(Obbia, briefly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobyo; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanate_of_Hobyo; http://www.hobyoradio.com/; http://www.hobyoradio.com/). The three article can be found here: ´Ecoterra Press Release on the Global Stand-off with Somali Pirates of the Ukrainian MV FAINA´ (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/76627), ´Horn of Africa Region About to Explode, following Somali Piracy of the Ukrainian MV FAINA´ (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/76639), and ´Down with the Kenyan Paramilitary – Freedom for Andrew Mwangura – Light on Illegal Arms Deals´ (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/76651). Brief presentation of data related to the ongoing crisis can also be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Faina.
In the present article, I will re-publish several recent updates released by Ecoterra that advises all parts to ´Stay Calm & Solve it Now Direct & Fast´.
Ecoterra Intl. - Stay Calm & Solve it Now Direct & Fast!
Ecoterra International – Press Release on the stand-off concerning the Ukrainian weapons-ship hi-jacked by Somali pirates
18th update 2008-10-12 13:50:39 UTC
Interim EASAP Emergency Helpline For Seafarer Families Operational: +254-722-613-858
Day 18 - 407 h into the FAINA crisis – Update Summary
The stand-off concerning MV FAINA is still not yet solved. "The talks between pirates and ship owners totally stopped yesterday (Saturday) after the pirates insisted that Somali brokers must be removed from the process to negotiate," said Ahmed Abshir Hasan, an elder in the pirates' lair of Harardhere to AFP, who reported also: "They said the process will resume in four days with new brokers," as being said by another elder Abdullahi Moalim Afrah. "We don't want any Somali broker to get involved in this deal and that is why we stopped the talks," added another pirate, who did not want to give out his name.
Somali brokers as well as interested sides from Sudan and other sidelines have interfered since the beginning of the stand-off, just being interested in their own agenda, which had a negative impact on direct negotiations between the one and only negotiator for the side of the hostages and the ship with the commander of the pirates on board.
"We believe that the pirates also have understood now that it doesn't help them to negotiate anything with third parties, who would not have the power to implement and guarantee the modalities for the release of the ship" an official close to the scene said. MV FAINA is pinned down and observed at the Somali coast by six US-American and at least four European warships.
Saturday the UN-AU panel warned Kenya from intervening in the hijacked ship and said Kenya has no mandate over the ship. Former Kenya's special envoy to the Sudanese peace talks Lt-Gen Lazarus Sumbeiywo said the hijacking would have affected Kenya had the Ukrainian ship docked in Kenyan territorial waters adding that the services of the Kenyan Navy would then have been sought. "It affects Kenya when it is only in the port of Mombasa. If the international community requires help in the rescue operations, it will be in their interest not Kenya alone, "said Sumbeiywo.
Pirates call on the concerned nations to task an impartial committee with addressing the stalemate in Somali waters.
Somali pirates say the weapons aboard the seized Ukrainian ship MV FAINA are part of the West's 'secret' plans for 'destroying' Sudan. Sudan's Christian opposition groups were meant to receive the on-board armament and use it against the Muslim majority and the Omar Al-Bashir administration, a spokesman for the pirates told the Iranian news agency Press TV. We have documents proving that the weapons were earmarked for the Christian Sudanese opposition, a pirates' spokesman calling himself "Sugule Ali" said, inviting the Arab League and the international news outlets emissaries to verify his claims. The spokesman added despite the international condemnation of their banditry, they would not pose any threats neither to the UN aid convoys to Somalia nor the vessels docking at Somali ports for business.
Another Stand-off Created
Security forces from the self-proclaimed breakaway region of Puntland in Northern Somalia, allegedly trained and financed by US-American instructors as coast guards, unsuccessfully attacked an abducted ship but killed a man and wounded two others on board during a shoot-out with alleged pirates aboard a Somali/Panama-flagged ship on Sunday, a local government official reported. "The pirates are still on board the ship "Al-Weil", which is now surrounded by our forces, who captured their small boats. One of our soldiers died and another was wounded.", Mr. Ali Abdi Aware told Reuters. There are said to be nine Syrian and two Somali crew members on the cement-carrying vessel, which is believed to be at the core of a dispute between rival Somali businessmen.
