Yemen’s Socotra Island under threat

SANAA, July 23 (YPA)- The island of Socotra has so far escaped largely unscathed as civil war rages on mainland Yemen, but the foreign powers bringing aid and infrastructure to the impoverished region could threaten its unique ecosystem, BBC reported .

According to the report, Socotra has become part of the regional power Struggle.

Socotra’s culture and its ecology are unique. They developed near isolation from mainland Yemen over the centuries.

But this is a poor island in a poor country and the arrival here of rich donor nations.

It is prompting some people to question whether their island is being subtly colonized.

The Saudi-led coalition has been waging war on Yemen since three Years.

The UAE occupation forces have built a strong presence on the island, along with much-needed infrastructure. As Socotra becomes more developed, some islanders are concerned about the impact.

Local people on the island said that the big challenge for the island is people who come from outside, and people on the island are really afraid to lose their traditional things on the Island.

“Our “ Jewel”, is our oil, is only the environment”, they added.

The development without studying and caring about the environment is a big threat to the archipelago, they said

People on the island hope to keep their traditional language and use to the environment. It is a big challenge for the Socotrans, especially for the Younger.

The Yemeni island of Socotra is remote, unique and untouched by war, located 380 km south of the Arabian Peninsula, near shipping lines in the Indian Ocean and the red sea.

The island has more than 308 plants endemic to this archipelago, like dragoon blood tree.

It is just 132 Km long. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its unique biodiversity, the local office of the environment said.

It is thought that human first settled in Socotra around 3,000 years ago. Today there are around 60, 000 people living on the Socotra archipelago.

E.M