing presses in Sana'a Governorate, due to the deterioration of living conditions and the continuous Houthi levies, which resulted in their complete suspension.
The owners of the printing presses confirmed to NewsYemen that their workers’ contracts had been terminated due to the rise in electricity and rent prices, as well as the rise in the price of papers, extortion, royalties, and continuous Houthi control.
They indicated that they have suffered huge losses since the Houthi group took control of Sanaa and state institutions, and the outbreak of the absurd war that the group ignited seven years ago.
While one of the printing press owners said that since the crackdown began, all newspapers have stopped publishing except for those affiliated with the group.
He pointed out that their work has become limited to printing commercial papers, including invoices and documents, and these works are few due to the closure of most companies and the suspension of their work.
He also said that the high prices of oil derivatives, the high cost of living and the high wages of technicians are all influential factors that reduced work by up to 80% from what it was, as if those in charge of the matter wanted every business owner or business project to close and describe alongside the ranks of unemployment that do not The end of it in our country.
As for Uncle Abbas Abdul Rahman - a pseudonym - he confirmed to "NewsYemen" that he had to close his printing press and lay off workers, as the work is few and the Houthi demands are many, and he said: They come to us every once in a while so we print for them pictures of martyrs, or posters of the cry, and sometimes on Martyr's Day..etc. The extortions do not end, and they do not even pay the equivalent value of papers and inks, and the argument is ready: "This is support for the march."
He added: The rent has increased to nearly 60%, despite the militia's false claim that it was directed to reduce rents.
Paper prices have also risen significantly during the last two months, as a number of printing presses confirmed that the price of “reem pressed paper” rose 30%, in addition to an increase in the price of electricity from 320 to 570 riyals per kilowatt. All these factors led to an almost complete stagnation. In the printing works, the owners of commercial establishments stopped printing official papers due to the high costs of printing.
Muhammad Hassan, a technical worker in his fifties, a father of 6 children, talked about his suffering with shortness of breath and coughing as a result of inhaling the odors and fumes of work and presses kerosene, but he cannot leave the work whose wages range between 500-700 riyals per hour.
