Medeshi 17 Sept, 2008Staggering number of ships seized in Southern Somalia coastal lines must step up new efforts to significantly suppress shipping information misuse .
Congratulations must be sent to the French officers responsible for the latest attack to counter against pirates in Somalia's break-away tribal enclave of "Puntland State of Somalia". As predicted in an article titled "Somalia sea pirates seek revenge; to kill French hostages", the abandoned small coastal village of Baargaal; a traditional piracy staging post once again suspected and routed by French commandos.
Congratulations must be sent to the French officers responsible for the latest attack to counter against pirates in Somalia's break-away tribal enclave of "Puntland State of Somalia". As predicted in an article titled "Somalia sea pirates seek revenge; to kill French hostages", the abandoned small coastal village of Baargaal; a traditional piracy staging post once again suspected and routed by French commandos.
(Coastal communities between Bander Qasim and Eyl look out for ships to hijack on a daily basis.)
These initiatives by France may proof more effective rather than heeding to misinformation from the corruption renowned country Kenya, often encouraging capitulation to pirates.
Kenya enjoyed a huge influence over Somalia matters including air traffic control and sea as Somalia's state structures to monitor air and sea still remain non-existent since 1991. As a result, pilots and ship captains desperately depend upon communications with Kenyan control centres. It is this access to shipping information and trust what is currently suspected of being abused by certain Kenyan officials.
Exactly one month ago, a man calling himself Andrew Mwangaru representing the self styled East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme blamed Somalia's "Al-Shabaab" who are active a great distant far away from the current invested coastal lines of Somalia and said "The entire Somali coastline is now under control of the Islamists". Not only is this misleading, but astonishingly counter productive in finding solutions to combat sea piracy.
The whole of the Somali coasts from Northern Kenya to Djibouti can be considered as "Islamist stronghold" since its inhabitants are Islam believers. However, there are many evidences of ships far away from coastal lines that are being seized and is enough to conclude more complex web of sophisticated tools at their disposal. Kenyan advice to keep clear of "Somali Coast" will not only fail, but increase the tally of ships falling victim to such heinous criminals. Not only are the pirates aware of the ships locations and routes, more detailed information regarding ship details and their respective declared cargoes are also supplied to them.
As a consequence, pirates pick and choose their victims whether for financial gain or revenge as in the case of the French yacht. It is not surprising to witness hostages flown to Kenya after the final payment is made as all nodes of the sea piracy enterprise stems from Kenyan communication centres. France should not depend on shaky agreements to enter Somalia territorial waters signed with an unpopular government in Somalia know as TFG (Transitional Federal Government), but imperatively seize this opportunity to render such pirate staging centres and hostage holding centres uninhabitable.
Current "Transitional Federal Government" is a facade government led by a president hailing from the pirate invested self declared region of "Puntland State of Somalia". The TFG was created in Kenya in 2004, built with a constitution similar to Ethiopia's "ethnic federalism". This despite the Somali identity having no differences except tribal lineages and commercial interests. Somalis in Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia all unite in accusing the cancerous predatory imposed government for hijacking the "Somali identity".
"Puntland State of Somalia" is a stronghold of the TFG as the tribal enclave of current president Abullahi Yusuf who also enjoys huge support within for his role in subjugating Southern groups by force with Ethiopian militias.
By Shuun Isaaq
Kenya enjoyed a huge influence over Somalia matters including air traffic control and sea as Somalia's state structures to monitor air and sea still remain non-existent since 1991. As a result, pilots and ship captains desperately depend upon communications with Kenyan control centres. It is this access to shipping information and trust what is currently suspected of being abused by certain Kenyan officials.
Exactly one month ago, a man calling himself Andrew Mwangaru representing the self styled East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme blamed Somalia's "Al-Shabaab" who are active a great distant far away from the current invested coastal lines of Somalia and said "The entire Somali coastline is now under control of the Islamists". Not only is this misleading, but astonishingly counter productive in finding solutions to combat sea piracy.
The whole of the Somali coasts from Northern Kenya to Djibouti can be considered as "Islamist stronghold" since its inhabitants are Islam believers. However, there are many evidences of ships far away from coastal lines that are being seized and is enough to conclude more complex web of sophisticated tools at their disposal. Kenyan advice to keep clear of "Somali Coast" will not only fail, but increase the tally of ships falling victim to such heinous criminals. Not only are the pirates aware of the ships locations and routes, more detailed information regarding ship details and their respective declared cargoes are also supplied to them.
As a consequence, pirates pick and choose their victims whether for financial gain or revenge as in the case of the French yacht. It is not surprising to witness hostages flown to Kenya after the final payment is made as all nodes of the sea piracy enterprise stems from Kenyan communication centres. France should not depend on shaky agreements to enter Somalia territorial waters signed with an unpopular government in Somalia know as TFG (Transitional Federal Government), but imperatively seize this opportunity to render such pirate staging centres and hostage holding centres uninhabitable.
Current "Transitional Federal Government" is a facade government led by a president hailing from the pirate invested self declared region of "Puntland State of Somalia". The TFG was created in Kenya in 2004, built with a constitution similar to Ethiopia's "ethnic federalism". This despite the Somali identity having no differences except tribal lineages and commercial interests. Somalis in Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia all unite in accusing the cancerous predatory imposed government for hijacking the "Somali identity".
"Puntland State of Somalia" is a stronghold of the TFG as the tribal enclave of current president Abullahi Yusuf who also enjoys huge support within for his role in subjugating Southern groups by force with Ethiopian militias.
By Shuun Isaaq
PRI
