The Somali Piracy Epiphenomenon about to End. I – There Are No ‘Pirate Paraphernalia’

The militarist forces that intended to trigger a calamitous amphibious combat off the Somali coast failed to take into account the disastrous deterioration of the global – and more particularly the American – economy. With the US plunged in the worst depression of its history, with a second bailout of ca. US $ 1 trillion discussed, and with the US dollar about to lose its central position in the global economic system, the US would not lead another – fallacious – crusade.

This does not mean immediate pacification of Somalia, but certainly a crisis containment will be attempted, and this heralds the end of the epiphenomenon of Somali Piracy which was triggered through foreign incitement and support – something to which the unsophisticated minds of the local warlords were not opposed, although it would damage their interests at its final phase (if this were to happen).

The entire militaristic literature produced on this occasion will thus have to be thrown to African History’s dustbin where is its correct position. So comical and irrelevant this literature was, to assess U.S. Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney’s discourses and pamphlets, that it contributed to the formation of an otherwise inexistent term "pirate paraphernalia"!

What are U.S. Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney’s "pirate paraphernalia"?

Prepare to laugh!

"AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, and boarding ladders"!

One wonders why this credulous and fabulous idiot did not order his marines to search for more sophisticated "pirate paraphernalia" in the homes of the New York and Los Angeles crip gangs…..

A severe criticism of U.S. Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney’s discourses can be found in the Ecoterra 122nd Press Release Update that I hereby reproduce integrally.

122nd Update 2009-01-29 20h55:23 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 and related news.

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
EA Illegal Fishing and Dumping Hot line: +254-714-747090 (confidentiality guaranteed)

Day 127 - 3030 long hours into the MV FAINA Crisis - Update Summary

Efforts for a peaceful release continued, but the four months long stand-off concerning Ukrainian MV FAINA is not yet solved. Contacts and direct negotiations had been arranged and commenced, but the talks are said to have stalled again.

Money sent by the owner to supply the MV FAINA with food, drinking water and fuel has reportedly arrived with the pirates local observers confirmed.

Interesting to read: U.S. Military Targets: Next Stop – Sudan / http://www.russiatoday.com/spin-a-war/news/36538

The Russian press (Kommersant, 12.12.2008) hinted that the battle tanks on the FAINA may have been paid for by the U.S. and intended for the use by the militant groups in the South of Sudan which America is allegedly going to turn into something like Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance. That may or may not be true. The fact is, the civil war of the Sudanese South against the Sudanese North ended three years ago on a very pleasant note for the South. It was agreed that in 2011 there will be a referendum which will decide if the South stays with Sudan or becomes an independent nation. For the South Sudanese, therefore, there is no direct interest in going to war again. However, they consider themselves ‘cousins’ of the new U.S. president, because Barack Obama’s father belongs to a tribe that used to live in the South of Sudan and moved to Kenya only recently. Maybe that could have become a reason enough for some armed groups in the South of Sudan to accept the role of an arrowhead in a future American operation?
There is no limit to what a person can do or how far one can go to help - if one doesn't mind who gets the credit !

The Somali as well as the Ukrainian/Russian/Israeli sides must come to terms now and set the innocent seafarers free with first priority ! And in order to avoid the destruction of the vessel and its cargo by anybody as well as to avert the subsequent humanitarian, health and environmental horror-scenario, such can only be achieved together with the release of the ship, where also the body of deceased Capt. Vladimir Kolobkov is still kept.

If the stand-off can not be resolved within the next days Ecoterra Intl. demands immediate humanitarian assistance to be allowed, facilitated and dispatched to the vessel and the body of deceased Capt. Vladimir Kolobkov transferred to his family with respect. Ecoterra Intl. also calls for human rights protection to be provided for all crew members, their families in Russia, the Ukraine and Latvia as well as for all well-meaning people assisting in solving the case, many of whom have been subjected already to serious threats, acts of intimidation and persecution.

Ecoterra Intl. repeats its call to solve the FAINA case now with absolute top priority and peaceful in order to avert a human and environmental disasters at the Somali coast. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed by the captors and facilitated by the owners. Anybody encouraging hot-headed and concerning such difficult situations inexperienced and untrained gunmen or those, who believe they would be capable to try an attempt of a military solution, must be held fully responsible for the surely resulting disaster. The saga and secrecy surrounding MV FAINA must not - like in the MS ESTONIA case, which is the worst naval disaster in Europe since WW II - become the shroud for its 20 seafarers.

