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Calls on UN to lead anti-piracy force
22 May 2009
Delegates from 66 countries, the European Union (EU) and International Maritime Organisation have called on the United Nations to coordinate an international force to combat piracy off Somalia. The call came at the Kuala Lumpur International Conference on Piracy and Crimes at Sea, as reported by Lloyd’s List.
The conference noted the improvements in international arrangements to prosecute pirates and bring them to justice. It also reiterated calls from the international community to tackle the internal situation in Somalia to bring a long-term resolution to the maritime crimewave that has hit the Gulf of Aden.
The conference had been organised by the government of Malaysia, whose foreign affairs minister Anifah Haji Aman said that his country was in a unique position to help solve the Somali problem given its experiences with fighting piracy in the Malacca Strait.
In recognition of the continuing and growing threat of piracy off Somalia, the EU defence ministers agreed on 18 May to extend the EU's naval anti-piracy operations into the Indian Ocean as far as the Seychelles. Following growing attacks in these waters, the Piracy Reporting Centre recently advised ships to stay 600 miles clear of the Somali coast, rather than the 250 miles previously advised.
Although naval intervention has been successful in thwarting pirate attacks and rescuing seized ships and crew, the presence of international naval craft in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean has not deterred Somali pirates from attacking ships. Recent incidents include:
- armed pirates fired on the Emirates-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged Dubai Princess in the Gulf of Aden on 17 May; the captain steered the ship towards an Australian warship to evade the attack successfully, and the suspected pirates were captured during the naval operation
- another Australian warship intervened during an attempted attack on the Stella in the same area on 17 May
- a helicopter from a Canadian frigate thwarted an attack on the Greek-owned Malta-flagged Sea Pride
- 17 suspected pirates were detained by naval forces in the Gulf of Aden following an armed attack on the Egyptian-owned and flagged Amira on14 May.
Somali pirates continue to hold a number of ships and crew for ransom. Recently freed ships include the German-owned, Malta-flagged Patriot with 17 crew, seized on 26 April.
All attacks and suspicious sightings should be reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Tel: +603 2031 0014 (24 hours), Email: imbkl@icc-ccs.org.
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