Ecoterra Press Release 244 – The Somalia Chronicle June – December 2009, no 57
Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
March 18, 2010
ECOTERRA Intl.
SMCM
Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor
ECOTERRA INTERNATIONAL - UPDATES & STATEMENTS, REVIEW & CLEARING-HOUSE
2009-09-14 MON 15h58:12 UTC
Issue No. 244
A Voice from the Truth- & Justice-Seekers, who sit between all chairs, because they are not part of organized white-collar or no-collar-crime in Somalia or elsewhere, and who neither benefit from global naval militarization, from the illegal fishing and dumping in Somali waters or the piracy of merchant vessels, nor from the booming insurance business or the exorbitant ransom-, risk-management- or security industry, while neither the protection of the sea, the development of fishing communities or the humanitarian assistance to abducted seafarers and their families is receiving the required adequate attention, care and funding.
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." George Orwell
EA ILLEGAL FISHING AND DUMPING HOTLINE: +254-714-747090 (confidentiality guaranteed) - email: somalia[at]ecoterra.net
EA Seafarers Assistance Programme EMERGENCY HELPLINE : SMS to +254-738-497979 or sms/call +254-733-633-733
"The pirates must not be allowed to destroy our dream !"
Cpt. Florent Lemaçon - F/Y Tanit - killed by French commandos - 10. April 2009 / Ras Hafun
NON A LA GUERRE - YES FOR PEACE
(Inscription on the sail of F/Y TANIT - shot down on day one of the French assault)
We have the obligation to fight oppression and cruelty wherever it appears, and believe that anybody who is degrading other people and peoples has to be fought against with whatever appropriate tools people have available.
Clearing-House: Cut out the clutter - focus on facts !
(If you find this compilation too large or if you can't grasp the multitude and magnitude of important, inter-related and complex issues influencing the Horn of Africa - you better do not deal with Somalia or other man-made "conflict zones". We try to make it as easy and condensed as necessary.)
Breaking:
MV IRENE E.M. FREE
Somali pirates say they have freed the Greek ship after ransom payment
Somali pirates freed a St. Vincent and The Grenadines - flagged, Greek-owned ship on Monday after the gang received a $2 million ransom for the vessel and its 22 Filipino crew, local sources reported. One of the pirates confirmed the release to Reuters.
MV IRENE E.M. - a bulk carrier - was seized on April 13 at 22h40 UTC (= April 14 - 01h40 local time) at position N 12.52.992 / E 048.15.503 in the Gulf of Aden, where gangs from Somalia have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms by targeting vessels using the strategic shipping lanes that link The vessel and crew Europe to Asia.were en route from Jordan to India and later held near Garcaad at the Indian Ocean coast of Norteastern Somalia. CHIAN SPIRIT Maritime Enterprises of Pireus, Greece, did not confirm a payment of a ransom.
Foreign Attack on Somali Soil
Conflicting reports arrived from the coastal area near Brawa since mid-day local time. The nationality of the attackers has not been clarified. Since France denies it is believed the attack came from the US-American side. Local reports speak of up to six attack helicopters and up to 6 people killed at a location around 20 km north of the coastal town of Brawa.
Helicopters kill al Shabaab leader in southern town, says local Somali radio station mareeg.
Foreign helicopters have killed two people, one of them believed to be one of al Shabaab leaders in Barawe town in southern Somalia.
Residents said a car owned by Sheik Hussein Ali Fidow, one of al Shabaab prominent leaders was bombed by the helicopters.
"Sheikh Hussein is believed to have been killed in the attack" one resident said.
Some reports have also suggested that French commandos in helicopters killed two people in an attack on the car and took wounded person with them.
Barawe is under the control of Al- Shabaab, which is fighting against the fragile government led by President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
American Choppers bombard
Helicopters having the sign of the American flag at the fin have bombarded Bulamareer near Brawa town in the lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia some 120km south east of the Somali capital Mogadishu on Monday afternoon.
"I cannot actually say the number of the helicopters, which have raided because when I heard their scary sounds they have shocked me, and the rest of the inhabitants in the district, and we all ran for cover, in fact I cannot assure the casualties, but there are fatality in the air raid" said Hassan Mukhtar a resident in Bulamarer district speaking to Somaliweyn radio.
The Americans have some years back bombarded in some refuge camps in the border between Somalia and Kenya and in the thick Jungles of Kudha in the lower Juba region tracing for the insurgents.
France denies role in Somalia raid - Sapa-AFP
The French military on Monday denied claims that its forces were involved in a raid on a village in an Islamist-controlled area of southern Somalia.
"There was no French operation," said Admiral Christophe Prazuck, spokesperson for the armed forces' general staff.
The spokesperson said the French forces present in the region were operating within the framework of the European Union anti-piracy force and that "they did not intervene over Somali territory".
Somali elders and witnesses said foreign troops staged a helicopter raid in the village of Erile, about 200km south of the capital Mogadishu, opening fire on a vehicle and killing several people inside.
The area is controlled by the al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-inspired organisation engaged in a massive offensive against the Somali government and which is believed to be holding a French agent kidnapped in July.
A local Islamist commander who asked to remain anonymous claimed that the helicopters were French.
Witnesses: Foreign troops raid Somali town
By Mohamed Olad Hassan (AP)
Foreign troops in helicopters attacked a seaside town controlled by Somali insurgents Monday, killing at least two people and taking two others captive, witnesses said.
Eyewitness Abdi Ahmed said the helicopters fired from the air and hit a car near Barawe town, killing two men in the car and wounding two others. He said foreign soldiers, who were white, left with the two wounded men as captives.
"We heard the explosion and saw two helicopters flying over us," said Mohamed Ali Aden, a bus driver who drove past the burnt-out car minutes after the attack. "There was only a burning vehicle and two dead bodies lying beside."
It was not clear who conducted the attack. Somalia's weak government has very few resources and does not have helicopters or other modern equipment. One witness, Dahir Ahmed, said the helicopters took off from a nearby warship flying a French flag, but that could not be immediately confirmed.
France has launched commando raids in the past to rescue French nationals held by insurgents and pirates in this lawless African nation. Calls to the Defense Ministry in Paris rang unanswered Monday.
Barawe is controlled by al-Shabab, an insurgent group the U.S. accuses of having links to al-Qaida. The town is some 155 miles (250 kilometers) from the capital, Mogadishu.
Many experts fear the country's lawlessness could provide a haven for al-Qaida, offering a place for terrorists to train and gather strength — much like Afghanistan in the 1990s. Al-Shabab has hundreds of foreign fighters in its ranks, and the group controls much of the country.
Somalia's lawlessness also has allowed piracy to flourish off its coast, making the Gulf of Aden one of the most dangerous waterways in the world.
The U.S. government — haunted by a deadly 1993 U.S. military assault in Mogadishu chronicled in "Black Hawk Down" — is working to lower the growing terrorist threat without sending in American troops. The Obama administration recently increased aid to Somalia by pouring resources into the weak government.
Various Islamist groups have been fighting the U.N.-backed government since being chased from power 2 1/4 years ago. Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, sees near-daily battles between government and insurgent forces. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed.
Suspected foreign helicopters in Somalia attack (Reuters)
Suspected foreign commandos on board two helicopters killed at least two people when they attacked a car thought to be carrying Islamist insurgents in southern Somalia, witnesses said on Monday.
Residents said the incident took place near Roobow village in Barawe District, some 250 km (155 miles) south of Mogadishu, and that a senior rebel commander might be among the dead.
Local man Bashir Abdi told Reuters soldiers in two helicopters opened fire on a car passing near their village.
"The troops appeared to have French flags on the shoulders of their uniforms," Abdi said by telephone from the scene. He said two people were killed and others taken by the soldiers.
French defence ministry spokesman Christophe Prazuck denied French soldiers had been involved.
"We don't have any military presence in that region ... there are no forces in that territory," Prazuck said in Paris.
French forces have launched commando raids in Somalia in the past to rescue French nationals held by rebels and pirates.
Another witness, Abdulkadir Muse, said al Shabaab insurgents exchanged fire with the commandos. He said all four people in the car were killed and their bodies taken by the foreigners.
The four people in the car were not thought to have been Somalis, Muse added, but he could provide no proof.
Western security agencies say the failed Horn of Africa state has become a safe haven for militants, including foreign jihadists, who use it to plot attacks in the region and beyond.
Last month, one of two French security advisers kidnapped by Somali insurgents in July managed to escape from his captors and fled to the presidential palace in Mogadishu.
Somalia's fragile U.N.-backed government faces a stubborn insurgency mounted by al Shabaab and others. Washington accuses al Shabaab of being al Qaeda's proxy in the lawless country.
President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's administration controls only small parts of the impoverished nation's drought-ridden region and a few districts of the bullet-scarred coastal capital.
Violence has killed more than 18,000 Somalis since the start of 2007 and driven another 1.5 million from their homes.
