New Delhi/Yemen: The quest of Indian Government in ensuring safe return of Indian nationals stranded at conflict-ridden Yemen appears less dynamic with media brief released by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday contradicting the ground reality.
The press release posted on the official website of MEA claims 400 Indian nationals stranded at Aden are being rescued through sea route. “We are still waiting for the ship to arrive. No Indian nationals have been lifted from Aden,” informed Shaique Ruknuddin Shekre, an Indian national stranded at Aden to Newakarnataka.com over telephone. Mr. Shekre said that Saudi Arabia and allies were carrying air strikes exactly 2kms away from a place where he was stranded.
Shekre also expressed ire against the Indian Embassy at Sana’a (with whom he is in constant touch) for performing poor discourse with people who are trapped. “Although, I have made a series of calls to the officials of embassy, there were no clear updates given to Indian civilians”, he said.
He also said that few nationals from Sana’a might have been rescued by the Indian government. Even this update was also not available with us, he stated. However Embassy had informed obscurely that a ship had been sent from Djibouti to Aden but there was no confirmation of time of arrival. “We are waiting here with lot hope sir,” he lamented.
Hearing the news of ship’s arrival at Aden, many Indians – residing at the city called Taiz – moved to Aden. There are as many as 500 civilians at Aden, apart from many dropped from Taiz, waiting for ship”, he said.
When stressed on authenticity of his information contradicting the news put out by MEA, Shekre said no one has been evacuated from the place so far. “MEA’s version is false and we know our distraught plight,” he reiterated and broke down.
In the month of March Indian Embassy announced to leave Yemen. “We were told to get exit stamped on the passport but Yemen’s government office was closed down leaving us in lurch.” He continued, at present few with the help of Yemen locals got exit stamped on the passport. Shekre is one among few lucky in unfortunate Yemen. Besides he alleged there was lack of communication between MEA and Indian Embassy which is adding up to the agony of trapped in bloody sectarian crisis. He pleaded through Newskarnataka.com Indian government to rush to safeguard the return of its nationals.
When tried to contact a spokesperson and joint secretary of MEA Syed Akbaruddin, an official from the office at Delhi informed he was busy in a meeting. At the time when this copy was filed the efforts to get the official version from Syed proved futile as he did not turn up from the meeting.
However, an official from the ministry informed under condition of anonymity that the ship would arrive at Aden port on Tuesday evening to carry trapped Indian nationals to Djibouti in Africa.
