The Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Promotion Council condemned on Wednesday the establishment by the UAE occupation forces of a camp belonging to their forces in the Sharmah-Gathmoun Nature Reserve in Hadhramaut Governorate, one of the most important Yemeni nature reserves for rare and endangered turtles in the world.
In a statement received by Saba, the ministry and the council pointed to the importance of the reserve, which represents an important habitat for green turtles and hawksbill turtles, which are among the most important rare and endangered living creatures from the planet, which take the beaches of the reserve as a suitable site for nesting and laying eggs.
The statement denounced the imposition of control by forces supported by the UAE occupation on this vital site, as part of their efforts to militarize Yemeni tourist sites and natural reserves, in flagrant violation of Yemeni national sovereignty, and international laws and norms calling for the protection of natural sites and reserves in the world, and the preservation of biological and environmental diversity in them, and the components of their unique tourism product as a global natural heritage.
The statement held the UAE occupation and the parties supported by it – mercenaries – responsible for the militarization of the nature reserve, which threatens a dangerous escalation targeting the security situation and the lives of citizens, and the risks that the reserve may be exposed to threaten its natural heritage and vital ecosystem, and rare and endangered living organisms in it.
It called on international organizations to act quickly to save the reserve, which was declared in 2001, as a nature reserve and home for endangered turtles, and to stop all crimes and destructive activities that threaten marine life, as the most important natural marine environment, and to work to stop violations and acts of sabotage and demand the removal of the occupation forces from it, and all Yemeni reserves, islands and ports.
The statement saluted the positions of the Hadhramaut tribes and their honorable sons in confronting the Emirati temptations, standing against these violations that target Yemen reserves and its natural and world heritage sites as part of the rich Yemeni tourism component, and not allowing such crimes, and establishing camps in them, which is the most important global natural reserve for rare turtles, and a natural outlet for them and their families.
The statement called on media professionals, activists, environmental protectors, concerned authorities of the Yemeni government, and local and international organizations to assume their responsibilities in condemning such crimes and violations.
It warned of the consequences of the occupation and aggression forces depleting the natural resources in the reserve, other reserves and islands, especially rare living creatures such as sea turtles, vegetation and resources. It called for stopping all forms of tampering that has affected it for years, and respecting deterrent laws to protect them, as they are an economic and natural gain for Yemen in general, Hadhramaut Governorate in particular and the world.
Sharmah Reserve is located 135 kilometers east of the city of Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut Governorate, and is one of the most important sites in the turtle nesting Yemen, occupying an area of 30,000 hectares of beaches and coastal land.
It is bordered to the east by the city of Qusay’ir, to the west by Al-Qurayn region, to the north by the eastern city of Ad Dis, and to the south by the Arabian Sea.
The selection of Sharmah as a nature reserve is part of efforts and measures aimed at protecting rare species of marine organisms that abound in it, especially turtles from the oldest and rarest species.
The reserve was subsequently nominated under the Man and the Biosphere Programme by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), after meeting the required international conditions and standards.
