During war, 'chronic' electricity crisis - and deaths from starvation: the Houthis' ostentatious celebration
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have begun celebrations for the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, including green street decorations, light shows, and fireworks. However, the situation in the country is far from festive: war with Saudi Arabia, a chronic electricity crisis causing outages of up to 24 hours a day, collapsing hospitals, severe poverty, and cases of death from starvation. Residents complain about the gap between the ostentatious spending and the daily hardship.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have begun celebrations for the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, which will be marked across the Muslim world in the coming week. The festivities include decorating streets, buildings, cars, and boats in green, the color associated with Islam, as well as nighttime light shows and fireworks in the provinces of Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Amran. However, the situation on the ground is far from festive: the war with Saudi Arabia continues, and areas under Houthi control suffer from a chronic electricity crisis described as structural and ongoing. According to a report by Al Jazeera, power outages range from 12 to 20 hours a day in coastal cities, and in Sanaa and Taiz they reach 24 hours. The electricity crisis severely impacts the healthcare system: dialysis machines and incubators malfunction, and hospitals are forced to operate expensive generators. A source from Sanaa told Ynet that the celebrations are held annually and most decorations are reused. However, he quotes residents who claim that the spending on the festivities is an insult to the needy, while people suffer and some die of starvation. The Houthis claim that the costs of the celebrations come from donations, not from the state treasury, and that they are an expression of love for the Prophet Muhammad.