Socotra Archipelago and the Danger of Dredging: Land Grab and Violations Threaten Its Nature Reserves (Special Report)

The operations of bulldozing the lands of Socotra Island by Emirati institutions are expanding. These operations did not stop at buying lands from citizens at a low price through brokers affiliated with the Transitional Council, but they expanded to include the seizure of lands on which the state has government plans to establish development projects.

The ongoing violations of random construction in the archipelago continue, and tourism in the natural reserves of Socotra Island puts its classification on the World Heritage List at risk, as it was included on the heritage list in 2008 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Since the UAE-backed Transitional Council forces took control of the archipelago in June 2020, land purchases from citizens have increased, exploiting their living conditions, by Emirati figures and institutions, most notably the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Foundation, which is active on the island under the name of humanitarian work.

Robbery of Socotra Airport lands

The matter did not stop at buying land from citizens at a low price, but rather reached the acquisition of lands belonging to the state and government institutions, as happened last October, by the Khalifa Foundation, where its representatives went down to inaugurate the project to build a gate and fence for Socotra Airport.

The story of the theft of Socotra airport lands began with what sources revealed to "Yemeni Youth Net" about preparations to announce the launch of the Socotra Archipelago Airport fence and gate project, funded by the Emirati Khalifa Foundation, which intends to establish military sites next to the airport and seize an area of government lands for the benefit of the Emirates.

Socotra Airport General Manager Abdullah Al-Khidr revealed that the Emirati Khalifa Foundation expanded by an area estimated at about 160 meters towards the airport halls, according to a memorandum - obtained by Yemen Youth Net - addressed to the Minister of Transport and the President of the Civil Aviation Authority on October 23.

He said in the memo, "The site specified by the Khalifa Foundation is in violation of the new plan that was determined by engineers and the joint committee from the governorate and the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and approved by the State Lands and Real Estate Office in Socotra."

A responsible source in the local authority in Socotra said, "The Emirati Khalifa Foundation has its own goals, and seeks to seize a large area of Socotra airport land, in agreement with the governor of the province, affiliated with the Transitional Council, Raafat Al-Thaqali."

The source told "Yemeni Youth Net" - who requested anonymity - that the project to be implemented is in violation of the airport plan, explaining that "the airport fence around the runway is estimated to be about 4 km long and half a km wide according to the government plan", and he said "they want to allocate a large area for the benefit of the Emirati institution".

Government directives without implementation

The central government directives conflicted between stopping any new developments around Socotra Airport, and this was preceded by a directive from the Minister of Transport to adhere to the government plan approved by the joint committee in response to the memorandum of the Director of Socotra Airport.

On November 3, Defense Minister Mohsen Mohammed Al-Daari directed - in a secret document seen by "Yemeni Youth Net" - to stop any new developments in the Socotra Airport area in order to preserve the public interest, except with directives from the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defense.

The directives of the Joint Operations Room in the Yemeni Ministry of Defense to the Governor of Socotra, Raafat Al-Thaqali, and the Commander of the First Marine Infantry Brigade, reveal the local authority’s failure to comply with the directives of the Ministry of Transport before announcing the date for the inauguration of the construction of the Socotra Airport fence.

The Minister of Transport, Abdul Salam Hamid, directed adherence to the plan prepared by the joint committee of the technical team of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and the local authority in the governorate, and according to the minutes prepared by the two parties, according to a memorandum dated October 22.

In order to speed up the start of construction at Socotra Airport, Khalfan Al Mazrouei, the UAE representative in Socotra, who is known to be the de facto ruler who has been running the Transitional Council militias in Socotra since they took control of it, arrived last Thursday, November 15.

Regarding the work on the airport fence by the Khalifa Foundation, a local source confirmed to “Yemeni Youth Net” that “it has not started yet, and there are no new developments so far.”

At the beginning of this month, the governor of Socotra visited the United Arab Emirates, and according to official sources, “During his visit, Governor Al-Thaqali met with officials in the United Arab Emirates and discussed with them the humanitarian, developmental and service aspects that they provide to the governorate.”

extensive land clearing

A large area of land in Socotra is being bulldozed and purchased by Emirati institutions and officials, through local influential people, exploiting the citizens’ needs and their deteriorating living conditions. Our sources in Socotra indicate that the Emiratis have purchased land on the coasts, highlands, and in various areas of Socotra, including agricultural land, and have fenced it with iron wire.

Sheikh Ali Amer, head of the preparatory committee for the Socotra National Conference, said, “The land was expropriated by purchasing it from its owners at a low price, due to their need for it in light of the dire conditions the country is experiencing.”

