SOS welcomes EU taking more robust action on Somali coast

News Release INTERTANKO London March 24, 2012

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New
development in fight  against Somali piracy ...
 
SOS
welcomes EU taking more robust action on Somali coast
 
 
The SOS
SaveOurSeafarers campaign welcomes the extension of the EU counter- piracy
operation until end 2014, and the 
EU decision to broaden the scope of its naval operation in the Gulf of
Aden and Indian Ocean  by
extending the naval forces’ area of operations to include Somali
coastal territory which allows it to take more robust action on the Somali
coast. This is
a bold step towards the goal that the shipping industry and its seafarers
embrace - that of seeing piracy in this region eliminated. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Such
robust action to eradicate the threat of piracy is necessary if the UK and US
governments press on with their avowed ambition of stopping ransom payments to
pirates and other groups. SOS was delighted to see Mrs Tebbutt released by her
armed kidnappers after a ransom was paid, but there are currently 220 seafarers
being held by Somali pirates on 13 vessels, and another 40 being held on land,
some of whom have been held for two years. What does the future hold for them if
the ability to pay any ransoms is stopped? <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
SOS has
written to the UK Prime Minister and other ministers (attached) making it very
clear that hindering in any way the payment of ransoms for ships and seafarers
means shipowners
can no longer guarantee the safety of their seafarers, as well as of their
vessels and the cargoes that they carry. Will seafarers still go through the
Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden if no ransoms can be paid? Or will seafarers
and shipowners be forced to avoid the area completely, with significant
consequences to world trade?<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
SOS
SaveOurSeafarers is the biggest ever grouping of the international maritime
industry with 30 organisations joined together to raise awareness of the human
and economic cost of piracy using approaches to politicians and industrial
leaders at the highest level. It started operation in March 2011. Over 108,000
visits have been made to its website from 191 countries and over 31,700 letters
sent to governments worldwide. Its main aims are to resolve the piracy problem
off Somalia; to see piracy deterred, defeated and eradicated; to stop seafarers
being tortured and murdered.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Contact: RMS PR +44 161 927
3131
 
 
                                                                        
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<o:p> </o:p>
The Rt Hon David Cameron MP<o:p></o:p>
10, Downing Street<o:p></o:p>
Wednesday 14 March, 2012<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Dear Prime Minister,<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
SOS
SaveOurSeafarers is highly disturbed by statements made during the London
Somalia Conference by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and UK Prime Minister
David Cameron about creating an international task force to discourage the
payment of ransoms and eliminate the profit motive, and admitting the ultimate
ambition of stopping ransom payments to pirates and other groups.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
The
international shipping industry represented by SOS is deeply concerned if this
strategy means in any way to hinder the payment of ransoms for ships and
seafarers. In the case of a ship
being hijacked, shipowners  have to
be able to guarantee the safety of their seafarers as well as of their vessels
and the cargoes that they carry. They achieve that by paying  a ransom.  <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Stopping the payment of
ransoms makes the plight of seafarers even worse than it is already. It means
sacrificing seafarers. The consequences of not paying are too terrible to
contemplate as Somali pirates vent their frustration on innocent seafarers. Will
seafarers continue to take ships through the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden if no
ransoms can be paid? Or will seafarers and shipowners avoid the area completely, with significant
consequences to the cost and the timing of world trade?<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
SOS is deeply concerned
that this strategy was not mentioned, or even hinted at, during the
industry/government conference two days before the London Somalia Conference at
which two UK ministers were present, and where it was made clear that the
payment of ransoms is paramount. Nor was this strategy mentioned in the
Conference Communique. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
We ask for the
opportunity to sit down with the Minister for Africa, the Transport Minister and
the Prime Minister to focus on the consequences of a scenario where ransoms
cannot be paid, and to look at the impact on the economies of the Indian Ocean
States that would be affected. Simply extending the use of armed guards, if this
is the intention, would be unlikely to offer sufficient security for ships to
continue through the region even if ransoms were banned. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
SOS SaveOurSeafarers is the biggest ever
grouping of the international maritime industry with 30 organisations joined
together to raise awareness of the human and economic cost of piracy using
approaches to politicians and industrial leaders at the highest level. It
started operation in March 2011. Over 100,000 visits have been made to its
website from 191 countries and over 31,6500 letters sent to governments
worldwide.<o:p></o:p>
Its main aims are to resolve the piracy
problem off Somalia; to see piracy deterred, defeated and eradicated; to stop
seafarers being tortured and murdered.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Yours sincerely<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
pp Alastair Evitt<o:p></o:p>
Chairman, SOS
SaveOurSeafarers<o:p></o:p>

 
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press.office@consilium.europa.eu
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom
7216/12 1
EN
COUNCIL OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION
EN
Brussels, 23 March 2012
7216/12
PRESSE 92
Council extends EU counter-piracy operation
Atalanta
The Council today prolonged the EU's counter-piracy operation
Atalanta by two more
years, that is until December 2014. The main tasks of the mission
are the protection of
vessels of the World Food Programme delivering food aid to
displaced persons in Somalia
and the fight against piracy off the Somali coast.
Today's decision also extended the force's area of operations to
include Somali coastal
territory as well as its territorial and internal waters. This is
to enable Operation Atalanta to
work directly with the Transitional Federal Government and other
Somali entities to
support their fight against piracy from the coastal area. In
accordance with the relevant UN
Security Council resolutions, the Somali government has notified
the UN Secretary
General of its acceptance of the EU's offer for this new
collaboration.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Catherine Ashton said:
"Fighting piracy and its root
causes is a priority of our action in the Horn of Africa.
Operation Atalanta has made a significant contribution to this
effort, in coordination with
our international partners. Today's important decision extends
Atalanta's mandate for two
more years and allows it to take more robust action on the Somali
coast. Despite
pressure
on defence budgets, EU member states thereby demonstrate their
renewed commitment to
this successful operation."
A budget of EUR 14.9 million is provided for the common costs of
the prolonged mandate.
7216/12 2
EN
Operation Atalanta is part of the EU's comprehensive approach
tackling symptoms and
root causes of piracy in the Horn of Africa and of the EU
strategic framework for that
region adopted in November 2011. Its headquarters are in Northwood
(United Kingdom)
and, since August 2011, Rear Admiral Duncan Potts of the UK Royal
Navy has been
Operation Commander.
More information:
Website of EUNAVFOR Atalanta
Factsheet: The EU fight against piracy in the Horn of
Africa
Council conclusions of 27
February</DIV></BODY></HTML>