That has triggered one of the world's worst aid emergencies, with the number of people needing help leaping 17.5 percent in a year to 3.76 million or half the population.
French 'launch raid on militants in Somalia' by Tristan McConnell - The Times Up to four foreign military helicopters carried out a raid on militants in southern Somalia today, it was reported.
One eyewitness claimed that the attackers were French. "Soldiers in two helicopters attacked a car passing near the village, killing two people and taking away several others," Bashir Abdi, a local resident, said.
Mr Abdi told Reuters news agency that he saw what looked like French flags on the soldiers´ uniforms.
However, the French Army denied any involvement in the raid. "There was no French operation," said Admiral Christophe Prazuk, spokesman for the Armed Forces general staff.A local elder from Barawe, about 120 miles south of the capital Mogadishu, said that a car was destroyed in the attack and some of the passengers were taken away by the foreign troops.
"There was a military operation carried out by four foreign choppers in Erile village. A car was destroyed. We are also hearing that some of the vehicle's passengers were taken on the choppers," Abdinasir Mohamed Adan told Agence France Presse.
Much of southern Somalia is controlled by Islamist extremists known as Al-Shabaab. The group is still holding one of two French intelligence agents seized in Mogadishu in July. The second agent escaped last month.
France has ordered attacks on Somali territory in the past. In 2008, French helicopter gunships chased down a gang of pirates after a $2 million (£1.2 million) ransom was paid for the release of a luxury yacht, Le Ponant, and its crew. Six pirates were arrested and a portion of the ransom recovered.
Foreign troops kill two in Somalia helicopter raid (Reuters)
Foreign troops believed to be French commandos in helicopters killed two people in an attack on a car in southern Somalia on Monday, local witnesses said.
Residents said the incident took place near Robow village in Barawe District, some 250 km (155 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu. It was not immediately clear who had been killed.
"Soldiers in two helicopters attacked a car passing near the village, killing two people and taking away several others," local man Bashir Abdi told Reuters by telephone.
"The troops appeared to have French flags on the shoulders of their uniforms. We do not know who was killed yet, but we speculate that they were al Shabaab (insurgents) or pirates."
French forces have launched commando raids in Somalia in the past to rescue French nationals held by rebels and pirates.
Last month, one of two French security advisers kidnapped by Somali insurgents in July managed to escape from his captors and fled to the presidential palace in Mogadishu.
Witnesses: Foreign troops raid Somali town (AP)
Witnesses say foreign troops in helicopters have attacked a seaside town controlled by Somali insurgents, killing at least two people.
Abdi Ahmed said the helicopters fired from the air and hit a car near Barawe, killing two men in the car and wounding two others. He said foreign soldiers left with the two wounded men as captives.
Another witness, Dahir Ahmed, said the helicopters took off from a nearby warship.
It was not clear who conducted the attack. Somalia's weak government has very few resources and does not have helicopters or other modern equipment.
Barawe is controlled by al-Shabab, which the U.S. accuses of having links to al-Qaida.
Foreign troops launch Somali raid (AFP)
Foreign soldiers have staged an attack on militants in Somalia, killing at least two people in a helicopter raid.
The troops, who according to some reports had uniforms with French insignia, attacked a vehicle carrying Islamists from the al-Shabab group.
Witnesses said the troops took away some men, and there were two bodies left in the road after the attack, in the southern district of Barawe.
The French foreign ministry has not commented on the claims.
"There was a military operation carried out by four foreign helicopters," a village elder told the AFP news agency.
"A car was destroyed, we are also hearing that some of the vehicle's passengers were taken on the helicopters."
French commandos have launched raids in the past to rescue their citizens from pirates or militants.
The assault comes several weeks after a Frenchman held by militants in Mogadishu managed to get free.
Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
Rival Islamist factions are battling forces loyal to the weak UN-backed government.
Foreign troops kill two in Somalia helicopter raid 14 Sep 2009 12:04:28 GMT
Source: Reuters
MOGADISHU, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Foreign troops believed to be French commandos in helicopters killed two people in an attack on a car in southern Somalia on Monday, local witnesses said. Residents said the incident took place near Roobow village in Barawe District, some 250 km (155 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu. It was not immediately clear who had been killed.
News from sea-jackings, abductions, newly attacked ships and vessels in distress
Kyiv denies agreement on Ariana ship crew release - Interfax-Ukraine
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has denied media reports claiming an alleged agreement between the Ariana ship owner and Somali pirates on the release of the vessel.
"The operating company refutes media claims of an alleged agreement on the release of the hostages," Foreign Ministry spokesman Vasyl Kyrylych said at a briefing on Monday.
He said the negotiations were tricky, and law enforcers continued to do their best for the quickest release of the hostages.
The operating company said that the crew had a sufficient amount of fuel, food, drinking water and medicines.
Details of the negotiations are unknown, Kyrylych said.
Somali pirates seized the Ariana ship of the Greek-based Alloceans Shipping Company Ltd under the Maltese flag in the Gulf of Aden on May 2. All the 24 crewmembers are Ukrainian citizens.
N.B.: Local sources confirmed that the extremely ill female seafarer on board the vessel so far has survived, but is still very sick, while no help for her came forward from the Ukrainian government.]
Egypt hands over pirates – sapa
Egypt on Monday handed over to Somalia's Puntland authorities eight suspected pirates who had seized two Egyptian fishing vessels before being overpowered by the crew, officials said.
"We have received the eight pirates from Egyptian officials. They are now in the hands of the police for questioning and will be awaiting trial," the governor of Puntland's Bari region, Muse Gele Farole, said.
The eight suspects were handed over in the Gulf of Aden port of Bosasso, the economic capital of northern Somalia's semi-autonomous region.
A senior Puntland police official confirmed that the eight were held in a Bosasso jail.
Refrigerated holds
Puntland has already sentenced dozens of pirates detained by foreign navies in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to heavy jail terms.
The FV Momtaz 1 and FV Samara vessels got a heroes' welcome in Egypt last month following reports that the crews managed to disarm the pirates. They made their way back up the Red Sea with the eight locked up in refrigerated holds.
The two ships were allegedly stopped on April 10 for illegal fishing and were held off the small coastal town of Las Qoray, which straddles a disputed border between the two northern breakaway states of Somaliland and Puntland.
The local authorities' failure to take appropriate action on a case of illegal fishing gradually turned the captivity of the two vessels into a case of piracy.
With the latest captures and releases now still at least 4 foreign vessels with a total of not less than 98 crew members are accounted for (of which 20 are confirmed to be Filipinos) and are held in Somali waters. Three former hostages are held by the local ad ministration. The cases are monitored on our actual case-list, while several other cases of ships, which were observed off the coast of Somalia and have been reported or had reportedly disappeared without trace or information, are still being followed too. Over 134 incidences (including attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful sea-jackings) had been recorded for 2008 with 49 fully documented, factual sea-jacking cases (for Somalia, incl. presently held ones) and the mistaken sinking of one vessel by a naval force. For 2009 the account stands at 163 attacks (incl. averted or abandoned attacks) with 47 sea-jackings on the Somali/Yemeni pirate side as well as at least six wrongful attacks (incl. one friendly fire incident) on the side of the naval forces. More than 150 Somalis are held in foreign prisons (Kenya, Yemen, Seychelles, France, Netherlands) under charges of piracy. Not fully documented cases of absconded vessels are not listed in the sea-jack count until clarification. Several other vessels with unclear fate (also not in the actual count), who were reported missing over the last ten years in this area, are still kept on our watch-list, though in some cases it is presumed that they sunk due to bad weather or being unfit to sail. In the last four years, 22 missing ships have been traced back with different names, flags and superstructures.
Piracy incidents usually degrade during the monsoon season in winter and rise gradually by the end of the monsoon season starting from mid February and early April every year. Present multi-factorial risk assessment code: GoA: YELLOW IO: YELLOW (Red = Very much likely, high season; Orange = Reduced risk, but very likely, Yellow = significantly reduced risk, but still likely, Blue = possible, Green = unlikely).
Directly piracy or naval upsurge related reports
Status of Abducted Vessels and Crews in Somalia
Summary: Today, 14th September 2009, at least 4 foreign vessels plus one barge are kept in Somalia against the will of their owners, while at least 123 seafarers suffer to be released.
Cases not completely closed:
M/V JAIKUR I: Seized Oct. 2, 2008 - The 21,040-tonne general cargo ship was detained after a dispute with the owners over damaged cargo. All foreign crew were with the help of ECOTERRA released and repatriated. The vessel is still held in Mogadishu harbour due to an insurance dispute between vessel-owner and cargo-owners. The ship-owner continues to operate with another vessel MV JAIKUR II for WFP in Somalia.
MS INDIAN OCEAN EXPLORER: Seized March 2009. The 35-metre boat was built in Hamburg as an oceanographic research vessel and later used as tourist diving boat. All 7 crew of Seychelles nationality were released and repatriated against a ransom. The vessel was allegedly looted and then sunk by the pirates off the coast of Harardheere, but so far no independent confirmation or evidence for the actual sinking received.