Meanwhile Puntland authorities have sentenced three Somali kidnappers to death by firing squad. They were accused of a hijacking targeting an oil-worker with a Canadian company operating in the area. The British national was freed in a shoot-out.
Newly Arriving Peacekeepers Attacked
The multinational force, AMISOM, was supposed to be 8,000 strong but has been operating for months with just 2,200 soldiers, all from Uganda and Burundi. This weekend's deployment of additional 820 peacekeepers from Burundi bring the strength of the force to 3,020. The peacekeepers, their Ethiopian counterparts, who protect the UN-backed Transitional Federal Government, and TFG soldiers have been targeted in a string of bombings and ambushes since Islamist forces launched their rebellion early last year. The fighting has killed nearly 10,000 civilians. Seven Ugandan, one Burundian and countless Somali soldiers have died.
Today a roadside bomb hit an AU convoy wounding at least two peacekeepers, witnesses said. An AU medical source confirmed the injured men were among the new arrivals from Burundi.
Ecoterra Intl. - Stay Calm & Solve it Now Direct & Fast!
Ecoterra International – Press Release on the stand-off concerning the Ukrainian weapons-ship hi-jacked by Somali pirates
17th update 2008-10-11 15:09:23 UTC
Interim EASAP Emergency Helpline For Seafarer Families Operational: +254-722-613-858
Day 17 - 382 h into the FAINA crisis – Update Summary
Three Day Ultimatum
The stand-off concerning MV FAINA is still not yet solved and based on the Kenyan sabre-rattling a hostile response came.
"We held a consultative meeting for more than three hours today and decided to blow up the ship and its cargo - us included - if the ship owners did not meet our ransom demand," a "Sugule Ali" told the Associated Press allegedly from aboard MV FAINA and stated: "After three days, starting from tomorrow, the news of the ship will be closed. Either we achieve our goal and get the ransom or perish along with the ship, its crew and cargo." This was according to AP repeated to the Spanish news agency Efe.
The negotiations had continued positively and all sides, except one, were willing to safeguard the human lives at risk and to come now together for a quick solution including the rather complicated modalities, which have to be applied in this case for the release operation. The talks were getting closer, though there is still too much interference from the sidelines, which actually caused that the pirates sometimes spoke to the wrong people and have now the impression that the negotiations are willfully being extended to gain time for the preparation of a military operation. They therefore have given an ultimatum of 3 days for the ransom to be paid.
Meanwhile the Kenyan Parliamentary committee on Defence and Foreign Relations tries to unravel the mystery of the military hardware in the hijacked Ukrainian ship. The delegation under MP Adan Keynan grilled numerous officials from the Kenya Ports Authority and even want to travel to Ukraine and Sudan, which is seen by a majority of Kenyans as a waist of taxpayers money, because the answers could be found in Kenya and see the committee as an attempt to distract investigations with the mere purpose to diffuse attention. Many Kenyans are now of the opinion that the unfolding saga and numerous flawed justification attempts are actually damaging the reputation of the country and its governance more than a not so clean arms deal admittance would have.
Yesterday at around 16h30 local time (13h30 UTC) a Greek chemical tanker under Panama flag with 20 crew members has been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, while the alleged taking of a Somali/Panama-flagged ship is controversial and on 09th Oct. a World Food Programme-chartered ship was attacked but could escape, while the captain took anti-piracy action.
Several observers have the impression that the whole game on the waters around the Horn of Africa is a win-win situation for the Navies as well as for the pirates, by getting money from governments and insurances to Somalia on the one side and to gear up more military spending on the other, while mostly taxpayers have to pay for all of it.
Ecoterra Intl. - Stay Calm & Solve it Now Direct & Fast!
Ecoterra International – Press Release on the stand-off concerning the Ukrainian weapons-ship hi-jacked by Somali pirates
15th update 2008-10-09 15:55:00 UTC
Interim EASAP Emergency Helpline For Seafarer Families Operational: +254-722-613-858
Day 15 - 337 h into the FAINA crisis – Update Summary
Breaking News:
Andrew Mwangura Released & Free
From the hell-hole prison of Shimo-la-Tewa back to the work for the release of seafarers
Just before 17h00 local time the last necessary signature could be obtained from reluctant officers at the Mombasa Law Courts, permitting finally to release Andrew Mwangura, the outstanding Kenyan Chapter leader of the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme. This was just before the Court closed for a long weekend, because Kenya is celebrating Moi Day tomorrow and the release order was obtained. It would have otherwise been a Moi Day and many more days in prison for prisoner of conscious Mr. Mwangura.
