Word: somali
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Amid the current media frenzy about Somali pirates, it's hard not to imagine them as characters in some dystopian Horn of Africa version of Waterworld. We see wily corsairs in ragged clothing swarming out of their elusive mother ships, chewing narcotic khat while thumbing GPS phones and grappling hooks. They are not desperate bandits, experts say, rather savvy opportunists in the most lawless corner of the planet. But the pirates have never been the only ones exploiting the vulnerabilities of this troubled failed state - and are, in part, a product of the rest of the world's neglect. (Read...
...billion worth of merchandise going back and forth through the Suez Canal every year. The route is also critical to India for its energy security. Though no Indian-flagged vessel has been taken hostage lately, India has been on the forefront in dealing with hostage situations off the Somali coast, particularly after the Hong Kong-registered MT Stolt Valor was hijacked in September of last year along with its crew of 22, including 18 Indians. The wife of the ship's Indian captain, Seema Goyal, waged a high-profile battle with the help of the media and the NUSI until...
India has been able to benefit from its large and well-armed navy, but not all Asian countries have such military capability. Though nearly half the hostages held by Somali pirates are Filipino, the Philippine government has been unable to influence ship owners to negotiate ransoms or take military action. The International Seafarers Action Center (ISAC) in the Philippines says 122 Filipino seafarers are currently being held captive, which includes the 23 onboard the MV Stolt Strength, a Japanese-owned chemical tanker that was hijacked on Nov. 10 last year. ISAC secretary-general Joseph Entero says the ship's owner...
...piracy in the Gulf of Aden, many people expect things to improve. "This is definitely good news," says Goyal. "Hopefully someone will come to the rescue of poor countries' sailors." On Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced steps including tracking and freezing assets of pirate gangs, and pressing Somali authorities to shut down pirate land bases, while also calling for a greater global response to secure the release of ships still held in the region. So far, there is little coordination between the various navies patrolling the area, which now include NATO, French, British, U.S., Chinese, South Korean, Singaporean...
...pirates on April 7, a reminder that piracy is happening elsewhere in the world as well, underlining the need for a global response. "An American captain freed is a good example," says Nair of NUSI. "But if it remains an isolated, incidental event, it will mean nothing. Now the Somali pirates have threatened revenge; they may become more active...