S/Y SERENITY - The fast catamaran was sailing for Madagascar from the Seychelles with three people aboard, when it was seized in March 2009. Later it was attached to and pulled by the hijacked Taiwanese FV WIN FAR 161 and kept between Harardheere and Hobyo until it allegedly sunk in bad weather at the coast near Garacad. The sinking was confirmed by different sources, but evidence is not produced yet. The 3 men crew with Seychelles nationality were held hostage, then were cared for together with the crew of FV WIN FAR 161 and released in a pirates for hostages swap. They have arrived back in the Seychelles on 13. September 2009 and confirmed that their catamaran was destroyed.
BARGE NN - an unnamed barge is held at Kulule (near Bendar-Beyla) since mid march. Ownership and circumstances not yet clarified.
S/Y JUMLA or YUMLA ? - a mysterious yacht kept near Dinooda.
MT AGIA BARBARA: INDIAN AND SYRIAN CREW STILL WANTED FOR MURDER - vessel escaped from Somalia after the murder to the UAE - unhindered by international naval forces. See our previous updates.
Cases in negotiations:
FV WIN FAR 161 - The Taiwanese fishing vessel was seized April 6, 2009 near the Seychelles. It had then been involved in the attack on MV ALABAMA and is now still moored about 7 nm from Garacad. The crew of 30 (17 Filipinos, six Indonesians, five Chinese and two Taiwanese) is still together and on board. The ship's skipper and first engineer are Taiwanese nationals and the 700-ton long-liner is owned by a Taiwan company, which regularly sent their vessels into Somali waters from the Seychelles - a key transshipment point for poached tuna from the Indian Ocean to Japan. The Government of the Philippines seems to be pretty helpless to even find the manning agency, who lured the 17 Pinoy sailors into the fish-poaching operation.
MV ARIANA: Seized May 2, 2009. The Ariana was seized north of Madagascar en route to the Middle East from Brazil with 10,000 tonnes of soy-beans. The 24-strong all-Ukrainian crew has run low in food and water. The ship, flying a Maltese flag, belongs to All Oceans shipping in Greece, who fronts for a British conglomerate. So far the shipping company has not responded to calls for urgently required medical attention. Two female sailors are on board, one of them in serious condition. The vessel is at the moment held 25nm north of Hobyo. The Ukrainian Human Rights ombudswoman has appealed to her European counterpart in order to achieve immediate relief to the suffering of the crew members.
MV CHARELLE: Seized on June 12, 2009. The 2,800-tonne cargo ship carrying was captured 60 miles south of Oman. The vessel is owned by shipping firm Tarmstedt International. Seven of the 10 member crew are Sri Lankans. The vessel is German owned but operated from New Zealand. The company lost a substandard vessel the MV GLOBAL ISLAND during the Tsunami at the turn of the year 2004/2005, because it had bribed its way out of Mombasa harbour and sunk in rough Somali waters. The German captain and a Kenyan went missing while about 10 other crew were rescued by the US navy.
MV HORIZON 1: Turkish cargo ship with 23 crew of Turkish nationality - including one woman - on board was captured in the early morning hours on 08th July 2009. The vessel was taken in the safety corridor set up by the navies and is at present shadowed by Turkish naval forces while it is held by Somali sea-shifta at the Somali Puntland coast near Eyl. One sailor was injured during the initial attack by broken glas. The sea-shifta have allegedly found a larger amount of money on the vessel. Negotiations are still not forthcoming.
Ten smugglers in Gulf of Aden captured
Yemeni coastguard forces captured on Friday a ship with ten people, eight Yemenis and two Djiboutians, onboard in the Gulf of Aden carrying smuggled commodities, reports the Yemen Times.
Coastguard general director colonel Lutf al-Barati indicated that the ship was arrested as they were heading to Djibouti. The arrested people are apprehended till the coastguard forces take over the legal procedures.
Anti-Piracy Contingent Makes Hero's Return
By Jung Sung-ki
The first contingent of the Navy's anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit returned home Monday, ending its successful six-month mission off the coast of Somalia, the Navy said.
Since being deployed in March, the destroyer with a 300-strong crew successfully escorted 325 domestic and foreign cargo ships through the troubled waters and thwarted seven attempts by pirates to hijack ships, it said in a news release.
The second contingent left for the Somali littorals in July.
A welcoming ceremony, officiated by Chief of Naval Operations Jung Ok-keun, was held at the Navy's operations command in Busan.
"The Cheonghae unit's outstanding operations have increased the South Korean Navy's global profile to a great extent to the level of other naval powers in the world," a Navy spokesman said.
The replacement ship, the 4,500-ton Daejoyoung KDX-II destroyer, an anti-submarine Lynx helicopter and a group of 30 UDT/SEAL forces have taken over.
About 500 South Korean cargo ships sail through the piracy-stricken Gulf of Aden every year, and some 150 of them are believed to be vulnerable to hijacking due to their size and speed.
If required, the unit was also responsible for monitoring, inspecting, stopping and seizing pirates' vessels as part of the CTF 151, under the command of the Combined Forces Maritime Component Command based in Bahrain.
The task force is responsible for maritime security from the Red Sea down the east coast of Africa and into the Arabian Sea toward Pakistan and India.
Piracy attacks around the world more than doubled to 240 during the first six months of this year from a year earlier, according to the ICC International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Center.
The rise in overall numbers is due almost entirely to increased Somali pirate activity in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia, with 86 and 44 incidents reported in each area, respectively.
In 2008, there were 111 incidents including 42 vessel hijackings in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. So far in 2009, there have been 31 successful hijackings by pirates, including one attack off the Omani coast.
Nearly 20,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Aden each year, heading to and from the Suez Canal.
Ecosystems, marine environment, IUU fishing and dumping, UNCLOS, ecology
Towards a World Summit on Sustainable Development 2012
The European Economic and Social Committee and the Stakeholder Forum likes to invite you interested individuals and organizations to join the discussions on Towards a World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held on 1 and 2 October 2009 in the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee.
Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, the subject of sustainable development has moved up on the political agenda. However, action is still not matching the many challenges such as climate change, poverty alleviation and biodiversity loss. Inequality is growing in the world, and the current global economic crisis makes it all the harder to advance the sustainability agenda effectively and to secure genuine global co-operation and partnership on the key issues.
In the light of the new and immense challenges faced by the sustainable development agenda, there are calls from many countries and stakeholders for a new World Summit in 2012. The initiative, started by President Luiz Inácio da Silva of Brazil in September 2007, is now supported by a large variety of countries and stakeholders. Several events outside Europe have already been organised to call for a Rio+20 conference and to identify key themes for the event. In November 2009, the General Assembly of the United Nations will decide on the organisation of such a conference.
This event is the first major conference to be held in Europe on this subject. It will look at the potential and scope for a global review of the sustainable development agenda leading up to a new World Summit in 2012. Speakers will discuss how such a summit should be designed in order for it to be a success. The conference will touch on different subjects, e.g. stocktaking 20 years after Rio, the green economy, sustainability governance, climate change, environmental security and the role of stakeholders. Speakers include key actors from the Rio and Johannesburg summits, representatives from UNEP, the European institutions and European organised civil society.
Please register by sending the attached registration form to rioplus20@eesc.europa.eu by 25 September at latest . For further questions, please contact Asha Bhinda, Tel.: +32.2.546.8364, asha.bhinda@eesc.europa.eu , or Robert Kaukewitsch, robert.kaukewitsch@eesc.europa.eu , Tel. +32.2.282.2366.
Stakeholder Forum's Rio+20 web site: www.earthsummit2012.org
Anti-piracy measures
Coalition commander: We're ready for any piracy surge off Somalia - DPA
International forces patrolling the waters off Somalia are prepared to deal with an expected surge of piracy in the wake of a the end of the monsoon season, their top commander says. US Navy Rear Admiral Scott E. Sanders, who commands Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 set up in January,was speaking after the US Department of Transportation Maritime Administration warned last week of a likely increase in piracy.
"We are prepared for a lot of contingencies. We are proactively taking action every day and not waiting for something to happen," Sanders told the German Press Agency
Can Anyone Trust a Hyena to Take Goats to The Field?
Professor Abdurrahman Hajji Adan Ibbi the Minister for Fishing and Marine Resources, who is also the deputy Somali Prime Minister, has detested Puntland to be a base where Somali Pirates can be attacked from.
"It is beyond the reasoning of a healthy brain for Puntland to be the base where Somali pirates can be attacked from. Can anybody trust a hyena to take goats to the grazing field? I think the automatic answer will be no, so hence for Puntland to be trusted to be the base from, where pirates can be attacked from, is just like hyena taking goats to the grazing field" said Abdurrahman Hajji Adan Ibbi, the Minister for Fishing and Marine Resources speaking to Somaliweyn radio.
