Old Sana'a.. Houthi looting of civil defense equipment exacerbates rain damage
English - Tuesday 16 August 2022 الساعة 03:31 pm
Sana'a, NewsYemen, private:
The torrential monsoon rains that fell on the city of Sana’a during the past few days revealed the extent of the Houthi systematic destruction of most of the state’s institutions and service agencies, since the Houthi militia took control of these institutions in September 2014.
The Civil Defense Department of the Ministry of Interior came at the head of these institutions, which have become unable to carry out their tasks in accordance with its establishment Law No. (24) for the year 1997 AD, after the Houthi militia looted its financial allocations and necessary operational expenses, and seized its equipment, machinery and assets in kind, and cut the salaries of its employees.
Among its legal duties, the Civil Defense Department is concerned with the maintenance and repair of its devices and equipment, ensuring its continuous readiness to face disasters, developing plans to ensure rapid transportation to accident and disaster sites, including torrential rains, contributing to evacuation and shelter work during disasters and working to provide basic services to those affected.
Looting the mechanisms and equipment of the Civil Defense Department in Sanaa by the Houthi militia, confirmed by (hypothetical) government directives to the Prime Minister in Sana’a, Abdulaziz bin Habtoor, who Houthi media claimed had directed “all ministries and other government agencies concerned with harnessing their equipment for the benefit of the defense interest.” and in order to enable the authority and its branches to carry out their tasks of saving lives and public and private property and limiting damage in general.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), for its part, confirmed that the buildings of the old city of Sana’a were greatly affected by the social and economic effects of the ongoing conflict in Yemen, which prevented homeowners from carrying out the necessary periodic maintenance to ensure their structural integrity. In reference to the suspension of the salaries of state employees, including residents of the old city of Sanaa, which is on the World Heritage List.
