News

Socotra Airport employees refuse to hand over the airport to an Emirati company, and the Transitional Council forces assault them

Locals| 20 February, 2025 - 10:35 AM

Socotra: Yemen Youth Net - Special

image

Socotra Airport employees held a protest today, Thursday, rejecting the handover of the island's airport to an Emirati company. The Transitional Council forces controlling the archipelago responded by assaulting them and expelling them from the airport.

A special source told "Yemeni Youth Net" that Socotra Airport employees held a protest today, Thursday, during which they raised slogans rejecting the privatization of Socotra Airport and not handing it over to the Emirati Eastern Triangle Company, considering it a sovereign facility.

He added that the protesters expressed their condemnation of the administration of the so-called Eastern Triangle Company and its assignment of the airport affairs mission and the authority to replace employees.

He pointed out that the Transitional Forces attacked the protesters and expelled them from the protest site.

The protesters delivered a statement in which they confirmed their rejection and condemnation of the decision to establish the Socotra Aviation Services Center under the umbrella of the Eastern Triangle Holding Company inside the airport without there being a clear explanation or clear agreement in accordance with the regulations and systems of the General Authority of Civil Aviation that guarantee the rights of employees and the sovereignty of the airport.

The protesters stressed that they would continue their protests against these decisions, which they said affected the rights of employees and the sovereignty of the airport, until solutions were found by the Ministry of Transport and the Authority to guarantee all employees’ rights.

image

An airport employee explained to "Yemeni Youth Net" that the Minister of Transport, Abdul Salam Hamid, and the Governor of Socotra, Raafat Al-Thaqali (Transitional Council), agreed to hand over Socotra Airport to the Emirati Eastern Triangle Company.

The source confirmed that the company, which is managed by Emirati officer Saeed Ahmed Al Kaabi, is dedicated to managing airport affairs, and has been given the authority to replace all employees.

"Yemeni Youth Net" viewed a memorandum from Governor Al-Thaqali to Minister Hamid, requesting him to allow the establishment of the Socotra Aviation Services Center under the umbrella of the Triangle Company, in which he claimed that the center "will contribute to serving the aviation services activity in terms of technical and professional qualification, aviation maintenance and security, ground services, and everything related to aviation services."

In reference to the governorate’s memorandum, Minister Hamid urgently directed the General Authority of Civil Aviation to allow the establishment of the center, which was later handed over to the airport management.

image

The UAE-backed Transitional Council has been in control of the island since mid-June 2020. Over the past years, its authorities have sold vast tracts of land to Emirati companies and individuals, and have granted these companies and individuals the right to monopolize a large number of services, including fuel and electricity.

Related News

[ The writings and opinions express the opinion of their authors and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the Yemen Shabab Net administration ]
All rights reserved to YemenShabab 2024