International anti-Somali piracy campaign

Afrique en Ligue
Thursday, February 02, 2012

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Group launches campaign to try captured Somali Pirates in the West - International anti-Somali piracy campaign SOS SaveOurSeafarers has started a campaign urging Western governments to consider trying suspected Somali Pirates in their own countries, to ensure that they face prosecution and ultimately conviction rather than simply being released.

The SOS campaign argues that continuing over-reliance on regional prosecution is putting massive pressure on the judicial systems in Somalia's neighbouring countries, already overburdened with piracy cases.

The organization said in a statement obtained by PANA here that not enough countries, especially those with interests in shipping, are looking to actively contribute to the fight to counter Somali piracy, although the last few months have seen more determined naval action against Somali pirates by those countries participating in the naval presence in the region, which the shipping industry applauds.

Recent successful naval action in the Indian Ocean has resulted in 46 suspected Somali pirates being captured.

Some have gone to Spain for trial, others will go to a reluctant Seychelles, but the majority are still awaiting the decision to prosecute or release.

'We understand that that those governments involved in capturing these 46 pirates have been actively pursuing options for regional prosecution, putting massive pressure on some countries bordering the Indian Ocean to accept some of those being held,' the organization said. 'The problem, we are told, is that Kenya and the Seychelles, which have tried suspected pirates in the past, are unwilling to take the latest suspects because their court systems are overloaded with piracy cases.'

SOS said the failure of many of the international community to act, relying instead on the active few, may result in the release of captured pirates.

'This demonstrates a lack of respect for the military personnel and the shipping community who are both taking effective action, and for the brave seafarers who crew the world’s fleet.

'So given the current situation, why not commit these people to trial in the US, UK, Denmark, or in other European countries involved, rather than trying to arrange regional prosecutions?

'Spain and the Netherlands, for instance, have in the last 12 months chosen to prosecute a number of people suspected of piracy off Somalia. Why not other countries too?” said Giles Heimann, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the shipping industry’s SOS SaveOurSeafarers (SOS) campaign.

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 leader at the highest level.

The group started operation in March 2011, with the aim of resolving the piracy problem off Somalia; to see piracy deterred, defeated and eradicated; and to stop seafarers being tortured and murdered.

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