On the occasion of World Health Day, Project Masam has looked into the far-reaching physical and psychological effects of landmines in Yemen.
Because of extensively planted landmines, Yemenis have paid a very heavy toll – both physically and psychologically- of which the world knows only a fraction.
In Al-Arbaeen district of Taiz city, a young man called Abd al-Malik Mohiuddin, was returning to his home when he triggered a landmine planted in the entrance of his house. Abd woke up in hospital, where he learned what had happened in his doorway: his right foot had been amputated and he suffered from other severe wounds to his body.
Abd told Project Masam: “I was hit by a Houthi landmine planted at the door of my house, and now I live awaiting death. The injury has prevented me from living my daily life like others, and I have become riddled with pain.”
Another survivor shared her story. Aml was full of hope and excitement. She was about to wed her groom and was looking forward to complete her university education.
She dreamed of the day when she would become a wife to her life partner, but all her dreams were shattered by a blast. When Aml was on her way to buy some items for her wedding, a group of children caught her attention. They were playing with a strange object.
Aml investigated and realised the children had been playing with a camouflaged landmine. Aml had received Mine Risk Education training during one of Masam’s awareness campaigns.
As she rushed to push the children away, Aml carefully grabbed the object but a child jumped to retrieve it from her hands. The landmine fell on the ground and exploded.
The blast badly affected Aml. She lost one of her eyes and was left disfigured. Her groom decided to leave her and cancelled the wedding.
“Shortly after the incident, there was no news from my groom and his family, and after a while I heard that he got engaged and then married.”
Four-year-old Firas Hazaa’s life was also altered forever. Firas was playing and noticed an object on the ground which he thought was a toy. He picked it up to show it off to his friends. The object, which was camouflaged, exploded in the little boy’s hand, amputating four of his fingers.
Plagued by anxiety, Firas is now afraid of playing outside and needs an adult by his side at all time.
At the age of eight, Farah knew that there was a tragedy in her village, and that she and her family had to leave their village and flee although she did not know what displacement was.
She thought it a picnic outside the village, after which she would return to her home. So, Farah got excited about the idea of experiencing displacement.
Two years later, Farah stepped on a landmine in her village. When she woke up from a coma and surgery, her food was amputated.
Fatimah Q’aid is an elderly woman who experienced many wars in her home country. A landmine exploded as she crossed the road. Already weak, Fatimah lost her leg. She now says she has nightmares and is feeling depressed about having to rely on her son for help.
Father Hussein Al-Abab also faces the direct impacts of Yemen’s deadly landmines.
He told Project Masam: “My son and his friend were among the victims of these mines, and my own friend died due to a mine explosion in one of the reefs. My son was severely injured, as 125cm of his intestines were amputated after being damaged as a result of the explosion. Eventually, he became disabled and is now unable to hear, not to mention his suffering from a difficult psychological condition [post-traumatic stress disorder], especially because he suffers a lot when eating, so he now eats very little, and he also dropped out of school.”