Family and friends, human rights defenders and seafarers after another day of struggles at the Mombasa law courts right just now welcome (at the time of this update 17h55 local time) Mr. Andrew Mwangura, 45, at the doors of Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison north of Mombasa, which had broken the health though not the spirit of other famous inmates like George Anyona or Kamoji Wachiira, back to relative freedom. Special arrangements had to be made for his release after 18h00, when usually all gates close.
I am happy and back to work
Andrew in a first sight of happiness: "I have now myself a fresh experience how one feels if one is hi-jacked and abducted like the crews on the ships in Somalia," and thanking all his friends and supporters he only had to add: "Let me go back to my work to help these seafarers up in Somalia and along the Indian Ocean coasts!".
Mrs. Betty Sharon, 38, chairperson of the small but determined organization Coast Women in Development, who together with other organizations, including the Prepared Society, has been at the forefront of the release effort, which the financially poor family of Andrew could not help:
"I am so happy that this nightmare for Andrew is over for now!"
Betty Sharon knows what she is talking about, since she herself had been detained earlier in the year after her mobile phone was tapped and she had been followed, was arrested, interrogated and detained upon allegations that she had incited and financed organized demonstrations. She was subsequently beaten by six policemen and had to be admitted in a hospital with multiple fractures. Even Newsweek reported about that case where demonstrators sat down, held up placards that read ´Justice Be Our Shield And Defender´ and started singing the Kenyan national anthem, but back then the magazine was of the opinion that the riot squads, equipped with brand-new gear and renewed hatred, seemed to deliberately target innocent bystanders in these post-election demonstrations. The activists in Kenya know better - they say that they are systematically persecuted and opportunities like being near demonstrations are used to execute atrocities against targeted persons.
Around 1,200 Kenyans had been killed - many by police - and more than 350,000 were displaced when violence erupted after President Kibaki of PNU was named winner in an election, which his rival Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chairman Raila Odinga claimed was rigged. Several inquiry commissions try to shed light into the actual facts while Kibaki and Raila have formed a working coalition government since. But people from both sides are seen now by many as seemingly entangled together in the weapons saga around MV FAINA, which is why the governmental force without checks and balances could crack down on Andrew Mwangura.
Support pledged
Many national and international organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, Ecoterra Intl., the International Observatory on Seafarer's Rights and several others including embassies had expressed first disbelieve and then outrage over the unjust imprisonment, illegally prolonged detention and the impossibly inflated bail-terms, which actually kept Andrew Mwangura for 9 days in jail as well as about the fact that he was dumped into one of Kenya's most detested maximum security prison, Shimo La Tewa ["the hole of the grouper" (rock cod) in KiSwahili referring to the underground cells resembling the caves the grouper sea-fish inhabits at that coast], together with convicted murderers and rapists, because the system wanted this and the lawyer he had been given at the offices of the Standard Media Group was not preventing it - and didn't manage to turn it into a cash bail. The final release order from his detention in a prison "where you don't see any daylight" was therefore obtained by the support groups directly from the court and without that lawyer.
Many supporters from around the globe have pledged to help Andrew Mwangura in his efforts for the seafarers and also his family in the difficult times ahead, because the now constitutional case as such is still pending.
The stand-off concerning MV FAINA is still not yet solved, though negotiations have continued in earnest. All sides, except one, are willing to safeguard the human lives at risk and to come now together for a quick solution including the rather complicated modalities, which have to be applied in this case for the release operation. The 20 crewmembers aboard the hijacked Ukrainian ship laden with combat tanks and ammunition are living in fear, the U.S. Navy said Thursday 09th October. "They want it to end peaceful and quickly," Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman from the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said and stated that the US-Navy is in regular contact with the crew of the MV FAINA via a satellite phone. He said the US-Navy did not know when the stand-off might end, but said they would make sure the pirates do not take the heavy weapons ashore. Other contacts reported in addition that the crew is being treated well and the 20 men take regular meals prepared by their own chef, while the pirates are ready and prepare for a quick release.