The FAINA is one of at least 49 ships that pirates seized last year off the Horn of Africa during a surge in piracy driven in part by Somalia's growing poverty and instability. The multimillion dollar ransoms are believed by many to be one of the only ways to "make money" in the impoverished nation. But while the many cases of sea-jacked merchant vessels on innocent passage (sailing even outside the EEZ e.g. in the Indian Ocean) constitutes clear piracy, Somali actions against illegal fishing or against any transport of illegitimate or clandestine goods has a legal standing. Ecoterra advocates to end all destructive, detrimental, criminal and illegal activities in Somali waters.

Raising public awareness through legitimate criticism of government actions is a fundamental part of human rights work. We know the Ukrainian authorities don’t welcome facts or information about allegations, but governments trying to prevent torture or other internationally outlawed human rights violations or crimes should encourage reporting of complaints, but not retaliate against human rights defenders. Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs.

The UN Human Rights Committee has stated that, "Citizens also take part in the conduct of public affairs by exerting influence through public debate". States also have obligations specifically relating to protecting and ensuring the right of human rights defenders to do their work. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders states that everyone has the right to promote the protection and realization of human rights and that individuals or groups have the right to articulate criticism and make proposals for improving the work of government bodies, among other rights. Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee free speech. Government officials are expected to be more receptive to criticism than private citizens, especially when it concerns the carrying out of their official duties.

Clearing-house:

News from other abducted or newly attacked ships --------

Games Crazy People Play: Kidnapping, Pirating, and War & Naval War-games to protect Fish-piracy and to cover the real agenda

Somali pirates hijacked a German tanker loaded with liquefied petroleum gas Thursday off the Horn of Africa. The ship's 13-man crew - 1 Indonesian and 13 Filipinos - was reported safe even though gunshots were heard over the ship's radio. The ship, which has a capacity of 3,415 tonnes, was fully loaded. The MV Longchamp is the third ship captured this month in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The Longchamp, flying a flag of convenience from the Bahamas, is managed by the German firm Bernhard Schulte Ship management, which said in a statement that seven pirates boarded the tanker early Thursday. MPC Steamship contracts the operation out to the Bernhard Schulte ship management company, a longtime Hamburg shipping operator. Currently the ship is chartered to yet another company, Bridge Marine, which is registered in the Liberian capital Monrovia. Spokesman Andre Delau said the ship's master had been briefly allowed to communicate with the firm and had said the crew of 12 Filipinos and one Indonesian were safe. "We think that everything is in order, nobody is injured", he told The Associated Press. No ransom demands have been made yet, the company said. Lt. Nathan Christensen, a Bahrain-based spokesman for the U.S. 5th Fleet, said the ship was seized off the southern coast of Yemen, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) from the town of al-Mukalla, the capital of the Hadramaut region.

Robin Phillips, deputy director of the Bahamas maritime authority in London, said the Longchamp had been traveling in a corridor secured by EU military forces when it sent a distress signal before dawn. "Ships and helicopters were dispatched, but they arrived too late", said Phillips, adding that gunshots could be heard over the radio. He said the ship later set a course for Somalia, to the south. The German gas tanker was seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday despite being under Indian navy escort, for which it had actually to first wait some time until it commenced. However, the Indians could not prevent the pirates from seizing the vessel and local reports speak of two pirates having been wounded by an intercepting naval force in this incident.

The German military reported two more suspected attempts by pirates to attack ships in the Gulf of Aden early Thursday. A German navy frigate received an emergency call from a cargo ship, the European Champion, which reported that it was being followed by a skiff. A military statement said the skiff backed off after the German ship sent its on-board helicopter to the scene. A second cargo ship, the Eleni G., radioed that it was being pestered by several skiffs. A German frigate sailed toward the ship, which shook off the suspected pirates.

The French navy on Tuesday foiled an attack on a cargo ship in the waters off Yemen and arrested nine men allegedly trying to board the vessel, the military said in Paris. The French frigate Le Floreal received a distress call from the African Ruby and dispatched a helicopter which spotted two high-speed skiffs with armed men on board, a military spokesman said. Capt. Christophe Prazuck, a spokesman for the armed forces, says the suspected pirates were in two skiffs and were carrying ladders, grapple hooks and weapons. The chopper, a Panther, fired warning shots and the nine men on the skiffs were later detained, he said, adding that the interception took place in international waters off Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of north-east Somalia, reported AFP. However, French sources provided no information where the arrested pirates may end up, a Press TV correspondent reported. On Thursday, an official said the breakaway Somali region of Puntland had agreed to a French request that it take custody of nine suspected pirates arrested Tuesday by France. "We consider them to be a real threat for the regional security and the world, as well", said Abdullahi Said Samatar, the Puntland security minister.

