Great news in Somalia as a Canadian freelance journalist was just released after over a year in captivity by an armed militia. A ransom was paid and groups like Reporters without Borders had been working to get her release for a long time. The news seemed really bleak back in August, with rumors of her even having been raped and impregnated. It's good that this didn't happen, at least the pregnancy part, but she did claim to have been tortured.
On the other hand, at least 18 journalists experienced a gory fate in the Philippines, after they were killed after being in a convoy with over 50 persons who were stopped, captured and mostly executed by armed militiamen, allegedly hired by a politician. This has to be one of the worst events involving journalists, maybe even unprecedented in modern times. Imagine if this had happened to American journalists, say in Iraq for example, the international outcry would have been even greater.
Showing posts with label Somalia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somalia. Show all posts
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Naval might rendered powerless by pirates
About the pirate menace off the coast of Somalia which has been a major issue in the past year, Vanity Fair carries a good piece on the ordeal of the capture of a French luxury sailboat. Despite the 'happy' ending, the story vividly shows how modern naval power is made impotent by these pirates.
Utilizing a range of vessels, helicopters, planes, commandoes, frogmen and "hundreds of amphibious assault troops", all the French navy could do was arrange for a US$2.15 million ransom in exchange for the successful release of the captured ship's crew, and the eventual capture of a handful of the pirate gang. The main reason for the impotence of the French navy was of course, the reluctance to risk the lives of the hostages, as well as financial factors for the ship's company.
Then the not-so-inconsequential matter of the status of Somalia as a failed nation state with no national sovereign control or rule of law hence, no need to adhere to or fear international laws or sanctions, and by extension Puntland, the pirate haven which was formerly a part of Somalia, also contribute to the pirates' ability to act with such impunity.
Utilizing a range of vessels, helicopters, planes, commandoes, frogmen and "hundreds of amphibious assault troops", all the French navy could do was arrange for a US$2.15 million ransom in exchange for the successful release of the captured ship's crew, and the eventual capture of a handful of the pirate gang. The main reason for the impotence of the French navy was of course, the reluctance to risk the lives of the hostages, as well as financial factors for the ship's company.
Then the not-so-inconsequential matter of the status of Somalia as a failed nation state with no national sovereign control or rule of law hence, no need to adhere to or fear international laws or sanctions, and by extension Puntland, the pirate haven which was formerly a part of Somalia, also contribute to the pirates' ability to act with such impunity.
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