UAE | General
More work needed to help local groups combat pirates
Expert urges international communities to extend support to campaign against piracy
- By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 April 20, 2011
- Image Credit: Mariam M. Al Serkal/Gulf News
- Saeed Saleh
Dubai: The international community should assist local groups along the Somali coastal line to fight piracy and cut off pirates' logistic aid, urged a Somali official taking part in the two-day Maritime Counter Piracy Conference held in Dubai, which concluded on Tuesday.
Mohammad Abdullahi Omar Asharq, foreign minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, told Gulf News that coastal villagers are very cooperative and sincere, but a lot has to be done to support them.
Related stories:
Comprehensive response needed to combat piracy
UAE donates $1.4m to counter-piracy fund
Stability in Somalia vital to tackle maritime piracy
UAE urged to take lead in curbing maritime piracy
"Coastal villages in Somalia have been ordered to stop pirates from getting facilities, and the residents are not cooperating with them any more. They do not sell them food, or give them petrol, and they are not helping them in any way," he noted.
Saeed Saleh, Chairman, Somali Volunteers for Search and Rescue, pointed out that pirates are no longer concentrated in the northern region of the country but are now moving southwards looking for cooperation from residents in the coastal area.
Shedding light on the nature of Somali pirates, the Somali Foreign Minister explained that they are merely young foot soldiers hired to do a second party's "dirty work," since the pirates themselves do not have the necessary skills required to carry out the logistical and financial operations.
"Piracy is a highly sophisticated organisation and these pirates are 20-year-olds who have never been to school or travelled outside the country. They are young boys hired to do the dirty work of somebody else," Asharq said.
Saleh said that he believes there is a slight chance that the Islamist group Al Shabab, which is fighting to overthrow the government of Somalia, may be helping the pirates.
More from UAE General
More from UAE
Latest news
- Tracks to be laid on recycled material
- Golden Hour crucial to a patient's survival
- Opening show worthy of UAE
- Sun is shining on prospects for solar power
- Artists focus on craftsmanship
- World leaders committed to supporting civilians
- Schools open a new page in teaching English
- Special parking to help disabled tourists
- Helping hand surgeons have long sought
- Blind woman lights up corridors of power
- In Mind
- At times, I think of committing suicide
- Designer of a creative haven
- Fund to help Dubai taxi drivers' families
- New life-saving fleet of vehicles
Community Reports
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
-
Supporting the needy with food supplies
Group of families engaged in serving isolated labour community hopes to motivate more people to help underprivileged and hungry
-
Leukaemia boy granted wish to meet footballer
Emirati meets hero Al Qahtani, Al Ain team
