At a time when the Black Lives Matter movement is reshaping societies, black Yemenis have scant hope for an end to centuries of discrimination that has only worsened during the country's civil war. DEBATE OVER ORIGINSMost black Yemenis live in the Red Sea coastal plain of Tihama, which extends from the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the western port city of Hodeida. Black Yemenis -- who make up between two and 10 percent of the population, according to various estimates -- have long struggled to survive, confined as they are to low-paying jobs like street sweeping or collecting garbage. Last month, rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Huthi called for the integration of black Yemenis into society under a long-term national programme, raising hope but also sparking scepticism. Hudhaifi said that when popular protests broke out in 2011 demanding political change, inspired by the "Arab Spring" uprisings, black Yemenis joined the demonstrations hoping their own situation would change.

Source: Daily Nation July 16, 2020 02:03 UTC