Chapter
7:
Case
studies
in
Sana’a
basin
7.3
Case
3
-‐
Bani
Matar:
villagers
of
Al
Kharabah,
Mahiab,
Bait
Awad
and
Bait
Habes
against
villagers
of
Jalal
7.3.1
Overview
of
the
conflict
The
dispute
arose
between
inhabitancies
of
Karabt
Muhaeb
over
the
waterstream
Gayel
Muheab.
Karabt
Muhaeb
consists
of
two
villages:
an
upper
and
lower
village,
between
which
the
water
stream
flows.
The
conflict
started
when
the
people
of
the
upper
village
started
to
dig
holes
and
wells
near
and
in
the
course
of
the
stream
to
irrigate
their
fields.
Apparently,
this
resulted
in
the
disappearance
of
the
surface
water
flow
to
the
lower
village.
Fighting
between
the
two
villages
erupted
and
the
problem
remains
unresolved.
7.3.2
A:
Context
and
contextual
changes
At
the
lower
escarpment
of
prophet
Shoa'eb
Mountain
in
Bani
Mater
-‐
Sana'a
Basin
-‐
four
villages
used
to
profit
from
the
continuous
natural
flow
of
stream
(Ghail)
named
“Ghail
Mahiab”.
The
villages
in
the
lower
region
(Al
Kharabah,
Mahiab,
Bait
Awad
and
Bait
Habes)
had
an
agreement
with
the
citizens
of
the
villages
located
in
the
upper
region
of
Sho'eb
mountain
(Jalal
and
others)
not
to
grow
crops,
herd
cattle
or
dig
any
well
in
or
around
the
path
of
the
ghail
in
order
to
protect
its
flow.
The
ghail
is
their
main
source
of
drinking
and
irrigation
water,
and
their
livelihoods
depend
on
it.
The
villages
are
scattered
on
the
sides
of
the
mountain.
The
farming
practiced
in
the
area
are
plantations
of
almonds
trees
and
some
qat
in
the
lower
part
of
the
wadi.
Figure
7.3:
The
higher
well
of
12m
dug
in
farmer’s
field
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