The Minister added that he will discuss the issue with the Somali members of Parliament, and convince them that Djibouti must be the base, from where the Somali Anti-Piratacy operations can be carried out.
"The government of Somalia has this already put in place with the government of Djibouti and we agreed on the the issue that Djibouti shall be the base where the ruffian Pirates can be attacked from. I am still here in Djibouti, just because of the accomplishment of the accord between the two countries" said Professor Ibbi.
"The Somali sea pirates are not only a great problem to the vessels which are voyaging off the coast of Somalia, but they are a problem as well to the vessels which are destined to anchor in the Somali harbours. The Pirates are not merely from Puntland, but have also bases in Garacad and locations furhter south like Hobyo, Haradheere. With the help of our newly trained Somali navy personnel, we shall fight against these so called pirates and eliminate them" added the Minister for Fishing and Marine Resources.
The Minister explained further that their are also foreign vessels which are illegally taking Somali fish, while others dump nuclear waste into the Somali waters.
"When talking about piracy the authority of the autonomous region of Puntland says that piracy happens only in their region while the towns I have mentioned above are all in the south" said Mr. Ibbi.
The Minister also added that it is the government of Somalia that has appealed from the government of Djibouti to have a base in Djibouti.
A price worth paying by Lloyds List Comment
It is encouraging that someone is thinking about the process and cost of piracy trials in Kenya. Ultimately, any success in these trials in averting piracy attacks and bringing pirates to justice will call for a stronger commitment than governments have so far evinced.
The Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia confirmed proposals last week to help with the cost of prosecuting alleged pirates, along with another proposal to pay for better security measures.
The fund for providing monetary support for trials is to be overseen by the United Nations and will cover costs of transporting witnesses, collecting evidence and prosecuting cases. Norway and Germany are said to have committed six figure sums.
The need for such a fund is unquestionable. One recent case illustrates why. The 13,000 dwt Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Polaris on a voyage from Asia was attacked last February. Some of the alleged attackers have gone on trial in Kenya.
Two Polaris crew members had to be flown to Kenya in early July to give evidence, but it turned out the trial was postponed, and they never saw their day in court, but they will return to Kenya when the trial starts again in the autumn.
In this case, the Marshall Islands flag administration footed the bill for the seafarers, though discussions are ongoing about possible reimbursement from other parties.
The Polaris approach – of sorting out payment on a case-by-case basis – is a stopgap, and the contact group solution is a step toward a real solution. Trials stand as a crucial link in the campaign against piracy.
What is needed is a stronger commitment from government bodies for funding.
Ultimately, shipowners cannot be expected to foot the bills necessary to mount a competent prosecution. Many will have already paid high ransoms. And by the time the trials are ready for court, seafarers are likely to be serving on different ships in various parts of the world.
Delegating the balance of future Somalian piracy trials to Kenya already looks like an act of geographical and political convenience. But for it to work, the governments most threatened by piracy´s mischief to global trade should support the contact group´s proposal being forthcoming in opening their wallets.
The greatest threat to the trials´ success is not defeat in the courtroom but neglect and ineffectiveness resulting from lukewarm international support.
No real peace in sight yet
Blast kills group of disabled war veterans in Mogadishu
At least 12 disabled people were killed in Mogadishu when a shell landed in their compound, according to eyewitnesses.
"We were preparing to break our fast when a shell landed on our compound in Demartini hospital; 12 were killed on the spot and 16 injured and taken to hospital," said Abdullahi Hassan Hussein, a disabled activist.
The killing of the disabled is the latest act of violence in an increasingly conflict-ridden city, which has seen the displacement of hundreds of thousands from their homes since the end of 2006.
Ali Sheikh Yassin, deputy chairman of the Mogadishu-based Elman Human Rights Organization (EHRO), told IRIN the killings showed that parties to the conflict had reached a new low.
"We condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible and call on both sides to allow an independent investigation to find out who was behind it," he said.
Both the government and the opposition have denied being behind the attack.
The disabled were veterans of Somalia's 1977 war with Ethiopia and were considered heroes. The hospital compound is home to 90 of them and their families, said activist Hussein. "They have been here since the civil war started… I don´t know why they were targeted… These were our heroes and we are killing them now. No one is safe."
EHRO´s Yassin said more than 60 people were killed and 106 injured in fighting in Mogadishu in the last two weeks.
The fighting, between government forces backed by AMISOM (AU peacekeeping troops) and two Islamist insurgent groups, was entering a very dangerous phase "with both sides believing that it is now or never," he said.
More families were leaving the city due to the uncertainty, he told IRIN, adding that the internally displaced persons' camps on the outskirts of Mogadishu were getting overwhelmed by the new influx.
Other people were moving towards the Kenyan border, said Asha Sha'ur, a civil society representative in Mogadishu. She said conditions in the camps around Mogadishu were deteriorating.
Previously, people fled north to the central regions but those regions have also become war zones. "Unfortunately no place seems safe inside our country," Sha'ur said. "How many more must die from hunger, disease or wounds, and how many more must lose their homes before this ends?"
Fighting has been going on in Mogadishu since Ethiopian troops withdrew in December 2008, leading to thousands of deaths and injuries, as well as thousands being displaced.
An estimated 3.76 million people - half the population - need assistance, according to the UN Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit.
Islamist Leader Accuses AMISOM for Killing Disabled Men in Mogadishu by Hassan Osman Abdi
Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, the chairman of the Islamic council of Amal has Monday denounced AMSIOM troops for being behind the shelling targeted to the disabled men of former Somali forces in Martini hospital in Mogadishu.
The chairman said in an interview with Shabelle radio that the African Union troops (AMISOM) were behind the mortar shell attack they murdered the disabled men of the national forces and the Somali civilians in Martini hospital adding that they must take the responsibility of the military action.
"The weapon targeted to the compound of the disabled forces of Somalia was the weapon of AMISOM. Because the Islamist fighters have no sucht weapon. They accustomed massacring the Somali people. We are sorry for what happened and the people who lost their lives - there were Mujahideen (Islamist fighters)," Mr. Bilal said.
On the other hand the chairman of the Islamic council of Amal has also said the AMISOM troops had deliberately killed the livestock 'camels' of the Somali people as they were walking around their bases in the international airport of Aden Adde in Mogadishu saying that they shot and killed at least 12 camels there on Saturday night.
The statement of the Islamist leader Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal comes as the transitional government officials alleged that the shelling came from Islamist forces who are against them and the AMISOM troops in the capital. The TFG said that it was not involved in the sorrowful accident, which happened in Martini hospital and cost the lives of more than 12 of the disabled forces of Somali people in Mogadishu.
"Peacekeeping" - No Cure For The Curse
Many of the nations of sub-Saharan Africa (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia) signed an agreement in 2000 to get illegal weapons, particularly AK-47s, out of circulation. This was seen as the quickest way to reduce the high civilian death rates from tribal, political and bandit violence.
Angola has collected over 100,000 illegal weapons, many of them AK-47s. These are publicly destroyed, several thousand at a time, and reduced to scrap metal. Tanzania collected over 10,000. Burundi has seized over 50,000. The other nations have also found and destroyed thousands of these weapons. But this effort has only taken less than ten percent of these weapons out of circulation. In areas where a large proportion of the weapons have been seized, it has made a difference. But the continent is still awash in assault rifles.
The AK-47 has become as much of a curse for Africa as many major diseases. Not just in the places you hear about, like Somalia, Angola, Congo and Sudan, but in many others as well. Easy availability of firearms has produced a murder rate in South Africa that is, per capita, ten times what it is in the United States.
In many parts of East Africa, rural tribes got access to cheap AK-47s. This has resulted in traditional crimes, like stealing cattle or land, turning into bloody war. In western Kenya alone, there have been thousands of deaths from tribal clashes in the last five years. The violence has caused even more people to flee their homes, and wrecked local government in many areas. Sending in additional police and soldiers quieted things down somewhat. But the local guys with the guns know where to hide, and the government reinforcements don't. So, eventually, the police will leave, and the AK47s will still be there. Angola has not got a lot of tribal animosity, and is paying cash for weapons, especially assault rifles and machine-guns of all types. Governments have had to be creative to get these weapons away from their owners.
Foreign aid organizations have adapted by hiring some of the local gunmen, to protect the relief operations from all the other gunmen. That just takes money away from more socially acceptable work. But the guns cannot be ignored. Local bad guys can steal a lot more armed with an AK-47, than in the old days when all he had was a spear or an axe.
The disruptive effect of all these guns has halted, or reversed, decades of progress in treating endemic diseases. Death rates from disease and malnutrition are going up. All because of several million Cold War surplus AK-47s getting dumped in Africa. The world market for such weapons was glutted by the late 1990s. All that was left was Africa, but only if you were willing to sell cheap. The gunrunners were, and still are, although not so much in Angola, where police have cracked down on illegal arms sales.
