Stories from Yemen: A Diary from the Field

By Lara Kajs

Yemen is a magical place. Its beauty is wrapped in the land, the diversity of culture, its heritage, and the people. But that beauty has been marred by nearly a decade of conflict; a conflict that has led to the worst humanitarian crisis in recorded history. But as Lara Kajs points out, ignoring the crisis in Yemen will be the loss of humanity,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cheryl L Kajs
• Release date: Feb 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798985866322

Lara Kajs

Lara Kajs is the Founder and Executive Director of The Genocide Report, an NGO nonprofit (501c3) in Washington, DC. Ms. Kajs is an expert on atrocity crimes, forced displacement, conflict and violence, diplomacy, and international humanitarian law. She has written extensively and frequently speaks on these subjects. Ms. Kajs holds graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Lincoln Memorial University, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She lives in Washington, D.C.

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Stories from Yemen

Stories from Yemen

A Diary from the Field

Lara Kajs

Washington, D.C.

Stories from Yemen: A Diary from the Field

Lara Kajs

Published by: Lara Kajs

1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

STE. 190-320

Washington, D.C. 20004

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Copyright © 2022 Lara Kajs

Published in the United States of America.

Cover Photo: 414 Child Gazing at Rubble Felton Davis.

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Dedication

I feel like I am mourning the death of a beautiful flower that never saw the sunlight, was never given life-saving water, and never had a chance. But more… it feels like someone reached down into the earth and pulled out the roots so that the flower could never come back.

It feels like… death.  (Lara Kajs)

This book is dedicated to the beautiful people of Yemen.

Table of Contents

Dedication      5

Preface      9

Acknowledgments      11

Chapter One The Nest of Civilization      21

Chapter Two The Road to Conflict      39

Chapter Three Forced to Flee      61

Chapter Four The Humanitarian Crisis      85

Chapter Five Diary from the Field      107

Chapter Six Working Through Trauma      141

Chapter Seven Making the World a Witness      157

About the Author      177

Index      179

Further Reading      183

Preface

The hardest part of Yemen to get over is the parent’s wailing – wailing because their child died from cholera… wailing because their child died of starvation… wailing because their child was killed from shelling and was just pulled out from beneath a bombed building. I will never get over it… I do not want to ever get over it.

To get over it is to become complacent, and complacency leads to indifference, and becoming indifferent is how we arrive at a place where it is okay to withhold humanitarian aid and to bomb hospitals, and schools… to kill innocent civilians.

To get over it makes me complicit in the horrors that are being perpetrated against the Yemeni people, and I cannot just go along with that by looking away.

And this is the problem.

I would rather be part of the solution than be part of the problem.

Why are people indifferent? I want to understand what happens in the minds and hearts of humans to get to the place of indifference and complacency. You see if we understand that, we might get to the root of the problem and we might find more sustainable solutions to peace and compassion.

The ego stands between us and them. It is what builds walls. It leads to oppression. We must find a way to push the ego aside, tear down the walls that separate us, and come together as a race – The Human Race.

I am the founding director of The Genocide Report, a 501c3 nonprofit in Washington, D.C. TGR is a humanitarian and educational organization that monitors, investigates, and shares information about atrocities, genocide, war crimes, humanitarian issues, and conflict resolution. We hope we can make a difference by making the world a witness to the horrors that happen when humans stop behaving human.

My team and I spent seventeen months in Yemen on assignment between 2018 and 2021. This is not your armchair evening or cable news account. This is an account of someone who was there, boots on the ground, witnessed firsthand. But… this book is not about me. It is not about the horrors I experienced; all the minutes I needed to pull it together so I could be useful, or the near-death experiences one faces when living in those conditions. No. This book is about all the brave people of Yemen – the men, the women, and the children, who day in and day out, face obstacles and tragedies just trying to live their lives – just one more day. They are faithful. They are committed. They are in it together. And along the way, they taught me so much. I only hope now, I can do them justice by telling their stories.

Acknowledgments

This book is the product of love, sacrifice, energy, and dedication. I am so grateful for every single person who helped to inspire and guide me along the way. Sometimes the lessons were long and at times painful, but in the end, they were beneficial.

Humanitarian work is not limited to the efforts or success of one organization, but a collaboration, a joint effort by many. Without the unified efforts and constant sharing of information and resources of the UN, ICRC, MSF, IOM, Witness, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Genocide Watch, The Genocide Report, and so many others, nothing would get done in the field. We all work together for peace and the greater good of humanity.

I am endearingly thankful to the survivors and their families who bravely shared their stories with me, willing to relive their trauma because they believe their stories would help me make the world a witness to all that is happening in Yemen and perhaps help others. Their testimonies, combined with their faith and resilience are profoundly inspiring.

