Specialists in the environmental field have warned of the absurd practices of the UAE on the environment of the Yemeni island of Socotra.
The specialists revealed the danger that threatens the tourist reserves and natural heritage on the Socotra island as a result of the Emirati representative’s and the influencers’ unlimited tampering with the valleys and heights of the Socotra archipelago.
Head of the “Socotra Wildlife Society”, Nasser Abdulrahman, confirmed in a press statement on Monday the existence of large-scale purchases of land and mountain heights in the tourist reserves in the archipelago, led by influential and authoritarian merchants on the island, accompanied by officials of the local authority loyal to the UAE.
Nasser argued that the selling of lands and vast areas overlooking the coasts and beaches of the sea is a violation of local and international laws that criminalize selling in such places, as they are a world heritage site and a natural reserve.
He pointed out that there are influential people in the local authority affiliated with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) who carry out the buying and selling process for influential merchants, including foreigners.
In September 2020, press reports revealed that the UAE and its loyal factions on the island had carried out large-scale purchases of lands and important mountainous heights in the archipelago’s tourist reserves, which were led by the UAE representative, Khalfan Al-Mazrouei, and a number of leaders loyal to the Saudi-led coalition.
According to reports, among those lands are large areas in the coast “Delsha,” located north of Socotra to the east of the capital, Hadiboh, which is one of the most beautiful and important tourist beaches that visitors and tourists from all over the world come to enjoy with its clean air and stunning views, and another in the national park in the reserve (Duxum), in addition to buying a large area on the coast of the “Qa’ara” region, southwest of Socotra.
The reports confirmed that the UAE delegate fenced off the land that was purchased, built inside, and placed strict security guards on it from outside Socotra and surveillance cameras to track the citizens.
Article 385 of the Yemeni Law of 2015 prohibits owning sea beaches, coasts, and natural reserves and regulates their exploitation and use.
Environmental experts and organizations have warned of the potential for Socotra to be excluded from the World Natural Heritage List due to the tampering with the island by coalition forces.