The cheap AK-47 also made it possible to use 10-14 year old children as soldiers. This was a new development, because the old weapons (spears, swords, bows) required muscle. But now, if you could lift a ten pound AK-47 and pull the trigger, you were a killer. Child soldiers changed everything, because warlords could just kidnap kids and quickly brainwash them. These armies of child killers made insurrection and anarchy more common. Tens of millions of Africans fled their homes to avoid these tiny terrors, and many of those refugees died of starvation or disease. These victims were just as dead, even if the bullets didn't get them. In fact, few AK-47 victims died from bullets. It was the massive fear, and breakdown of society, and the economy, that killed most people confronted by all these cheap AK-47s. The kids weren't very good shots, but if they got close enough to you, they were capable of unimaginable horrors.
This influx of cheap AK-47s also created something of a gun culture. That has led to an increase in locally made weapons. In Nigeria, for example, there are the "Awka Guns," named after the southern city of Awka, which developed a tradition of handmade firearms in the 1960s, when it was part of the breakaway Republic of Biafra. The Biafran rebels needed weapons, and Awka, which had been a center of metal working for over a thousand years, mobilized thousands of metal workers to build crude firearms. The weapons manufacturing continued after the war, mainly to supply hunters, gangsters, and anyone needing an illegal firearm for any reason. The cheapest of these weapons is basically a single shot pistol firing a .410 (10.4mm) or 20 gauge (15.6mm) shotgun shell. This is for a young thug, or a homeowner desiring protection. Accurate enough for something within 5-10 feet. Not much good for hunting. These cost $25-$40 each. The Awka gunsmiths also make full size (or sawed off) shotguns (single or double barrel), that sell for $80-$250. These could be used for hunting. There are also handmade, 9mm revolvers for about $100. These weapons are found all over the country, but mostly in the south, and mostly among those who can't afford to pay a thousand dollars or more for a factory made weapon. On the down side, these weapons are more dangerous to use, often lacking a safety switch, and prone to exploding, rather than firing, when the trigger is pulled.
Ironically, people out in the countryside, where there are still dangerous animals that a gun can protect a village from, have fewer firearms. That's because there's more money, more to steal, and more demand for weapons in the cities. But these primitive weapons are not nearly as deadly as the Cold War surplus assault rifles.
Impacting reports from the global village
Top Al-Qaeda leaders fleeing to Somalia, Yemen: Malik
Pakistan's Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Monday that many top level Al-Qaeda leaders are escaping to Somalia and Yemen.
He said preparation of a new database is underway for all foreigners who entered in Pakistan.
Talking to Geo News Asif Ali Bhatti, the Minister said Egypt, Sudan and Yemen based Al-Qaeda groups are backing the Taliban and other terrorist outfits.
"Some people are still providing shelter to Al-Qaeda leaders."
Stern action will be taken against the landlords who are renting out their houses to foreigners without informing the local police and administration, he added.
Eritrean president to visit Yemen soon
Eritrean President Isaias Afworki is to visit Yemen after by the end of September in which he will hold talks with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, reports the Yemen Times.
Well-informed sources said that the talks will deal with issues related to bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to deepen and strengthen them.
The two sides will stress on the importance of forming an executive committee in order to discuss several projects submitted by the two countries as well as activating the partnership between Yemen and Eritrea, particularly in the fishing field.
The two leaders also will review the latest developments in the Horn Africa, particularly in Somalia.
UN Human Rights Council opens with US as member - Summary - DPA
The United Nations Human Rights Council opened its autumn session on Monday, with the United States assuming a seat on the body for the first time. However, a debate of how to deal with Honduras held up proceedings for several hours and threatened to lead to further disruptions during the session.
The Central American country has undergone a military takeover since the last council session, leading to confusion on how to handle the its representative, who has sided with the coup leaders. Member states eventually agreed to allow the session to open without the issue having been resolved. The UN General Assembly is to discuss the issue of Honduras next week.
US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations Esther Brimmer in an opening address to the 47-member-council and said the day was an "important occasion" for her country. She said the US would engage in dialogue with other members to reach "even-handed" resolutions on human rights. The US was elected to the Human Rights Council earlier this year. The administration of former president George W Bush had shunned the council since it came into existence in 2006, saying it was biased. The council was created from the ashes of the Commission on Human Rights, which was seen as being generally ineffective and was discredited in certain circles. US President Barack Obama's administration, as part of its programme of international outreach, decided to run for the council earlier this year, despite some reservations.
The move received widespread support from within the UN. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said last week that while there were concerns about joining the council, US diplomats would work towards "upholding universal standards for freedom of expression as we combat intolerance and discrimination everywhere it rears it head."In a statement, the US mission to Geneva, where the council is housed, said the government "looks forward to employing its voice in the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights and liberties."The council is scheduled to remain in session until October 2.
Issues to be discussed include modern slavery, children in war and the right to food and water. Members will also focus on the global financial crisis in one afternoon meeting later this week and are set to discuss racism later this month. Experts on human rights are also expected to deliver reports on situations in specific countries, including Cambodia and Somalia. At the end of the month, South African Justice Richard Goldstone and his fact-finding team will present their report on Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip that started in late December and claimed the lives of about 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.
Between a rock and a hard place
By Raphael Vassallo
Malta´s Armed Forces are under fire from all angles, for allegedly abdicating from their obligations to save migrants at sea.
Major Andrew Mallia puts up a strong defence of his Maritime Squadron, and of Malta´s contested Search and Rescue Zone.
It´s been a long hot summer for the Armed Forces of Malta. Not so much because of a spike in arrivals of irregular migrants – quite the contrary: this year´s figures are considerably lower than 2008´s, though they remain within the annual average of around 1,500 – but rather because of renewed political tensions between Malta and Italy, with the AFM caught squarely in the cross-fire.
This places Major Andrew Mallia in an awkward position. As the person responsible for Malta´s RCC (that´s our "Rescue Co-ordination Centre", not to be confused with certain diplomats of the same initials) he is in a sense directly implicated every time Italy accuses Malta of "failing to abide by its international obligations".
But Major Mallia is a soldier, not a politician. And despite my painstaking efforts, he refuses at all stages to be drawn into any form of personal commentary regarding the ongoing spat between the two countries.
"Our obligations are to save lives, which we do to the best of our abilities," he says, rebutting allegations that Malta routinely passes the buck to Italy when it comes to immigrants at sea. "In fact I can safely say that we have never to date ignored a single distress call. But there are limitations to what we can and cannot do..."
Foremost among the political issues at the moment is the principle of "refoulement" – whereby it is illegal to deport persons to countries where their rights cannot be guaranteed.
Italy has been accused of violating this principle thanks to an agreement last June with Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi. In the past weeks, two separate contingents of around 75 Somali and Eritrean nationals respectively were escorted back to Libya by the Italian Guardia Costiera... and while their fate remains unknown, photos currently circulated on the Internet reveal a shocking pattern of sustained abuse of immigrants, especially sub-Saharan Africans, in Libya´s notorious detention centres.
Malta is also implicated by proxy, as the AFM stands accused of "aiding and abetting" this crime by helping immigrants to reach Italy (sometimes even supplying them with fuel).
Major Mallia is visibly uncomfortable discussing the issue from its political perspective. But he strongly rebuts any criticism that Malta may have been a party to these forced repatriations.
"First of all it´s important to clarify that Malta has no arrangements to conduct repatriations to Libya. That is a procedure that requires bilateral agreements, and again, these are of a political nature and not within the competence of the AFM to discuss."
Interestingly enough, Mallia also hints that the AFM would conceivably be within its rights to refuse, if (for instance) ordered to conduct a similar exercise by the Prime Minister, who is ultimately in charge of the Armed Forces.
"Part of our obligations according to international law is that we do not obey illegal orders," he says pointedly.
However, to date it has not quite come to this, as Malta has not conducted any recent forced repatriations of its own. But this was not always the case in the past.
The most controversial Maltese repatriation operation took place in September 2002, when 220 Eritrean nationals were rounded up (admittedly not by the AFM) and placed on a plane back to Asmara. Justice Minister Tonio Borg was on that occasion lambasted by international human rights groups for what many deemed was a crime against humanity. Afterwards, it transpired that some of the deported Eritreans were imprisoned and tortured on their arrival. At least two are known to have been killed.
But it appears that different sets of laws apply to different countries; and while Malta was universally vilified for the above crime, Italy escaped any serious censure when, earlier this summer, it adopted what appears to be a standard policy to automatically deport all "illegals" to Libya... without actually verifying their "illegal" status, and clearly without obtaining guarantees from the Libyan government that their human rights would be respected.
Under these circumstances, how does the AFM justify its own apparent policy to "usher" these migrants towards Italy, in the knowledge that they will almost certainly be deported? Or to put the question another way: what sense does it make to save lives at sea, only to expose the rescued migrants to danger once more by sending them to a country with a long track record of human rights violations?
