Fin de misión en Yemen // Yemen End of Mission
Viernes, 11 de Octubre 2008Foto: Mezquita de Ali Abdullah Saleh vista desde la Ciudad Vieja, Sanaa (Yemen).
Picture: Ali Abdullah Saleh's Mosque; sight from the Old City, Sanaa (Yemen).
IN ENGLISH BELOW
Dentro de cuatro días termino mi misión en Yemen y siempre se dan sentimientos encontrados al abandonar un lugar al que has dedicado 9 meses de tu vida. Te entristece dejar las rutinas creadas, el contacto con el personal nacional, la vorágine de las actividades que motiva cada uno de tus días; te alegra ver el impacto del trabajo realizado, las experiencias compartidas, la ilusión del futuro que le espera al proyecto.
El trabajo del coordinador general te ofrece el privilegio de abordar niveles estratosféricos de alto contenido político y también dosis de cruda realidad a pie de terreno. Un día tengo reunión en un Ministerio para explicar que las cifras de refugiados en el país se están triplicando; el despacho es lujoso, aire acondicionado, sofás yemeníes a ras de suelo, "¿quiere un té con jengibre?", "¿hasta cuándo podremos acoger tantas llegadas?". Otro día estás de visita en el terreno, en un pueblo de 20.000 habitantes que tiene un pequeño campo de refugiados; arena, viento, tiendas, estructuras de salud de emergencia... Hago una entrevista a un refugiado Somalí que acaba de llegar a nuestra clínica; ha sobrevivido a 1.500 Kms de asaltos, ataques y camino desde Mogadiscio a Bossaso, 6 días sin nada esperando a que el bote zarpara, 3 días en el mar del Golfo de Adén (en cuclillas, sin agua ni comida y viendo en directo el asesinato de 5 de sus compañeros por los traficantes) y el milagro de la supervivencia tras ser arrojado al mar a punta de Kalasnikhov tras la llegada a la costa. 1 hora de entrevista después, me pregunta: “se te ve cansado, ¿quieres que continuemos más tarde?.
Yemen es hoy el segundo país del mundo con más armas por persona (sólo después de EEUU), un conflicto armado en el Norte, un flujo masivo de refugiados Somalíes y Etíopes y una masa crítica de personas que viven en la pobreza (ver el artículo “Yemen, 60-20” en la columna “Artículos Publicados”). Pero Yemen es también un país atávicamente fascinante; en los últimos 5000 años no ha cambiado demasiado su estructuración socio-política; sus gentes siguen vistiendo sus chales y sus jambiyas en la calle; el sistema tribal protege a los miembros con un código de honor infranqueable; su arquitectura es única, con rascacielos de piedra y barro de 30 metros de altura construidos 1500 años antes que los de Manhattan; y, sobretodo, un país fundamentado en la solidaridad árabe y en un sinvivir por lograr ser el anfitrión perfecto.
La decisión de MSF de quedarse e invertir en Yemen está fuera de toda duda. Además de continuar con el proyecto de refugiados, se apoyará el sistema de salud local tomando el hospital y las unidades de salud de la periferia; abriremos un nuevo proyecto en Djibouti, desde donde llegan ingentes cantidades de refugiados y migrantes; y se entrará en el Norte del país, donde existe uno de los conflictos armados más olvidados del mundo. Pasaremos de 9 expatriados y 80 nacionales a más de 20 y 300, respectivamente. Y, por supuesto, se seguirá testimoniando sobre las consecuencias humanitarias de las diferentes problemáticas abordadas.
Los Yemeníes dicen que hace poco, Allah miró al mundo. Cuando vio Arabia Saudí, pensó “¡vaya!, ¡cómo ha cambiado mi creación!”; cuando miró a Egipto, pensó “bueno, aún queda alguna de las cosas que hice...”; y cuando miró a Yemen, sonrió para sí y pensó “aquí todo sigue tal y como yo quería”.
Within four days I’m finishing my mission in Yemen and, as always, mixed feelings come up when leaving a place where you've spent 9 months of your life. You sadden to leave the routines established, the contacts with the national staff, and the maelstrom of activities that motivates you each day; conversely, you’re glad to see the impact of the work done, the shared experiences, and the illusion about the future that awaits the project.
