80 Days of MV FAINA Piracy Crisis – Ecoterra Updates

No less than 80 days have passed since the beginning of the MV FAINA piracy crisis; on this occasion, Ecoterra released an update with an across-the-board insightful about Somalia and the recent sociopolitical developments, with focus on the Somali South. I republish it integrally.

77th Update 2008-12-13 17:15:09 UTC

Ecoterra Intl. - Stay Calm & Solve it Peaceful & Fast !

Ecoterra International – Update & Media Release on the stand-off concerning the Ukrainian weapons-ship hi-jacked by Somali pirates.

We also can make sea-piracy in Somalia an issue of the past - with empathy and strength and through coastal and marine development as well as protection!

New EA Seafarers Assistance Programme Emergency Helpline: +254-738-497979
East African Seafarers Assistance Programme - Media Officer: +254-733-385868

Day 80 - 1899 hours into the FAINA Crisis - Update Summary

Efforts for a peaceful release continued, but the now over two months long stand-off concerning Ukrainian MV FAINA is not yet solved finally, though intensive negotiations have continued.

Ukrainian government officials, who had participated at the conference against piracy in Nairobi, have tried to speed up the release-process for the vessel.

Ecoterra Intl. renewed it's call to solve the FAINA and the SIRIUS STAR cases with first priority and peaceful in order to avert a human and environmental disasters at the Somali coast. Anybody encouraging hot-headed and concerning such difficult situations inexperienced and untrained gunmen to try an attempt of a military solution must be held responsible for the surely resulting disaster.

Clearing-house:

News from other abducted ships --

Somali pirates have released a Greek chemical tanker operated by LOBAN SHIPPING CORP of Panama, said to be Turkish-owned, but three of its crew may have died in unknown circumstances, a Kenyan maritime official confirmed Saturday. "The MT Action was released Friday", Andrew Mwangura, the head of the Kenyan arm of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "The Panama-flagged vessel with 20 crew members was seized on October 10 in the Gulf of Aden. She is currently limping to safe waters and it is feared that three crew members lost their lives under questionable circumstances", he stated. The Panama-flagged MT Action, which had 20 crew onboard, was seized on 10th October. Mwangura did not specify how the three crew members might have died. In Athens, the maritime ministry said the crew consisted of 17 Georgian and three Pakistani seafarers but did not elaborate on the seamen's fate.

The family of a sailor from Orissa, held hostage by Somalian pirates since Nov 28, has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure his release. Himanshu Kar of Balasore town is one of 30 crewmen held hostage by Somali pirates who boarded and took over their Liberian-flagged cargo ship that was bound for Europe from Indonesia. Kar, 29, joined the vessel, owned by Singapore-based Ishima Pvt Ltd, his father Rabi Charan Kar said."Officials from the company's Mumbai office told us the hostages are safe. My wife and I are getting worried", Kar said. "We were able to talk to Himanshu only once since the ship was hijacked. That was on Dec 2", he said. Kar's parents have written letters to Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention. Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday wrote to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, requesting him to take urgent efforts to ensure the safe and early release of the hostages.

With the latest captures and releases still at least 16 foreign vessels with a total of at least 330 crew members (of which 91 are Filipinos) are held and are monitored on our actual case-list, while several other cases of ships, which are observed off the coast of Somalia, have been reported or reportedly disappeared without trace or information, are still being followed. Over 123 incidences (including attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful sea-jackings) have been recorded to far for 2008 with until today 53 factual sea-jacking cases (incl. the presently held 16). Several other vessels with unclear fate (not in the actual count), who were reported missing over the last ten years in this area, are still kept on our watch-list, though in some cases it is presumed that they sunk due to bad weather or being unfit to sail. In the last four years, 22 missing ships have been traced back with different names, flags and superstructures.

Other related news -------

The Indian Navy reported that, whilst escorting merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the Indian naval vessel INS MYSORE received a distress call on MMB Channel 16 from MV GIBE (Ethiopian Flag) at about 08.30 hours (local time) on 13 Dec 08. MV GIBE reported that she was under attack by two boats closing in on her and firing small arms. INS MYSORE is currently in the Gulf of Aden for Anti-Piracy Patrol Operations which are being conducted under the control of the Western Naval Command, headquartered at Mumbai. MV GIBE opened retaliatory fire with small arms that were held onboard the merchant vessel. The position reported by the cargo vessel was 13 nautical miles from INS MYSORE at that time. The Indian naval ship altered course to come closer to MV GIBE and also launched her integral Chetak helicopter. On sighting the helicopter and INS MYSORE, the attacking boats disengaged from MV GIBE and attempted to escape.