With the latest captures and releases now still at least 16 foreign vessels with a total of 261 crew members accounted for (of which 56 are Filipinos) are held in Somali waters and are monitored on our actual case-list, while several other cases of ships, which were observed off the coast of Somalia and have been reported or had reportedly disappeared without trace or information, are still being followed. Over 134 incidences (including attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful sea-jackings) have been recorded for 2008 with 49 fully documented, factual sea-jacking cases (for Somalia, incl. the presently held) and the mistaken sinking of one vessel by a naval force. For 2009 the account stands at 15 averted or abandoned attacks and 6 sea-jackings on the Somali/Yemeni pirate side as well as one wrongful attack by friendly fire on the side of the naval forces. Mystery pirate mother-vessels Athena/Arena and Burum Ocean as well as not fully documented cases of absconded vessels are not listed in the sea-jack count until clarification. Several other vessels with unclear fate (also 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.

Directly related news ------

Chris Floyd says in "Silent as the Tomb: Another American-Backed Slaughter Ignored": There are many injustices in the world, of course; murder, destruction and cruelty almost beyond reckoning – and most of it slathered over in pious hypocrisy and self-righteousness of one sort or another. But I've never seen anything quite like the relentless assault on the Somali people in the past two years – and the near-universal silence that has greeted this on-going abomination. It is a blot on all humanity.

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. William Gortney, who commands U.S. forces in the region, said a day before the agreement was reached that U.S. naval forces would launch an aggressive program to capture piracy suspects. He said the Navy would identify individual suspects aboard pirated vessels and then track and capture them after their departure. The Navy would also begin capturing suspects caught on the high seas with "pirate paraphernalia" including AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and boarding ladders, the admiral said. Question is if the US marshals will now also arrest every Texan cowboy with "terrorist paraphernalia" like a six-shooter, coyote-poison, a lovemakers-ladder and viagra.

Japan naval engagement not yet. While media worldwide already report that Japan is sending their naval vessels now - this is not quiet true yet, though the government of Japan on Wednesday formally decided to dispatch Maritime Self-Defense Force ships to protect Japanese vessels and other ships carrying Japanese nationals or cargo from pirates in waters off Somalia, as government officials said. And it is also true that following a meeting of the Security Council of Japan held at the Prime Minister's Office, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada ordered the MSDF to prepare for the anti-piracy mission under Article 82 of the Self-Defense Forces Law, as the officials stated, while the Japanese government and the ruling parties have defined the latest move as an emergency measure and are eyeing the establishment of a new law regarding general anti-piracy measures. But for now they are only planning to submit a bill to the Diet at the beginning of March to enable the MSDF to conduct an anti-piracy mission off Somalia.

Nine countries from the region most affected by Somali piracy on Thursday signed a deal enhancing cooperation in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. A code of conduct was signed by eight coastal nations as well as Ethiopia during a special meeting convened in Djibouti under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). "This Djibouti code of conduct is the first regional agreement between Arab and African countries against acts of piracy against ships in the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean", Koji Sekimizu, head of the IMO's maritime safety division, told an AFP reporter at the meeting. The document provides for the creation of three information centres in Mombassa, Dar el Salaam and Sanaa and a training centre for anti-piracy units in Djibouti. "We now have an efficient mechanism to fight against piracy. The text of the code has been accepted by consensus. Additionally, the signatory countries will be armed with the right of hot pursuit into another country's territorial waters, and conduct shared operations, such as nominating officers to embark aboard the patrol ships or aircraft of another signatory. The IMO is ready to help the member states to implement this agreement", Sekimizu added.