The job of General Coordinator gives you the privilege of addressing stratospheric levels of high political content and doses of harsh reality from the grassroots. One day I may turn to have a meeting in a Ministery to explain that the numbers of refugees in the country are tripling; the office is luxurious, air conditioners, Yemeni sofas at ground level, “do you want a tea with ginger?”, “until when can we accommodate as many arrivals?”. Another day you’re on field visit in a town of 20,000 inhabitants with a small refugee camp; sand, wind, tents, emergency health structures ... I'm doing an interview with a Somali refugee who has just come to our clinic; he has survived 1,500 kilometres of robberies, assaults on the road from Mogadishu to Bossaso, 6 days with nothing waiting for the boat’s departure, 3 days at sea in the Gulf of Aden (squat, without water or food and watching live the murder of 5 of his colleagues by smugglers) and the miracle of survival after being thrown into the sea at the tip of Kalasnikhov after arrival at the coast. After 1 hour interview, he tells me: "You look like being tired, do you rather prefer to continue later?".
Yemen is now the second World’s country with more weapons per person (only after USA), an armed conflict in the North, a massive influx of Somali and Ethiopian refugees and a critical mass of people living in poverty (see article "Yemen, 60-20" under "Featured Articles"). But Yemen is also a fascinating atavistic country; in the last 5000 years it has barely changed its socio-political structure; its people are still wearing their shawls and their jambiyas on the street; the tribal system protects members with an unbreakable code of honor; its architecture is unique, with skyscrapers of stone and mud 30 meters high built 1500 years earlier than those in Manhattan and, above all, a country founded on Arab solidarity and struggling to be the perfect host for the foreigner.
MSF's decision to stay and invest in Yemen is beyond any doubt. In addition to continuing with the project of refugees, we will support the local health system by taking the hospital and health units in the surroundings; we will open a new project in Djibouti, departure-point for huge numbers of refugees and migrants; and we will enter the North of the country, where one of the most forgotten armed conflicts around the world is taking place cyclically. We will pass from 9 expatriates and 80 nationals to over 20 and 300, respectively.
The Yemenis say that recently, Allah looked at the world. When he saw Saudi Arabia, he thought "hey, how it has changed my creation!" When he looked to Egypt, he thought 'well, there is still some of the things I had in mind..."; and when looking to Yemen, He smiled for Himself and thought, "Here everything is still as I wanted to."
The job of General Coordinator gives you the privilege of addressing stratospheric levels of high political content and doses of harsh reality from the grassroots. One day I may turn to have a meeting in a Ministery to explain that the numbers of refugees in the country are tripling; the office is luxurious, air conditioners, Yemeni sofas at ground level, “do you want a tea with ginger?”, “until when can we accommodate as many arrivals?”. Another day you’re on field visit in a town of 20,000 inhabitants with a small refugee camp; sand, wind, tents, emergency health structures ... I'm doing an interview with a Somali refugee who has just come to our clinic; he has survived 1,500 kilometres of robberies, assaults on the road from Mogadishu to Bossaso, 6 days with nothing waiting for the boat’s departure, 3 days at sea in the Gulf of Aden (squat, without water or food and watching live the murder of 5 of his colleagues by smugglers) and the miracle of survival after being thrown into the sea at the tip of Kalasnikhov after arrival at the coast. After 1 hour interview, he tells me: "You look like being tired, do you rather prefer to continue later?".
Yemen is now the second World’s country with more weapons per person (only after USA), an armed conflict in the North, a massive influx of Somali and Ethiopian refugees and a critical mass of people living in poverty (see article "Yemen, 60-20" under "Featured Articles"). But Yemen is also a fascinating atavistic country; in the last 5000 years it has barely changed its socio-political structure; its people are still wearing their shawls and their jambiyas on the street; the tribal system protects members with an unbreakable code of honor; its architecture is unique, with skyscrapers of stone and mud 30 meters high built 1500 years earlier than those in Manhattan and, above all, a country founded on Arab solidarity and struggling to be the perfect host for the foreigner.
MSF's decision to stay and invest in Yemen is beyond any doubt. In addition to continuing with the project of refugees, we will support the local health system by taking the hospital and health units in the surroundings; we will open a new project in Djibouti, departure-point for huge numbers of refugees and migrants; and we will enter the North of the country, where one of the most forgotten armed conflicts around the world is taking place cyclically. We will pass from 9 expatriates and 80 nationals to over 20 and 300, respectively.
The Yemenis say that recently, Allah looked at the world. When he saw Saudi Arabia, he thought "hey, how it has changed my creation!" When he looked to Egypt, he thought 'well, there is still some of the things I had in mind..."; and when looking to Yemen, He smiled for Himself and thought, "Here everything is still as I wanted to."
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Comentarios
Muchas gracias por el trabajo allí y por favor, da recuerdos al equipo y di que me acuerdo mucho de ellos.
Un abrazo. cristina