He added to "Yemeni Youth Net" that the local authority in the Socotra Archipelago, represented by Governor Raafat Al-Thaqali, does not have a sense of responsibility in order to preserve Socotra and stop the crazy selling of lands.

The Preparatory Committee for the Socotra National Conference called on the local authority to take firm measures to stop the process of encroachment on the lands of Socotra and Abd al-Kuri and the illegal actions therein, which will place it in full responsibility if it continues to be lax and turn a blind eye.

The committee demanded - in a statement seen by Yemen Youth Net - "the supreme state authorities to stop the violations that Socotra is being subjected to by the influential forces, most notably the seizure of areas and lands in various regions in clear violations of the constitution, regulations, laws and relevant state decisions."

The Socotra National Conference Preparatory Committee called on the House of Representatives to stop and hold accountable the officials complicit in the squandering and tampering with the lands of the Socotra Archipelago and to form special committees to review and submit reports.

Serious violations

The matter did not stop at bulldozing and buying lands, but rather reached the point of targeting and tampering with the unique Socotri identity, bringing in customs and traditions alien to the society, and tampering with the reserves by foreign tourists brought by the Emirates to the archipelago, without standards that regulate tourism in the natural reserve.

Yemen's Ambassador to UNESCO, Dr. Mohammed Jameh, said, "There are many violations regarding construction and building projects in coastal areas, nature reserves, and inside the Blood of the Two Brothers Forest, noting that among the violations is urban development, urban development that is encroaching on nature reserves."

He added in a statement to "Yemeni Youth Net", "There is a dredging of marine life in a manner that exceeds what is permitted, decided and specified by the regulations that determine fishing in nature reserves, because Socotra, the Socotra coast and the territorial waters surrounding Socotra are part of the natural heritage."

Jamih pointed out that "among the violations is the random and unorganized entry of tourists into the natural reserve areas in Socotra," noting that "tourists sometimes engage in acts of vandalism, and light fires for barbecues and other parties that are held from time to time inside the natural reserve, and this is dangerous and prohibited."

He added: "The introduction of some plants from outside the natural and botanical context of Socotra had some impact, but this dilemma was confronted, because there was a type of weevil that entered with some plants that were intended to decorate the streets of the capital, Hadiboh," stressing that these are the most important violations that UNESCO has surrounded.

Jamih said, "Despite the fact that the lands of Socotra Island are owned by individuals, this does not mean that he has the freedom to act in a manner that violates Yemeni laws regarding natural reserves and in a manner that violates international laws and agreements signed by the Republic of Yemen regarding the protection of cultural and natural heritage."

Socotra Island is threatened

The Yemeni ambassador to UNESCO revealed that the international organization is aware of everything that is happening in Socotra, noting that "Socotra Island was discussed last July and there was a tendency to place it on the list of world heritage in danger due to the violations and abuses that are taking place."

He added: "We were able to postpone this discussion until the next session of the Arab Heritage Committee. One of the conditions was to send a committee to Socotra to submit a detailed report on the reality of the situation there to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, and then it would take a decision to place Socotra on the list of world heritage in danger."

Ambassador Jamil pointed out that "the committee will be formed soon, and UNESCO is in the process of forming it. It is assumed that this committee will go to broad sectors, visit different regions, and submit its report."

The importance of the Socotra Archipelago

Socotra Island is located on the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, about 350 kilometers away from the southern coast of Yemen, east of the Gulf of Aden, where the Indian Ocean meets the Arabian Sea, and also east of the Horn of Africa.

While this name is associated with the largest island, the archipelago includes three other main islands, namely, in addition to Socotra, Darsa, Samha and Abd al-Kuri, in addition to a number of other rocky islands. The area of the “mother island” is about 3,650 square kilometers.

Socotra is considered one of the largest natural reserves in the world, and is described as the largest open museum of plant wealth, medicinal herbs and perennial trees, as its plant wealth numbers more than 850 species, more than a third of which are unique and not found anywhere else in the world.

Socotra Island has many types of plants and trees that are not found anywhere else, such as the "Dragon's Blood" tree, which is used in the fields of chemistry. It is also distinguished by many insects that are only found there, such as day and night butterflies, in addition to 80 types of flying insects of various kinds.

While dolphins flock to the island’s beaches, swimming in amazing displays that attract attention, there are 352 types of shells and coral reefs in addition to the huge green turtles, and specialists count 25 types of frankincense trees in the entire world, 9 of which are found on Socotra Island.