Armed Somalia pirates eyeing the Maldives?
Events in the last few years have simulated that indeed the Maldives Coast Guard who is responsible for safe guarding the waters around the archipelago has failed with various alleged armed Somalis have landed on various islands of the country.
WITH THE discovery of more than a ton of drugs hidden in a lagoon in the Maldives in 2006, caused its people to realise that its waters are very much vulnerable to various illegal activities taking place in its seas. With the discovery of drugs, conclusions were made that it could have been dumped by a foreign vessel passing by, through the waters of the Maldives. This signaled that Maldives is not capable of protecting its waters and that its waters are open for people who are looking for mischief. However, events in the last few years have simulated that indeed the Maldives Coast Guard who is responsible for safe guarding the waters around the archipelago has failed. Various alleged armed Somalis have landed on various islands of the country increasing the fear and the danger from the Somalian pirates to its locals and the vessels passing through its territory.
During the last two years, numerous Somalis who claimed to be fishermen have been spotted around the country. Seven were ‘rescued’ on December 1, 2009 and five more on December 5, while seven were rescued on May 12, 2010. Six badly malnourished Somali nationals were discovered adrift near the island of Makunudhoo in June. And in past two days, 10 Somalis have been found at two different locations.
In the very recent case, Maldives Defence force personnel who searched the vessels found a bullet shell inside the boat, which indicates that these Somalis could be more than what they claim to be.
To go through some of the reported incidents carried out by the pirates in the Indian Ocean;
On 12th march 2010, a container boat was shot, 821 miles off the coast of the Maldives.
On 22nd march 2010 German owned Bulk Carrier was hijacked, 628 miles off the coast of the Maldives. On March 30th pirates shot a container, 528 miles off the coat of the Maldives.
The above incidents and several frequent incidents of Somali nationals landing in the Maldives during the last twelve months have led to allegations that piracy originating from Africa may have reached the Indian Ocean, and infect the very waters of the Maldives.
At a news conference, Maldives National Defense force has surprisingly admitted that they have evidence pointing that the Somalis landed in the Maldives could be pirates. “For sure, they are dangerous”, said Brigadier General Zakariyaa Mansoor, Director General of Maldives Coast Guard.
The peculiar increase in the incidence of spotting Somalis of the coast of the Maldives should not be taken lightly. This is indeed a very serious issue that needs to be addressed at national level. It is our duty to protect and maintain the integrity of the seas of this nation where much of our livelihood is based upon. It is therefore to this fact that we should exhaust all our options in safeguarding our territory from the swipes of the Somali pirates.
In doing so, we should accept all the help we can get from our neighboring countries and exchange intelligence. It is obvious that all the castaways that land in our territory are not mere fishermen. Therefore, if we do not pay the needed attention now, it would not be surprising if there were weapon depots hidden in our lagoons, the same way the drugs were found in April 2006.
In the very recent case, Maldives Defence force personnel who searched the vessels found a bullet shell inside the boat, which indicates that these Somalis could be more than what they claim to be.
To go through some of the reported incidents carried out by the pirates in the Indian Ocean;
On 12th march 2010, a container boat was shot, 821 miles off the coast of the Maldives.
On 22nd march 2010 German owned Bulk Carrier was hijacked, 628 miles off the coast of the Maldives. On March 30th pirates shot a container, 528 miles off the coat of the Maldives.
The above incidents and several frequent incidents of Somali nationals landing in the Maldives during the last twelve months have led to allegations that piracy originating from Africa may have reached the Indian Ocean, and infect the very waters of the Maldives.
At a news conference, Maldives National Defense force has surprisingly admitted that they have evidence pointing that the Somalis landed in the Maldives could be pirates. “For sure, they are dangerous”, said Brigadier General Zakariyaa Mansoor, Director General of Maldives Coast Guard.
The peculiar increase in the incidence of spotting Somalis of the coast of the Maldives should not be taken lightly. This is indeed a very serious issue that needs to be addressed at national level. It is our duty to protect and maintain the integrity of the seas of this nation where much of our livelihood is based upon. It is therefore to this fact that we should exhaust all our options in safeguarding our territory from the swipes of the Somali pirates.
In doing so, we should accept all the help we can get from our neighboring countries and exchange intelligence. It is obvious that all the castaways that land in our territory are not mere fishermen. Therefore, if we do not pay the needed attention now, it would not be surprising if there were weapon depots hidden in our lagoons, the same way the drugs were found in April 2006.
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