INS MYSORE cornered two nearby vessels and ordered them to stop. The larger boat was a dhow of green colour and 8-10m in length. It had taken the second smaller boat (a skiff) under tow. Subsequently, the name of the dhow was identified as 'Salahaddin', Hull No 758(2). The dhow was boarded at about 10.30 hours (local time) by the ship's Marine Commandos and a search carried out. 24 personnel (12 Somali and 12 Yemeni) surrendered on boarding. The Indian navy arrested the alleged pirates. The search of the dhow revealed a substantial cache of arms and equipment, including seven AK-47 assault rifles and three machine guns, along with thirteen loaded magazines; a rocket-propelled grenade-launcher along with rockets, cartridges and grenades; as many as three Outboard Motors, a GPS Receiver and other equipment suitable for pirate attacks. The personnel, arms, ammunition and equipment have been taken into custody by INS MYSORE and will be handed over to appropriate authorities ashore and the ship will return to her patrol-duties, a Indian Navy spokesman affirmed. Last month, India's navy drew criticism after sinking a Thai fishing trawler that had been commandeered hours earlier by pirates, but seems to have learned from that clear mistake. The alleged pirates - 12 Somalis and 12 Yemenis - are now being held on board the Indian Navy destroyer while the legalities about their disembarkation and prosecution are worked out, the navy spokesman said.

Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad, the chairman of the Djibouti-based opposition Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS), and his delegation went briefly to Mogadishu on 10th December. He said then the important point of his mission to Mogadishu was the implementation of Djibouti agreement, as well as to establish how the Ethiopian troops will withdraw. Sheikh Sharif was received by a large group of elders and some members of the TFG government including Somali police commissioner, Abdi Hasan Awale Qaybdid and Salad Ali Jele, who is the deputy minister of defence. Sheikh Sharif said that Ethiopian troops have already started pulling out from the country. His delegation included the security committee of the ARS that signed the Djibouti agreement and meetings with elders were held, where he explained the plans. Especially concerning the Ethiopian withdrawal he appealed to them: "To achieve victory requires more patience".

During a press conference Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad said President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad has no power to block the Djibouti agreement between the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the Djibouti based Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia [ARS] reached in Djibouti. The Djibouti based opposition leader said he will be holding talks with insurgent groups in Somalia, traditional elders, civil society groups, women and the youth about ways of restoring peace in Somalia. He said the agreement will not collapse because of Abdullahi Yusuf and that the ARS had made contact with officials of the Puntland administration and are currently accompanying them. "The Djibouti Agreement is a peace deal among all Somalis", Sheikh Sharif added. On the insurgency, the ARS opposition leader urged Islamist rebels to "open the roads" so Ethiopian troops can withdraw peacefully. He further urged Islamist guerrilla groups, many of which vowed to continue the insurgency, to stop attacking Ethiopian army bases "to avoid delays in Ethiopian army withdrawal". "If Abdullahi Yusuf wanted to send a representative from his [own] clan, we did not oppose this. But he [Yusuf] sent Ahmed Abdisalam", Sheikh Sharif said, referring to Somalia's information minister who inked the Djibouti Agreement on behalf of the Somali government last month in Djibouti. Mr. Abdisalam is closely associated with Prime Minister Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein, who is currently locked in a deepening political dispute with President Yusuf. He called upon those involved in such acts to stop and work towards the interests of the Somali people. He further urged Islamist guerrilla groups, many of which vowed to continue the insurgency, to stop attacking Ethiopian army bases "to avoid delays in Ethiopian army withdrawal". On the insurgency, the ARS opposition leader urged Islamist rebels to "open the roads" so Ethiopian troops can withdraw peacefully. Shortly after this Al-Shabaab fighters gave way to Ethiopian troops in Abudwaq, a central Somali district, following their entry into the region. Ethiopian soldiers, on board military vehicles, entered the Abudwaq district in Galgadud region .There have been no reports of violence, but the Ethiopian forces' entry into the town caused many of the locals to flee the area.