While most of the "boys" now believe they have the political backing to waist millions of taxpayer's money for playing again hide-and-seek games in Somalia - this time around on the safer waterfront - a senior British Royal Navy commander in the Gulf has called for merchant shipping to hire mercenaries in response to the increasing danger of piracy. At a time when a record number of ships have been hijacked off Somalia, Commodore Keith Winstanley said he believed that the situation had become so serious that civilian vessels should be armed. Already companies like Hart Security made deals with insurance companies. He said private security companies working in Iraq or Afghanistan could be better used guarding ships, which in pirate-infested regions needed a "visual deterrent" such as mounted heavy machine guns. While security analysts have warned about such options the British Commodore, who commands 11 ships in the region, seems to admit his and his Navy's helplessness, though they have a unique go-ahead, which the world has never seen before. If his suggestions were adopted, it would be the first time that merchant seamen have been significantly armed since World War II.
NATO agreed Thursday to send ships soon to protect vessels off Somalia's coast as bandits holding a Ukrainian ship laden with weapons softened their ransom demands in response to mounting international pressure. NATO's chief spokesman James Appathurai said ministers agreed that a seven-ship NATO force would be in the region within weeks. NATO will coordinate with organizations including the European Union
Ecoterra Intl. - Stay Calm & Solve it Now Direct & Fast!
Ecoterra International – Press Release on the stand-off concerning the Ukrainian weapons-ship hi-jacked by Somali pirates
14th update 2008-10-09 010:41:49 UTC
Interim EASAP Emergency Helpline For Seafarer Families Operational: +254-722-613-858
Day 15 – 332 h into the FAINA crisis – Update Summary
The stand-off concerning MV FAINA is still not yet solved, though negotiations have continued in earnest and all sides, except one, are willing to safeguard the human lives at risk and to come now together for a quick solution including the rather complicated modalities, which have to be applied in this case.
Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said, according to BBC, force should be used to rescue the weapons from the pirates. He thereby stands isolated as the only person worldwide, who opts for a forceful solution, which would cause a major humanitarian and environmental disaster. Maybe he just hopes that thereby crucial evidence in that saga would also be destroyed. According to PANA press agency, Wetangula said the use of force to free the ship was necessary, having been authorized by the United Nations Security Council, which ordered the use of force against any acts of piracy in the Horn of Africa region. "We are going to move with the Chinese and Indians to see that the hijack of the ship along the coast of Somalia (will) be the last in the country," Wetangula said in the PANA press release quoted by the French website http://www.afriquenligne.fr/
It seems that there is some misinterpretation again on the Kenyan side, since the UN allowed, but did not order and specifically did not order to use force in an operation against the pirates of MV FAINA. It is believed and has been stated by the pirates that the ship and its explosive cargo has been prepared for any such attack in a more serious way than some of the other held ships, which are said to now be mined against commando operations.
"The pirates are holding hostages... human lives are at stake. Ultimately, force could result in casualties," warned Somali Foreign minister Ali Ahmed Jama in Nairobi on Tuesday, thereby refuting that his Kenyan counterpart had specific permission to use force against the MV FAINA.
The families and relatives of the Ukrainian seafarers together with the rest of the world, this time including the United States of America, hope that the Ukrainian government stands strong on their decision to achieve to a peaceful solution and do prevent any unwise action from any side. The Russian warship Neustrashimy is due to stop at Tripoli, Libya, on October 11th, for a two day visit (and replenish its fuel and food supplies). It appears that the Neustrashimy won't show up off Somalia until mid October, at the earliest. The Neustrashimy is being accompanied to Libya by the nuclear powered battle cruiser Peter the Great (which will head for Venezuela after the Libya visit).
Ecoterra Press Statement
Ecoterra Intl. welcomes the statement by Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council: "The priority should be to resolve the problem only through negotiations with the pirates without the use of force," as well as the statement by Russia: "The Russian Navy rejects the use of force!" as stated by Capt.1st Rank Igor Dygalo to RIA Novosti concerning the MV FAINA case and lately the statement by the US-American Government: "The United States is seeking a peaceful resolution to the hijacking, while preventing the cargo from falling into the hands of anyone who would use it to further destabilize the region."