"Neither Italy nor Malta´s policy is a matter I can comment on," Mallia replies. "What I can say, however, is that I have yet to see any involvement on Malta´s part in any of these forced repatriations..."
As for "ushering" migrants towards Italy, Mallia insists that in many cases, the AFM simply has no choice in the matter. Life-saving operations are not always clear-cut affairs, and in many cases direct intervention is not even possible to begin with.
"Often we are faced with a situation where a boat would be progressing under its own steam, with a very clear destination in mind: Italy. Unless our assistance is directly requested, or there is a real and imminent danger of loss of life, we are powerless to intervene. We can´t simply ´rescue´ people against their express wishes... that would be illegal."
True, but aren´t life-savers also obliged to intervene in cases where the immigrants themselves may be unaware of the danger of their own predicament?
"In a sense, yes. In cases where assistance is not actively required, we still feel we have a burden of care. Having seen the situation and identified a possible danger, we feel we have to continue monitoring the situation to ensure that no lives are endangered. Certainly we can´t just ignore them..."
Mallia adds that it would not be the first time a boat of asylum seekers would refuse assistance from the AFM when first approached, but then change their minds and ask for help.
"Situations at sea can change very dramatically in short spaces of time. There may be an accident on board, or someone might require medical assistance; or it might just be that the sea starts getting rough, and people panic... whatever the case, our responsibility is to ascertain that no lives are lost. That usually means keeping an eye on the developing situation, maintaining a safe distance, but being ready to intervene if necessary."
In the process, the AFM also finds itself on the receiving end of criticism for "aiding and abetting" Italy´s illegal deportation policy. It certainly looks that way from the outside, as the AFM has on occasion openly admitted to supplying these boats with fuel to help them reach their destination of choice.
Mallia shrugs off this criticism, sticking to his main argument that the AFM´s overriding responsibility is to co-ordinate life-saving operations, not to involve itself in international politics. "Our interventions are always within the confines of our international obligations. Further than that, there is little we can do."
We agree to move onto other matters: namely, yet another controversy driving a wedge between Italy and Malta at the moment – the issue of Malta´s enormous Search and Rescue Zone, and the two countries´ conflicting interpretations of the two legal conventions governing maritime rescue obligations, SAR (Search and Rescue) and SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea).
I ask Andrew Mallia to clarify what is becoming an increasingly nebulous conundrum: how can Italy and Malta interpret the same convention in such wildly different terms? Are we talking about two interpretations of one law? Or are Italy and Malta actually governed by different laws regarding search and rescue?
"It is not so much that there are two different laws, but that Malta has not accepted the 2004 amendments to SAR and SOLAS conventions," Mallia begins. "Like other international laws, it is only those conventions that have been ratified by the country concerned, that actually have any legal bearing in that country´s territory. Malta has not ratified the amended convention, therefore those amendments do not apply..."
Mallia sums it up in a few words: any country dealing with Malta on SAR issues has to recognise Malta´s interpretation of the convention... just as Malta has to recognise other countries´ legal regimes when operating within their SAR zones.
"According to the (pre-2004) SAR convention, the co-ordinating country´s obligations are to disembark rescued persons at ´the nearest safe port of call´. Malta has always interpreted to mean the nearest place where the persons´ lives are no longer at risk, and where their basic needs can be met. This is what we have consistently done for years."
However, the 2004 amendments to the SAR convention would change all that. "Under the new regime, our obligations would be to retain responsibility for disembarkation."
The difference between the two conflicting interpretations may appear small on paper, but the implications would be very significant – not just insofar as immigration is concerned, but also when it comes to merchant shipping.
On the immigration front, it would mean that all migrants rescued within Malta´s SAR zone would have to be brought back to Malta – a fact which helps to explain the government´s strong resistance to this clause.
"From a life-saving perspective, it is difficult to see how the best interests of the rescued persons would be served by bringing them back to Malta, if (for instance) they were rescued much closer to Lampedusa," Mallia points out. "Also, imagine the example of a commercial vessel sailing towards the Suez Canal, and which develops engine trouble close to Crete. Under the new convention, the ship would have to be towed back 400 miles to Malta, when it was intercepted 60 miles from the nearest harbour. I doubt the skipper would appreciate that..."
Unsurprisingly, however, the 2004 amendments are backed to the hilt by Italy, which has in recent months also upped the pressure on Malta to relinquish part of its extensive SAR zone. It is a tactic that has in a sense caught our country wrong-footed: for among the population at large, there is an undeniable sensation that Malta´s SAR zone is in fact too large to properly managed with our meager resources. Many openly back Italy´s proposal to "annex" the zone, while others argue against the proposal on the basis of national sovereignty and pride.
But there is also another argument: i.e., that Malta receives some form of financial advantage through its SAR zone, which our neighbours to the north may be eyeing for themselves. How much truth is there to this conspiracy theory? What benefits does Malta´s SAR zone offer to our country... and are these benefits worth the responsibility in the first place?
"First of all let´s clarify what our SAR zone actually is. Having an SAR zone is not a privilege. The zone itself is not part of Maltese territory, and no, there are no direct economic benefits related to SAR. On the contrary, it is an international obligation, and we are legally required to maintain safety in that area at our own expense. But in a country like Malta, which is 98% reliant on maritime trade, you could also argue maintaining the safety of sea lanes is to our own indirect economic benefit."
The confusion, Mallia continues, arises through misidentification of our SAR zone with our Flight Information Region (FIR): which, although occupying exactly the same footprint, is nonetheless a separate and strictly speaking unrelated area.
Unlike SAR, FIR zones do have their economic benefits, and Malta receives payment for all traffic passing through its own airspace. But Mallia adds that these economic advantages tend to be slightly exaggerated.
"Revenue generated by our FIR means that Malta´s Air Traffic Control is self-sufficient, and can operate without State subsidies. It allows for the maintenance of radars, and other such equipment. But that´s all really..."
Yet another aspect of the conspiracy theory involves oil exploration. There seems to be a widespread notion that a country´s SAR zone is somehow related to its oil exploration rights – which would certainly explain Italy´s interest in ours, at a time when the same country is also a registered third party to an ongoing border dispute between Malta and Libya concerning the Medina Shelf.
The dispute goes back to the 1970s, and is today best remembered for the notorious Saipem II incident, when a Malta-commissioned Texaco oilrig was ordered to stop drilling under threat of fire by Libyan gunboats. The matter was deferred to the European Court Judgement, but the subsequent judgement was at best inconclusive.
Could the ongoing SAR controversy be somehow related to oil exploration? To my surprise, Mallia does not dismiss this notion out of hand.
"Technically no, there is no direct connection between SAR and oil exploration," he begins cautiously. "But the argument can be made that a country´s SAR zone has relevance to a country´s rights over the same territory for other reasons, too..."
If a new dispute were to arise between Malta and another country over oil rights within our SAR zone, Mallia argues that it would not be inconceivable for the European Court to take the zone into consideration when deliberating.
"The fact that a country has invested money and resources in keeping the seaways safe over that territory, could be used to claim territorial rights over the same area," he points out.
Mallia cites the example of Malta´s economic zone, which is similarly unrelated to territorial jurisdiction, but which was delineated according to a number of criteria.
"In this case, Malta´s traditional fishing grounds were taken into consideration when it came to defining the boundaries of Malta´s exclusive economic zone. The same argument could apply to Search and Rescue... though of course it would have the Court to decide in the end."
Second South Africa-European Union Summit
Press Release by European Commission
We, the leaders of South Africa (SA) and the European Union (EU), meeting today in Kleinmond, reaffirm our commitment to our strategic partnership based on shared values and interests, including the promotion of peace and security, human rights, democracy, the rule of law and sustainable development regionally and globally.
We pay tribute to the victims of the outrageous events on this very day eight years ago, and also recall the untimely passing of Anna Lindh, the Swedish Foreign Minister, on this day in 2003. We remember Anna Lindh as a champion for peace and justice the world over, including in the struggle for South Africa's liberation and democracy. South Africa remains deeply grateful for the support of the Swedish government and civil society in the struggle against apartheid.
We reviewed the rapid expansion of our bilateral relationship, manifested by a strengthened Strategic Partnership, and had fruitful discussions on bilateral as well as global issues and regional situations of common interests and concern.
The 1999 Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) was a landmark in SA-EU relations and constitutes an important basis for our bilateral relations. Today, on its 10th anniversary we are pleased to have signed the first Revision Agreement, which together with the Joint Action Plan for the SA-EU Strategic Partnership lay the ground for an enhanced and deepened relationship in diverse existing and new areas of cooperation. In this regard we are pleased to note that, since the last Summit, dialogue fora on Migration, Health, Space, Energy, ICT and Maritime Transport have been added to the existing dialogues on Science and Technology, Trade, Development, Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as Political and Security and Interparliamentary Meetings.