The nine signatories are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and Yemen. The code of conduct says coastal states should make the necessary changes in their legislations to facilitate the arrest and prosecution of piracy suspects. The fate of Somali pirates arrested by warships patrolling the area -- most of which were dispatched by Western navies -- has been a sensitive issue. Some observers describe the drive by the United Nations and other key players to legalise the transfer of Somali pirates by foreign navies to a court in a coastal country as a "rendition programme with a UN stamp". The meeting however failed to reach an agreement on allowing foreign navies to engage in hot pursuit in Somali territorial waters. "It is a very serious issue under international law and sovereignty. There is a principle that each ship pursuing a pirate has to ask for the permission of the concerned state to enter its waters. We have decided to stay on this principle", Sekimizu explained. Chantal Poirier, France's special ambassador on anti-piracy issues, said during the meeting's closing session she had hoped "for a more binding agreement". "One can have few hopes that the situation at sea will improve dramatically unless and until there is significant improvement on the political front on land", UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos told the opening session of the four-day meeting, convened by his agency, on Monday in the Horn of Africa country of Djibouti. "For it is favourable political developments ashore that will help stem the scourge offshore. The fate of Somalia is in the hands of the people of Somalia as they, and they alone, are, and should be, the masters of their country and its destiny. We wish their leaders courage, wisdom, prudence and determination to bring peace and stability to their country and among its citizens".

Some 150 new members of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Parliament belonging to the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were sworn in today in Djibouti as part of an effort to bring former rebel opponents into the Government. "We are finally seeing progress from the hard work by all sides to create an inclusive Parliament", UN Special Representative for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said.

Somali presidential candidate Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, leader of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), said he would like to make peace with Ethiopia, rebuild Somalia’s social services and bring militants into the country’s security force, The News reported Jan. 27. He added that he was prepared to talk with Islamist insurgents in Somalia about political or religious issues.

Earlier on Thursday, the government-allied Ahl-ul-Sunna wal-Jamaa fighters drove the reigning al-Shabaab gunmen out of the central town of Dhusamareeb, the capital in Galgadud region, Press TV's correspondent on the ground reported. The al-Shabaab had taken control of the nearby Guriel town last month.

Hashi Omar Hassan was sentenced to 26 years in prison for killing Ilaria Alpi, an Italian journalist, in Mogadishu in 1994. is lawyer claims Hassan was convicted to stop further investigations into the motives behind Alpi's killing. Ilaria Alpi was reporting on arms trafficking and the illegal disposal of toxic waste off the coast of Somalia. In the trafficking Somali and Italian businessmen, offshore companies and secret service agents were involved. The criminal trades are claimed to continue to this very day. Hassan was arrested after having been invited to Italy by the Italian parliament to testify on the abuses inflicted on him by Italian peacekeepers in Somalia. He was not even in Mogadishu at the time of the assassination, and Douglas Duale, Hassan's lawyer, claims Hassan is a scapegoat - part of a scheme to cover up the unmentionable truth that Alpi's investigative work in Somalia had unveiled.

The lawyer also holds papers proving that Hassan was tricked into traveling to Italy to testify against the Italian military, all the time paving the way for his own arrest. But there is hope for the re-opening of Alpi's case after a witness heard by the latest Italian parliamentary commission of inquiry into the case claimed Hassan was innocent. The parents of the murdered journalist Giorgio and Luciana Alpi have been fighting for years to uncover the truth about their daughter's death. They want to know who the people behind the murder are, and they want the investigations into the case to continue. See: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2009/01/200911873234971487.html

The Russian and Indian navies have started joint naval exercises in the Arabian Sea off the Indian coast, an Indian military source said on Tuesday. INDRA is a biennial Russian-Indian exercise aimed at practicing cooperation in enforcing maritime law and countering piracy, terrorism and drug smuggling. INDRA-2009 is the fourth such exercise since 2003 and will involve a number of live-fire drills. "The first stage of a PASSEX type exercise involves practicing combat interoperability and communications drills", the source said. Russia's Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser from the Northern Fleet and the Indian guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi are taking part in the first stage, which will last until January 29. Following the first stage, the Russian cruiser will visit the port of Marmugao in the Indian state of Goa on January 29-31 before heading to the Somali coast to participate in the second stage of the drills, which involves practicing joint anti-piracy operations. The Pyotr Veliky will join up with a task force from Russia's Pacific Fleet, comprising the Admiral Vinogradov, an Udaloy class destroyer, a tugboat and two fuel tankers, which are carrying out anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden. Pirates have been increasingly active in the waters off Somalia, where over 110 ships were attacked in 2008, with 42 vessels seized and 815 crew members abducted. Up to 20 warships from the navies of at least 10 countries are involved in anti-piracy operations off the coast of the lawless East African nation.

End of Ecoterra 122nd Press Release Update