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Daily Telegraph UK

Seychelles riots over role of UAE ruler

Street protests have erupted in the Indian Ocean island of Seychelles after a palace complex built for the leader of Abu Dhabi polluted surrounding rivers by discharging effluent from a sewage system.

 

By Mike Pflanz in Nairobi 
Published: 4:59PM BST 20 Sep 2010

The focus of the demonstrations is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the president of the United Arab emirates, who is building a vast new palace with 360-degree views across the Indian Ocean on a former US Air Force base.

An accident at its sewage plant allowed diesel and raw effluent to seep into local water sources. The 800 nearest residents have prepared claims against Sheikh Khalifa after doctors warned of life-long health consequences.

Lydia Jumeau, who lives close to the Sheikh's palace with two daughters, her brother and his wife, said her water supply was visibly contaminated. "We only noticed the diesel when we filled baths and they would have an oily rainbow across the surface," she said. "Soon we were coming out in rashes. When the sewage came down the river, you could not miss that. For weeks I was forced to wash with bottled water."

Mrs Jumeau has on three occasions led demonstrations over the lack of government support, forcing the government to deploy riot police.

Government officials said the protests are unreasonable since the leak was quickly stopped and clean water has since been trucked to the area's 360 affected homes.

Sheikh Khalifa bought the ex-US satellite tracking station for £320,000 in 2005.

The Abu Dhabi court has reportedly offered more than £10 million to replace the entire piping system on the affected mountainside. A compensation offer of over £5,000 per household, from the Sheikh's construction contractor, Ascon Ltd of Abu Dhabi, has been rejected as inadequate as most of the affected homes are uninhabitable.

"Their homes are now effectively worthless unless they rip out all the pipes and deep-disinfect the whole place, which few can afford," said Christopher Gill, a Seychellois newspaper columnist.

Mrs Jumeau and her neighbours additionally argue that future illnesses and the possibility of expensive trips abroad for treatment should also be recognised.

"It's our government who is to blame, we think the Sheikh probably doesn't really know the extent of what is happening here on our little island," Mrs Jumeau said.

Mrs Jumeau and other neighbours say their government, led by President James Michel, is too cosy with Sheikh Khalifa to push for real compensation.

"There is an element of politics being brought through by people here to blow this out of proportion, so that it reflects upon our relationship with the UAE," said Joel Morgan, Seychelles minister for environment, transport and home affairs, who is leading compensation negotiations for the government.

"I will not deny that President Khalifa and President Michel have a very close working relationship.

"The UAE has done a lot for the Seychelles, and that is why Sheikh Khalifa was invited here to establish a residence."

The government has even be accused of intimidation tactics to stop the protests.

Mrs Jumeau's Hyundai hatchback was set alight soon after she went to bed on Monday.

The UAE president, who is worth £12 billion and whose family owns Manchester City FC has not commented on the allegations.

He is said to be recovering from illness in a Geneva hospital and attempts to reach his private office in Abu Dhabi were unsuccessful.