We will continue to strengthen our bilateral relationship through the implementation of the Revised TDCA and the Joint Action Plan for the SA-EU Strategic Partnership. In this regard, we welcome the launch of the employment creation fund of € 120 million, equivalent to R 1.3 billion. Furthermore we recognise the importance of education and skills development for economic growth and poverty reduction and look forward to the establishment of a sectoral policy dialogue forum on education and training, as well as the important planned European Commission's support for the education sector in 2009.
Science and technology represents another highly relevant area, with South Africa being one of the most successful participants from outside Europe in the EU's Framework Programmes for Research. Under the current 7th Framework Programme alone, € 13 million have so far been awarded through competitive calls for proposals to South African organisations. On the role of Science and Technology for poverty alleviation, South Africa and the EU are currently implementing a € 30 million sector budget support programme.
We agreed to increase our joint efforts and shoulder our responsibilities to address the multiple challenges facing the world. Only through the involvement of both developed and developing countries in a partnership of cooperation and mutual respect can we successfully tackle the global economic and financial crisis, climate change, food insecurity and energy scarcity.
We discussed the global economic crisis, especially its negative impact on Africa. We share a commitment to the implementation of the decisions of the London G20 Meeting. Looking ahead to the Pittsburgh G20 Meeting, we share the view that the G20 economies should pursue macroeconomic and structural policy choices consistent with more balanced and sustainable global growth and equitable development that is less prone to crisis and volatility. Achieving this new framework will require coordinated strategies to exit from the extraordinary support developed to overcome the crisis, as well as to reduce global imbalances. We will work together to build a stronger, more globally consistent, supervisory and regulatory framework for the financial sector, which will support sustainable global growth.
We agree to work together on the reform of the international financial institutions, including its mandates and governance, to reflect changes in the world economy and the challenges of globalisation. It is essential that developing countries have a greater voice and representation. International financial institutions need to have the resources and instruments to continue to support developing countries with financing gaps. We share a concern that the global economic crisis will hamper efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and therefore reaffirm the urgent need for delivery of development assistance commitments made.
In this regard, we reaffirm the commitments agreed at the G20 meetings in November and April. We agree to keep under surveillance all measures that Governments take to address the economic crisis that have an impact on international trade and investment flows.
We remain committed to reaching an ambitious, balanced and comprehensive conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda in 2010 in line with the developmental mandate that underpins the Round, including with respect to modalities. To this end, we agree to intensify work to bridge the remaining gaps in the negotiation as soon as possible, building on progress already achieved. We acknowledge the particular situation faced by South Africa as a result of commitments it undertook in the Uruguay Round, and the need to find a specific solution.
We are deeply concerned by the global challenge of climate change, which demands urgent and cooperative action to preserve the planet. We recognise that Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. We are determined to step up the pace of negotiations in order to reach agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009, in accordance with the UNFCCC principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. We agree that moving without delay to a low-carbon economy, including a clean energy access perspective, is a necessity, but also an opportunity to promote continued economic green growth and sustainable development.
All countries need to adapt to climate change by integrating vulnerability assessment and adaptation measures and actions into their plans, programmes and policies at national and other levels as appropriate as well as the development of a comprehensive international adaptation framework under the UNFCCC. We agree that scaled-up funding for
adaptation in developing countries is needed, especially for the most vulnerable countries. We underline that ambitious commitments to cut emissions in the short term will reduce the need for adaptation in the medium to long term. We recognise each other's efforts to tackle climate change, including South Africa's National Climate Change Programme and the EU's Energy and Climate Package. Mitigation, adaptation and development can and must go hand-in-hand.
We agree that efforts should be stepped up to respond to the imperatives of science which indicate that climate change is accelerating. We will continue to work together to ensure that the increase in global warming stays below 2°C, underpinned by clear and ambitious mid-term quantified national emission reduction targets for developed countries and measurable, reportable and verifiable nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing countries. In this context, developed countries will provide support in terms of measurable, reportable and verifiable finance and technology. We will also work towards a global peak of emissions no later than 2020 and reduction of global emissions by at least 50% below 1990 levels by 2050. We agree that adequate, predictable, new and additional as well as timely financial resources, including technology and capacity building support will be crucial for both mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. We recognize that mechanisms to leverage private investments should play a supplementary as well as important role in supporting mitigation and development and deployment of new and climate-friendly technologies. We will work to reform the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and promote its wider geographical access. As part of the international agreement under the UNFCCC, scheduled to be concluded in Copenhagen in December 2009 we will develop nationally appropriate mitigation frameworks with a view to move towards a low carbon growth path and undertake transparent nationally appropriate mitigation actions, which should be subject to appropriate measurement, reporting and verification, in the context of developed countries providing measurable, reportable and verifiable finance and technology to South Africa.
We shared our analyses of developments within the EU and South Africa. The EU informed of institutional developments in the Union and the future of the Lisbon Treaty. South Africa gave its assessment of the South African economy and the challenges faced in priority areas such as employment, rural development, education, health and crime. We agreed to explore how the EU, including through development cooperation and exchange of expertise and best practise, could further support these priorities. The severe impact of the global economic crisis on the SA economy was noted, particularly employment losses and concerns regarding de-industrialisation.
We welcome progress made in the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and its first Action Plan (2008-2010), and call upon all actors to accelerate efforts to achieve tangible results. Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Non State Actors, Parliaments and the Private Sector are essential for the effective implementation of this intercontinental partnership. We agree to pursue efforts to identify sources of funding to ensure the effective implementation of the First Action Plan. We look forward to a successful Africa-EU Summit in 2010.
The experience of the EU is witness to the benefit of strong regional integration. We recognise that the RECs are key pillars for deeper integration in Africa and therefore support greater political cohesion and stronger economic integration in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
In this context, we engaged in a frank and open discussion on the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement and on the implications that these negotiations, at all its stages, have on current processes of regional integration in Southern Africa. We agreed to urgently pursue the negotiation and resolution of all outstanding issues with a view to a prompt and mutually satisfactory conclusion that supports regional integration and development in Southern Africa.
We reaffirm our determination to ensure that multilateral institutions are the main fora for international cooperation on peace and security, human rights and democracy. We recognize the need to pursue the reform of the main UN bodies with a view to enhancing the representativeness, transparency and effectiveness of the system.
We underline that the fight against impunity is a common goal and, in this context, consider that the establishment and the effective functioning of the International Criminal Court (ICC) constitutes an important development for peace and international justice and reiterate the importance of the independence of the ICC and all of its organs. We recognise that in a transitional context, the objectives of peace and justice are equally important and mutually reinforcing.
We welcome the holding of the first of the regular annual SA-EU Political and Security Committee troika meeting and shared our analysis on international political and security developments.
We discussed the situation in the Great Lakes Region and welcomed the improved relations between the DRC and Rwanda. We emphasised the importance of protecting civilians and improving the humanitarian situation in the Eastern DRC. We are deeply concerned about the widespread sexual violence and are committed to strengthen our efforts to support the fight against it. We agreed to continue our efforts to bring peace to the Kivu provinces. To this end, we reaffirmed our support to MONUC and also stressed the need for long term and coordinated efforts in support of security sector reform in the DRC.
The EU expresses its appreciation to South Africa for its continued engagement in facilitating the Burundi peace process that has led to the demobilization, disarmament and reintegration of rebel forces. We are committed to assisting the Government and the people of Burundi to deepen their democracy and reconciliation efforts. We remain committed to providing assistance to Burundi, including for the electoral process and its socio-economic development, and urge other international partners to do the same.
We note the progress in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in Zimbabwe and share concerns about the environment in which it is taking place. We urge all parties to remove all obstacles to the full implementation of the GPA and the effective functioning of the Inclusive Government. We recognise and appreciate the humanitarian and other assistance that the international community continues to provide to the people of Zimbabwe. We will continue to engage in the political dialogue with the Inclusive Government to support its efforts in respect of the economic challenges and the democratic process in the country. In this regard, the EU welcomed the continued engagement of SADC in supporting and monitoring the GPA.
We stress the importance of Iran engaging with the international community on all issues of concern, in particular over the issue of Iran's nuclear programme, in the spirit of mutual respect and full recognition of Iran's international rights and obligations. We also note with concern the recent events in Iran following the elections on 12 June, including the limitations of political freedoms.
We remain committed to the two-state solution with an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian state, comprising the West Bank and Gaza, living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel within internationally recognised and secure borders. We welcome all international efforts, including the new US administration initiatives, to vigorously pursue a two-state solution and a comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the terms of reference of the Madrid conference, including land for peace, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties and the Arab Peace Initiative. We urge all the parties to the conflict to work to achieve this goal.
We also welcome the mediation efforts of Egypt and the Arab League aimed at inter-Palestinian reconciliation and the restoration of Palestinian unity which will be important to consolidate the peace process. We also highlighted the importance of the efforts by the international community to assist with the reconstruction of Gaza. We call for the immediate and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza without which the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, reconstruction and economic recovery will not be possible. We also call for a complete stop to all violence, including a sustained halt of rocket attacks at Israel and an effective mechanism to prevent arms and ammunition smuggling into Gaza. We urge the Government of Israel to immediately end all settlement activities, including in East Jerusalem. Settlements are illegal under international law and constitute an obstacle to peace.
