Two members of the Yemeni House of Representatives called on Prime Minister Moein Abdul Malik to answer questions about the reality of the Emirati innovations on Socotra Island and the measures taken by the government.
Representatives Ali Al-Maamari and Ali Ashal submitted a letter to the House of Representatives requesting a written answer from the Prime Minister regarding the UAE's start of establishing two camps on the eastern and western sides of Socotra Island.
The letter stated that an Emirati airline operated 6 flights to Socotra, carrying among its passengers foreigners of different nationalities believed to be experts and military officers who entered without official visas.
The message of the two representatives indicated that Emirati investors own large areas of the coasts of Socotra Island and environmental reserves in violation of the law, and an Emirati telecom company has established 8 communication towers.
The two deputies called on the Yemeni prime minister to answer a question about the extent of the government’s awareness of the Emirati measures in Socotra, and the government's actions in this regard.
Separating the island from Yemen
Yesterday, Monday, local sources reported in the Qalansiya district in the Yemeni governorate of Socotra that the Emirati-backed Transitional Council militants fired live bullets to disperse a protest demonstration organized by the people against the Emirati presence in the archipelago.
The demonstrators demanded the return of state institutions and the restoration of their headquarters, and the expulsion of the militants brought by Emirati forces from outside the archipelago.
The sheikh of the tribes of the Yemeni province of Socotra Archipelago, Issa Salem bin Yaqut, had earlier accused Riyadh and Abu Dhabi of "destroying the enchanting and rare environmental landmarks on Socotra Island, and establishing camps without supervision amid a terrible international silence."
He said that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had brought Israel to Socotra as part of a process aimed at separating the island from Yemen, and accused the two countries of bringing about demographic changes and bringing in residents from outside Socotra.