Tensions remain high between TFG "President" Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and "Prime Minister" Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein and neither of them attended the conference. The septuagenarian Abdullahi Yusuf was a warlord in the region before and will likely retreat back to it once he is driven from Mogadishu, while Puntland already has enough difficulties with legislative elections due at the end of the month and a presidential poll scheduled for January in which about a dozen candidates are competing against the incumbent, Adde Muse. The injection of a frustrated Abdullahi Yusuf into this highly-charged and ever-shifting political climate – one of the region’s more creditable politicians, Minister for International Cooperation Ali Abdi Awaare, unexpectedly resigned Sunday – will hardly serve to calm the waters. Abdullahi Yussuf's militia was in charge for bringing in the first larger fine when it seized a Taiwanese fishing trawler, the MV Shen Kno II, in 1997, and demanded $800,000 for the boat, $40,000 for its captain, and $10,000 for each member of the crew.

The Asmara-based Somali Islamist group on Thursday said they have appointed Umar Iman Abubakar as their new leader. The group defence secretary, Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siyad (nicknamed Indha Adde) told reporters in Mogadishu that his fighters will henceforth take orders from their new leader. In a press conference held in Mogadishu, the Asmara-based opposition group has proclaimed Dr Umar Iman Abubakar as their leader. Sheikh Hasan Mahdi, who was one of the officials who spoke during the press conference, has called for unity of the insurgent groups and leaders to strive to solve the differences between them. Mahdi denounced the Djibouti peace pacts, which he said was a conspiracy designed to undermine the interest of the Somali people. The decision to publicly declare a leader for Asmara-based ARS comes after the chairman of the Djibouti-based ARS, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad arrived in Mogadishu.

Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Salad who is the chairman of the committee of religious leaders resolving the conflict between armed opposition groups fighting in the country said they view the move by some traditional elders in establishing their own administration as a valid one. He also said he is saddened that some armed opposition groups are taking control of regions which already have established administrations and urged those responsible to stop doing so. The religious leaders mediating in the conflict between armed opposition groups also welcomed the decisions by the religious leaders who met in Saudi Arabia and expressed their support for their efforts in reconciling various groups involved in the fighting in Somalia. Violence continues in Mogadishu, as pro and anti-Islamic radical clans fight for control of the city. At least one large group of pro-Islamic radical (Shebab) gunmen is wandering around central Somalia, raiding towns controlled by anti-Islamic radical clans. Uganda and Burundi want to withdraw their peacekeeping troops from Mogadishu as soon as possible. The UN has been unable to obtain additional peacekeepers to replace the 2,000 Ethiopians that will withdraw by next month, and the 3,400 Ugandan and Burundi troops do not want to be left in the chaotic city all by themselves. Meanwhile, the Transitional National Government (TNG) has largely fallen apart. After several years of effort, and international support (especially from southern neighbour Kenya) the TNG has lost most (at least 80 percent) of the 15,000 soldiers and police that foreign aid paid to equip and train. The men have gone back to their clans and warlords, taking their uniforms and weapons with them.

According to Iran TV, however, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, said earlier in the day that "they (the AU forces) have already informed us that they would want to withdraw before we do", raising fears of increased instability in the country. Uganda, though, has denied the premier's remarks saying the forces intended to increase their presence in Somalia following the Ethiopian pullout. African Union chief Jean Ping said Friday he wants AU peacekeepers to remain in Somalia, adding that a withdrawal from the chaotic country was "something we cannot accept". "We are really very preoccupied, but we hope that something will be done to avoid that" the 3,400 Burundian and Ugandan peacekeepers will leave the country, Ping told a news conference. "They (Uganda and Burundi) envisaged it, but I sincerely hope it will not happen".