We agree that Sudan is entering another critical phase in the peace process with the 2010 elections and 2011 referendum. We are pleased that the signatories to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) have agreed to abide by the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the boundaries of the Abyei region and urge the Parties to implement the remaining provisions of the CPA, in particular the preparations for the 2010 elections. We commit ourselves to support the parties in holding free and fair elections. Both parties express support to the work of the African Union High-level Panel on Darfur led by former President Thabo Mbeki to ensure that issues of accountability and combating impunity, on the one hand, peace, healing and reconciliation, on the other, are effectively addressed. We welcome the leadership of the AU/UN Mediator, Djibril Bassolé, and urge the Parties to the conflict to engage in the process, underlining the importance of reaching a speedy settlement. With regard to the deployment of UNAMID, we express our appreciation to the troop-contributing countries and to those that continue to provide support to UNAMID.
We express our deep concern over the situation in Somalia. We reaffirm our support to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia under the leadership of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed. We reaffirm that there can be no military solution to the crisis in Somalia and call on all armed groups to lay down their weapons. We urge all stakeholders to redouble their efforts towards reconciliation. We express our deep appreciation and strong support to the AU and AMISOM. We recognise the important role played by the International Contact Group on Somalia under the leadership of the UN. We welcome the successful conduct of the EU NAVFOR ATALANTA operation and stress the need to fight the root causes of piracy.
We note the progress made in an effort to restore constitutional order in Madagascar, and commended the SADC Mediator, former President of Mozambique, Joachim Chissano, for the progress made so far. We note with concern attempts to undermine the Maputo agreements, as well as any unilateral decisions which violate the spirit of the agreements. We reiterate our support to the current political dialogue in Madagascar and urge all parties to fully implement the Maputo agreements.
The side events held on the margins of this summit constitute important contributions to the further strengthening of the vibrant South Africa–EU partnership. On science and technology, the launch of the South Africa–COST partnership will further enhance scientific exchanges between South Africa and Europe, whilst the seminar hosted by the South African Department of Science and Technology and the Swedish Innovation Agency VINNOVA will boost the involvement of small and medium enterprises in S&T cooperation. On the academic side, we furthermore welcome Higher Education South Africa's (HESA) Academic Seminar on 10 September as a positive contribution to ongoing SA-EU academic exchanges and collaborations.
The EU congratulated South Africa on the successful hosting of the Confederations Cup. South Africa informed of the progress towards the hosting of the FIFA 2010 World Cup™. South Africa warmly invites European supporters to come to its shores for the first ever World Cup to be held in Africa.
The EU expresses its gratitude to the government and people of South Africa for their hospitality during this first SA-EU Summit held in South Africa and we look forward to our next Summit to be held in the European Union in 2010.
We do not send pictures with these reports, because of the volume, but picture this emetic scene with your inner eye:
A dying Somali child in the macerated arms of her mother besides their bombed shelter with Islamic graffiti looks at a fat trader, who discusses with a local militia chief and a UN representative at a harbour while USAID provided GM food from subsidised production is off-loaded by WFP into the hands of local "distributors" and dealers - and in the background a western warship and a foreign fishing trawler ply the waters of a once sovereign, prosper and proud nation, which was a role model for honesty and development in the Horn of Africa. (If you feel that this is overdrawn - come with us into Somalia and see the even more cruel reality yourself!) - and if you need lively stills or video material on Somalia, please do contact us.
There is no limit to what a person can do or how far one can go to help
if one doesn't mind who gets the credit !
ECOTERRA Intl. maintains a register for persons missing or abducted in the Somali seas (Foreign seafarers as well as Somalis). Inquiries by family member can be sent by e-mail to office[at]ecoterra-international.org
For families of presently captive seafarers - in order to advise and console their worries - ECOTERRA Intl. can establish contacts with professional seafarers, who had been abducted in Somalia, and their wives as well as of a Captain of a sea-jacked and released ship, who agreed to be addressed "with questions, and we will answer truthfully".
ECOTERRA - ALERTS and pending issues:
PIRATE ATTACK GULF OF ADEN: Advice on Who to Contact and What to Do http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2008-09-08-2
NATURAL RESOURCES & ARMED FISH POACHERS: Foreign navies entering the 200nm EEZ of Somalia and foreign helicopters and troops must respect the fact that especially all wildlife is protected by Somali national as well as by international laws and that the protection of the marine resources of Somalia from illegally fishing foreign vessels should be an integral part of the anti-piracy operations. Likewise the navies must adhere to international standards and not pollute the coastal waters with oil, ballast water or waste from their own ships but help Somalia to fight against any dumping of any waste (incl. diluted, toxic or nuclear waste). So far and though the AU as well as the UN has called since long on other nations to respect the 200 nm EEZ, only now the two countries (Spain and France) to which the most notorious vessels and fleets are linked have come up with a declaration that they will respect the 200 nm EEZ of Somalia but so far not any of the navies operating in the area pledged to stand against illegal fishing. So far not a single illegal fishing vessel has been detained by the naval forces, though they had been even informed about several actual cases, where an intervention would have been possible. Illegally operating Tuna fishing vessels (many from South Korea, some from Greece and China) carry now armed personnel and force their way into the Somali fishing grounds - uncontrolled or even protected by the naval forces mandated to guard the Somali waters against any criminal activity, which included arms carried by foreign fishing vessels in Somali waters.
LLWs / NLWs: According to recently leaked information the anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden are also used as a cover-up for the live testing of recently developed arsenals of so called non-lethal as well as sub-lethal weapons systems. (Pls request details) Neither the Navies nor the UN has come up with any code of conduct in this respect, while the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program (JNLWP) is sponsoring several service-led acquisition programs, including the VLAD, Joint Integration Program, and Improved Flash Bang Grenade. Alredy in use in Somalia are so called Non-lethal optical distractors, which are visible laser devices that have reversible optical effects. These types of non-blinding laser devices use highly directional optical energy. Somalia is also a testing ground for the further developments of the Active Denial System (ADS) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). If new developments using millimeter wave sources that will help minimize the size, weight, and system cost of an effective Active Denial System which provides "ADS-ACTD-like" repel effects, are used has not yet been revealed. Obviously not only the US is developing and using these kind of weapons as the case of MV MARATHON showed, where a Spanish naval vessel was using optical lasers - the stand-off was then broken by the killing of one of the hostage seafarers. Local observers also claim that HEMI devices, producing Human Electro-Muscular Incapacitation (HEMI) Bioeffects, have been used in the Gulf of Aden against Somalis. Exposure to HEMI devices, which can be understood as a stun-gun shot at an individual over a larger distance, causes muscle contractions that temporarily disable an individual. Research efforts are underway to develop a longer-duration of this effect than is currently available. The live tests are apparently done without that science understands yet the effects of HEMI electrical waveforms on a human body.
ECOTERRA Intl., whose work does focus on nature- and human-rights-protection and - as the last international environmental organization still working in Somalia - had alerted ship-owners since 1992, many of whom were fishing illegally in the 200 nm Exclusive Economic Zone, to stay away from Somali waters. The non-governmental organization had requested the international community many times for help to protect the coastal waters of the war-torn state, but now lawlessness has seriously increased and gone out of hand.
ECOTERRA members with marine and maritime expertise, joined by it's ECOP-marine group, are closely and continuously monitoring and advising on the Somali situation. (for previous information concerning the topics please google keywords ECOTERRA (and) SOMALIA)
The network of the SEAFARERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME helped significantly in most sea-jack cases. ECOTERRA Intl. is working in Somalia since 1986 on human-rights and nature protection, while ECOP-marine concentrates on illegal fishing and the protection of the marine ecosystems. Your support counts too.
Please consider to contribute to the work of SAP, ECOP-marine and ECOTERRA Intl. Please donate to the defence fund.
Contact us for details concerning project-sponsorship or donations via e-mail: ecotrust[at]ecoterra.net
Kindly note that all the information above is distributed under and is subject to a license under the Creative Commons Attribution.
To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/
Send your genuine articles, networked or confidential information please to: mailhub[at]ecoterra.net (anti-spam-verifier equipped)
Pls cite ECOTERRA Intl. - www.ecoterra-international.org as source for onward publications, where no other source is quoted.
Press Contacts:
ECOP-marine
East-Africa
254-714-747090
marine[at]ecop.info
www.ecop.info
ECOTERRA Intl.
Nairobi Node
africanode[at]ecoterra.net
254-733-633-733
EA Seafarers Assistance Programme
SAP Media Officers
254-722-613858
254-733-385868
sap[at]ecoterra.net
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For more information see this article in The Nation or this article in Wired News.
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