I am grateful to the diplomats, leaders, and various agencies who opened their knowledge, understanding, and sometimes their files - to me. I have tried to reveal the logic behind decision-making, fairly. If I drifted, I ask for patience and understanding, and that we all take the proverbial walk in the other’s shoes. More examination of Yemen is needed, without a doubt.

Chapter One – The Nest of Civilization, is a compilation of graduate study and comprehensive exam notes from Dr. John Curry’s many Middle Eastern Civilization courses at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, that makeup one part of my specialty. I fell in love with the histories, and eventually the beautiful language, cultures, and people in the Arab World. Dr. Curry, I appreciate your patience and insight – especially all those times that it would have just been easier for you to take off the top of my head, pour all your knowledge inside, and seal it back up. – If only it were that easy.

The rest of Chapter One is derived from an entertaining, insightful, and at times unnerving flight over Yemen on a humid and hot day in May. John W. gave the best tour while piloting a plane and dodging bullets.

I’m especially indebted to those who took the time to generously read the many drafts, the manuscript, and offer feedback. I benefited enormously and the input was invaluable. From digging through humanitarian law to navigating political decorum and the road to diplomacy, you each played a crucial role in guiding me.

I have rarely in my life turned from a challenge. So, when a university professor once said to me, Before you criticize this, go see it for yourself, I didn’t realize at the time that it would take nearly two decades, but Yes Sir, you were right.

I owe a great debt of gratitude to three professors – the Triple ‘Ps – Drs. Panisnick, Pine, and Patterson at Honolulu Community College – who laid the groundwork for my journey through academia and instilled in me the desire to question everything" and to find the answers when I was not satisfied. Thank you all for the constant encouragement.

I am fortunate to have been able to study under professors who were incredibly supportive and encouraging at The University of Hawaii, The University of Tennessee, and Lincoln Memorial University, and also at the top of their field. I have a pocket full of secret saves from a very diverse academic experience and it has benefited me greatly.

I am truly grateful for Dr. Tom Wright, and Dr. Janet Ward at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. You provided encouragement and guidance and inspired me to push harder, dig deeper inside, and develop a desire for a richer understanding, to be a better human being. I have been able to take each discipline and apply it to everything I do daily – in and out of the field. Thank you so much!

My journey to a career in atrocities would not have been possible without Adam Jones, my Yoda of genocide studies – who started the ball rolling that created the passionate enthusiasm in me to want to be part of the solution and not the problem. To create change, we must understand. My introduction to your Introduction to Genocide is literally imprinted on my psyche – whether that is a good thing or not. Most regular people do not know what to say when you tell them you specialized in genocide, atrocities, and war crimes, and I learned quickly not to say it at a dinner party. But now that I am in the field and see all the people out there who have been affected by atrocity crimes and survivors of genocide – and there are more than the average person realizes – I have come to believe that I did not choose this profession – it chose me. (Thanks, Adam!)

I am grateful and humbled by the support and inspiration I have received from my colleagues at the UN. I am thankful to be part of a team that really is more like a family. I am inspired by you every day. The work done at the UN is some of the most important work done on the planet! It has been a pleasure.

In the field, all we have is each other, and I cannot imagine going through any of this with anyone other than y’all. It is deeply satisfying to know that we have each other’s backs! Until the next time…

Life would not be nearly exciting without my Dream Team, Chad, Brad, Alex, and Jason – you guys are my partners in crimes – in all things humanitarian. From our humble beginnings at the Freakin’ Frog, y’all have stood by me, stood me up, and watched over me when I could no longer stand up. I appreciate the support and love, and I look forward to a day when none of us have jobs… because we are no longer needed. (Raise a glass)

A very special heartfelt thanks to P.G., Dave W., and Planet Fitness DMV – the advice and support meant a lot to me and helped me tremendously. If I could just say one thing about trauma – I would say find a way to get it out, so that it does not continue to own you. Do not let it build, and do not be afraid.

Friends and family have encouraged me and loved me as I grew in my passion for history, writing, and humanitarian causes. I may have even inspired a few advocates and activists along the way. I’m grateful for every single drop of encouragement – spoken and otherwise.

Mom – thanks for your belief, support, encouragement, love, and patience. I could have never gotten here without you. You helped me hit the reset and move forward (more than once). I appreciate and love you.

Lastly, I am filled with deep gratitude for CFKW (you know who you are) ~ whose music was a channel of encouragement and hope in one of our darkest moments. You got us through an incredibly challenging time and inspired us to push on. I am eternally grateful that you were there in spirit. Thank you for all your help… navigating. ~ Always… Lara.

Lara Kajs

Washington DC, February 2022

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Chapter One

The Nest of Civilization

Yemen is a magical place; its rich heritage and beauty