Ecoterra International still urges all sides in the case of the hi-jacked Ukrainian ship MV FAINA to further de-escalate the extremely dangerous situation. "If the falcons from Kenya or Sudan, from Russia or Ukraine, from the US, NATO or the EU and last but not least some ill-advised regional politicians or religious leaders not to mention some suicidal captors or fanatic volunteers would get their way and drive the case to an end by destroying the vessel, a major humanitarian and environmental disaster would be created in the case of the weapons transporter MV FAINA!", Ecoterra Intl. spokesman Dr. Hans-Juergen Duwe stated and expressed his specific trust in Ukrainian Prime Minister Lady Yulia Tymoshenko to care for the lives of her seafarers.
The cargo of the ill-fated ship comprises not only of the 1,500 mt of refurbished battle tanks (33 units), it also consists at least of 1,000 mt other military hardware, including 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition with a substantial amount of 125mm 3BM32, which contain a depleted uranium (DU) penetrator. It can not be ruled out that among that ammunition also tank rounds encased in a DU liner for ´enhanced killing power´ can be found, which Russia has marketed for export and which have even a higher DU load.
In case Kenya - as announced together with China and India - would really get its way and the Ukraine, Russia, France, the United States of America, the EU parties, NATO or any other power are willing to stand by and to do nothing against a military solution, while the FAINA has been prepared by the pirates or commandos in the meantime to be blown up, a grave humanitarian and a major environmental disaster would be created only around 8 miles off coastal villages and 11 km from the town of Obiyo (Hobyo). The whole coastal stretch with other nearby towns like Xarardheere (Haradheere) to the South or Iidaan to the North would be affected
Depleted uranium (DU) munitions are at least controversial because of unanswered questions about potential long-term health effects and they are classified as a toxic heavy metal. Cellular and animal studies have shown that uranium is a kidney toxin, neurotoxin, immunotoxin, mutagen (agent which changes the genetic information of an organism), carcinogen and teratogen (agent causing malformations of the embryo or foetus), which is why not only the vast majority of countries - including Kenya - have signed a resolution to ban its proliferation, but also the UN and the EU work on its global ban.
"The acutely pending humanitarian and environmental crisis and disaster situation still can be avoided through negotiations", Dr. Duwe is convinced, "because the pirates are only interested in the money and a quick, safe get-away."
"This crisis is of such magnitude that it can not be left to Ukrainian diplomats in Nairobi or to the arms-exporters to drag on, while the military hard-liners, referring to ill-advised demands by some biased Somali politicians, who this time might not benefit, get ready or "allow" others to blow this case into a real problem", the Ecoterra spokesman concluded with the advise that the stand-off must be solved peacefully by a payment coming from those who left this dangerous shipment unprotected into Somali waters. Ecoterra Intl. demands that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as well as the IAEA and other relevant organizations are called in to inspect the cargo after the pirates release it.
Since 26. Sept. 2008 Ecoterra Intl. has urged the Somali group, which hi-jacked MV FAINA, to treat the ship's crew with all human respect, to allow medical personnel as well as supplies for the people to come on board, to not tamper with the cargo and to agree to an unproblematic quick and directly negotiated solution to the crisis. The recent developments, however, characterized by calling in the guns to bring the stand-off to an end would cause a real disaster and must be averted by all means.
It must be avoided too that the now re-enforced pirate-gang becomes so paranoid and desperate that they would blow up the ship or start killing members of the crew. Even though the war-mongers might see Ukrainian seafarers only as collateral damage, the world community has to recognize their human rights - to life at least and not to be sacrificed for the smooth running of legal or illegal business as usual. Under the present situation the pirates might even abandon the ship and leave the crew unharmed, if the Navy ships would open for them an escape possibility.
Not doing so means either paying or having to sacrifice the crew, the ship and the cargo as well as creating an environmental disaster at the seashore of impoverished Somalia.
Ecoterra Intl. together with Madam Nyna Karpachyova, the Ukrainian parliament's human rights ombudsman, and the Ukrainian as well as Russian families and in accordance with many national and international Human Rights Organizations and several embassies in region plead not to sacrifice the crew.
Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
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