Somali Pirates Defy International Community
Posted on September 30, 2008
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While the international community moves to deal with the recent hijacking of Ukrainian vessel MV Faina bound for Kenya, the pirates themselves remain defiant, insisting they will not lower their demanded ransom of $20 million US.
The ship, which according to Russia’s Interfax news agency was transporting heavy military equipment and parts, including 30 T-72 tanks, was taken of the Somali coast on Thursday, September 25th. Ukraine’s foreign minister said the ship’s crew of 21 people included 17 Ukrainians, three Russians, and a Latvian.
Since the breakdown of central authority in the area beginning in the 1990’s, the lawless Somali coast has been a hot bed of piracy and violence. Gangs armed with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades in small speed boats or cutters are the perpetual bane of international shipping in these waters, and such hijacking has become all too commonplace. Recently, the UN Security Council authorized the sending of naval forces into Somali territorial waters, with Somali consent, to attempt to crack-down on piracy.
The high profile cargo of the MV Faina has prompted the international community to act in decisive fashion, and further news from a leaked source inside the Kenyan government that these weapons were bound for war-torn Sudan further highlight the corruption in the region. US navy warships maintain a watch over the vessel, moored at a coastal village some 500 kilometers north of Mogadishu, and further task forces from Russia and the EU are expected in the coming weeks.
If history has taught anything when dealing with piracy, it is that granting ransoms of this kind only reinforce lawless behavior. The US’s own war with the Barbary Pirates in the early 19th century is a perfect example of the dynamics at play in such a situation. But, with panic over the armaments present in the Ukrainian vessel and strong support from within the United Nations, it appears that International Law will be enforced. It is hoped that such support will lead to a tightening of security in this anarchic region.
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This situation has just become out of control. nice to see you following it before it got picked up on US news.