Violence continues in Mogadishu, as pro and anti-Islamic radical clans fight for control of the city. At least one large group of pro-Islamic radical (Shebab) gunmen is wandering around central Somalia, raiding towns controlled by anti-Islamic radical clans. Uganda and Burundi want to withdraw their peacekeeping troops from Mogadishu as soon as possible. The UN has been unable to obtain additional peacekeepers to replace the 2,000 Ethiopians that will withdraw by next month, and the 3,400 Ugandan and Burundi troops do not want to be left in the chaotic city all by themselves. More than 15 people were killed in the fighting which broke out in the neighbourhood of Wardhigley, Mogadishu, between Transitional Federal Government of Somalia [TFG] forces and those of the Union of Islamic Courts [UIC]. More than 60 people were injured in the fighting among them many children. The fighting started on Thursday, a day after Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, leader of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), a major opposition group, made his second visit to Somalia in two years. Recently he had briefly flown to Jowhar. Ahmed's first return to Mogadishu follows a peace deal between the government and the UIC, which should see Ethiopian forces pull out later this month. Under the agreement, the Somali parliament would be doubled to 550 seats, with 200 going to Ahmed's group and 75 to the members of civil society. However, the Al-Shabab group that controls much of southern Somalia has not signed up to the deal. Ahmed, along with other top leaders, left Somalia in late 2006 after the UIC, which had ruled much of southern and central Somalia, was routed by allied Somali government and Ethiopian forces. Somalia's new parliament is scheduled to elect leadership for the Horn of Africa nation early next year.

While there are reports that the Ethiopian National Defence Force, one of Africa’s largest and most seasoned conventional armies, were establishing new bases in central Somalia, those positions near the border town of Balanbal appear more to represent a strengthening of Addis Ababa’s ability to intervene as needed in the future than a reneging of the commitment to substantially pull out by the end of the year.

Since last Sunday, al-Shabaab fighters continued their sweep across central Somalia, encountering no resistance as they took control of the provincial capital of the Galgadud region, Dhusamareb. On Tuesday, another group of al-Shabaab fighters entered the town of Balad Hawo, near the border with Kenya, chasing off TFG "parliamentarian" and ex-"defense minister" Colonel Barre Hirale who had been trying to raise forces there (this Barre Hirale is the same hapless warlord who lost the port of Kismayo, the third-largest city in Somalia, to the Islamists in August).

The Ethiopians, with good reason, expect trouble from the steady advance of Islamist insurgents spearheaded by al-Shabaab ("the Youth"), a radical group which was formally listed as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" earlier this year by the U.S. State Department, arguing that it is "a violent and brutal extremist group with a number of individuals affiliated with al-Qaeda". Three weeks ago, the U.S. Treasury Department slapped travel and financial sanctions on three leaders of the group: the group’s founder, Ahmad Abdi Godane, a.k.a. Abu Zubeyr, an alumnus of al Qaeda’s Afghan training camps who is wanted for his role in the murders of Western aid workers in the Republic of Somaliland; Issa Osman Issa, a.k.a. Abdala Sudani, a military commander who, before al-Shabaab’s creation, was involved in the 2002 bombing of the Israeli-owned Paradise Hotel in Mombassa, Kenya, and the simultaneous attempt to shoot down a Boeing 757 operated by Israel’s Arkia Airlines; and Mukhtar Robow, a.k.a. Abu Mansur, who is a military commander and perhaps the most prominent spokesman for the group. Last Saturday, in the key port city of Marka, Mukhtar Robow presided over the installation of one Sheikh Abdirahman "Siro" Ahmed at the head of a new administration for the Lower Shabelle region which lies just to the south of Mogadishu. In July, the latter managed to oust the former’s close ally, Mohamed Dheere, from his position as "mayor" of the sometime capital, replacing him with a pliable militia leader, Mohamed Osman, a.k.a. "Dhagatur".

Referring to ‘Id ul-Adha, the pilgrimage festival of sacrifice whose celebration throughout the Islamic world began last Monday, al-Shabaab militants in Kismayo destroyed graves in the town’s cemeteries, accusing grieving relatives of the deceased of the "un-Islamic" practice of praying there and thus violating the strict monotheism enjoined by the Islamists’ Wahhabi-inspired (and financed) credo. Previously, the radicals had contented themselves with just targeting the graves of Sufi saints whose mystical faith and devotees’ prayers they found offensive.

Gulf states, their GCC government ministers and national security advisers today will begin a three-day forum to discuss threats to stability in the Gulf, at which the US defence secretary is expected to outline the incoming administration’s Middle East policy. The Manama Dialogue, a conference convened by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the London-based research group, is to start with a series of private meetings between delegations from more than 20 countries. Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, will deliver his first major speech since it was announced that he would stay on in his position under Barack Obama and it is expected that he will elaborate on the US defence strategy for the coming years. Delegates will also discuss piracy in Somalia as concern is rising at the lack of a unified international response to the threat.

End of Ecoterra Press Release Update