In this fourth installment of our series on Oromo refugees and migrants in Yemen, we shift our focus to the plight of refugees who are mothers, sisters, and daughters – and the particular vulnerabilities they face as female refugees and asylum seekers in a conflict-affected zone.
Here we tell the story of Khadija, an Oromo widow who bears deep emotional and physical scars from a lifetime of abuse, political turmoil, and constant fear. Khadija remains a devoted mother in the face of unimaginable hardship, placing the needs of her children above her own.
It’s been over two decades since Khadija fled her homeland of Ethiopia. Brutally abused by the Ethiopian authorities, Khadija was left with no choice but to take her children and run. It was a decision driven by sheer desperation, tremendous bravery, and an awareness that her life was at risk.
While still in Ethiopia, Khadija lost the two most influential men in her life. Her husband was brutally abducted by the Ethiopian government, accused of being a rebel aligned with the opposition political party, Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Khadija reports that her father also faced baseless accusations that he was connected to the OLF, and was murdered publicly by Ethiopian authorities. Khadija recalls her father’s limp corpse being dragged behind a moving car, and recounts how he was deprived even of a burial service. Both incidents speak to the widespread and pervasive climate of corruption, instability, and abuse in Ethiopia at the time.
During this period, Ethiopian citizens were ruled by a government that regarded life and liberty not as rights, but as privileges to be granted at its discretion. The year 1990 saw a continuation of systematic, large-scale violations of human rights in Ethiopia. Khadija claims that she was frequently beaten, assaulted, and threatened by Ethiopian authorities. One night security officers broke into her house, and forced Khadija to falsely confess that her husband had once been a rebel who hid weapons belonging to the OLF. After this incident, fearing for her life, Khadija fled to Eritrea in search of safety for herself and her children.
Life on the Run
Upon arrival in Eritrea, Khadija struggled to find the sense of safety and security she so desperately sought for herself and her children. In May of 1991, the capital of Eritrea, Asmara, fell to the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) following a 30-year-long battle for independence. Between 1991 and 1992, as many as 150,000 Ethiopians, many of whom had been involved in the Ethiopian administration, were expelled from Eritrea. The practice of deportation persisted throughout the 1990s, leaving Khadija, who had fled persecution in Ethiopia, at risk of expulsion.
Life in Yemen
In a desperate act of survival, Khadija fled to Yemen on a small fishing boat in 1996, where she has remained to this day, although she continues to face physical and emotional suffering. Khadija currently lives at Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj Governorate, Yemen. Current estimates place the total number of refugees and asylum seekers residing in the 1.5 kilometers squared area at 9,500. Reports suggest that the majority of these individuals struggle to satisfy their most basic needs.
Khadija’s troubles extend beyond the confines of Kharaz Refugee Camp, as Yemen continues to suffer from the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” Over eight years of war have forced more than 4 million people from their homes and left 20.7 million in dire need of humanitarian assistance. This situation is further exacerbated by the country’s rapidly deteriorating infrastructure; half of Yemen’s health facilities have been destroyed, and years of economic turmoil have pushed nearly 50,000 people into famine-like conditions.
With 10 children to feed, Khadija faces a steeper challenge than most. She engages in back-breaking labor to support her family, and suffers from chronic illness as a result. Khadija recounted that she is unable to walk easily, even for short distances. Her back pain is becoming increasingly severe, forcing Khadija and her children into a position of tremendous vulnerability.
More unbearable than Khadija’s physical suffering, however, is the constant anxiety she experiences. She recalls a life-threatening incident that occurred on March 7, 2016, during which an armed group broke into Khadija’s house and brutally attacked her family. Khadija was thrown to the ground and beaten, her eldest daughter was stabbed with a knife, and her two younger daughters were threatened with sexual assault. While the intruders fled before wreaking any further and potentially life-ending damage, the gravity of the situation continues to torment Khadija today. She lives in a state of constant fear.
The Gender Dimensions of Armed Conflict
Khadija’s experiences as a woman, a widow, and a mother have left her particularly vulnerable, and her story is emblematic of the kind of experiences faced by Oromo women who have been forced to flee to Yemen in order to escape persecution inside Ethiopia. .
Conflicts and periods of turmoil often serve to exacerbate pre-existing forms of gender-based discrimination against women and girls. Conflict often leads to elevated levels of gender-based violence against women and girls, including arbitrary killings, torture, sexual violence, and forced marriage. This has been seen through reports of gender-based injustices, such as the use of rape as a weapon of war, in countless conflicts throughout the world. Khadija and her family have faced countless acts of violence, including both inside Ethiopia where she was forced to falsely confess that her husband was linked to the OLF, and following the outbreak of conflict in Yemen.
It’s been reported that women are often required to take on increased economic responsibilities in order to provide for the wellbeing of their families in conflict situations, which, unfortunately, is often associated with, “badly paid jobs and in the informal sector”. Here, Khadija also reports that she has been forced into back-breaking labor in order to support her family, and suffers from chronic illness as a result.
Conclusion
Khadija has experienced unimaginable injustice, instability and heartbreak. Losing both her father and husband to ruthless Ethiopian authorities, Khadija was left a widow and single mother. She suffered brutal physical and psychological abuse, forced to flee her home for Eritrea and, ultimately, Kharaz Refugee Camp. Khadija continues to live in Yemen, a country plagued by political turmoil, insufficient resources, and violent fighting. Her search for safety and security remain an elusive dream, but her resilience is unfaltering.
OLLAA encourages the international community to take action: advocate on behalf of women who, like Khadija, have been subjected to unfathomable abuse; do more to assist refugees in search of a brighter future; and demonstrate compassion in any way possible. Khadija dreams of a better tomorrow; you should too.