From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sun Sep 14 2008 - 10:00:40 EDT
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Yemen to establish three regional anti-piracy centers along the Gulf of
Aden
By: Aqeel Al-Halali, Yemen Times
SANA'A, Sept. 10 - The Yemeni government approved last Tuesday the
establishment of three regional centers to combat maritime piracy in the
Gulf of Aden and Bab Al-Mandab Strait and to protect international
maritime traffic in these areas.
The government declared that the three centers would be established in
the Aden, Mukkalla and Hudeidah governorates and claimed international
support for these centers that will work to "enhance security and
stability in the region and protect different ships from piracy."
Last Sunday, the Yemeni Maritime Forces were able to foil an attempted
pirate attack on a Saudi trade ship in the international waters of the
Strait of Bab Al-Mandab. The ship was 43 kilometers away from the Yemeni
coastline.
Since the beginning of the year, over 34 ships, tankers and yachts have
been hijacked in the region of the Horn of Africa and in the Gulf of
Aden. Eight of these piracy acts have taken place since July and have
aimed to seize goods and kidnap crews of the ships in order to demand
ransom.
For his part, Shuja Al-Deen Mahdi, general director of Coastguard
operations, told the Yemen Times that international support for the
three new anti-piracy centers would include providing them with
equipment, modern liaison devices and boats, as well as new maritime
platforms.
"We are in need of international support, especially from Gulf
countries, to secure the coast of the Arabian Sea along the Abyan and
Al-Mahrah governorates," said Al-Mahdi, pointing out that most
drug-smuggling operations from Africa and Asia cross this area on their
way to Gulf countries.
He confirmed that Yemen was "currently unable to secure international
navigation routes", noting that this was despite the Yemeni Coastguard
running five anti-piracy centers in Aden, Al-Buraiqah, Ras Amran, Khawr
Al-Umrah in the Lahj governorate and in the Shaqrah region of the Abyan
governorate.
He maintained that the Yemeni Coastguard Authority needs ten new fighter
boats in order to be able to undertake its task properly and stay out at
sea for weeks without coming back to the mainland for fuel. He said that
the fighter boats available to the Yemeni Coastguard at present are
incapable of carrying out long-term maritime tasks.
Al-Mahdi denied that Yemen had deployed 1,000 soldiers and fighter boats
in the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al-Mandab Strait to combat Somali pirates.
"I have no information about this matter," he said.
The ruling-party-affiliated online web site almotamar.net had reported
that a source from the Yemeni coastguard Authority had said, "The
Authority deployed around 1000 soldiers and 16 fighter boats in the Gulf
of Aden and Bab Al-Mandab Strait to enhance the protection of ship and
prevent piracy."
Regarding coordination between Yemen and the international forces
deployed in the Indian Ocean, Al-Mahdi said that the coordination
between Yemen and the international coalition forces based in Bahrain
included information exchange and training security cadres of the Yemeni
coastguard authority.
A fighter ship of the international coalition forces in the Indian
Ocean, last Monday foiled an attempted hijack of a Brazilian ship by
Somali pirates as the ship was 118 maritime miles to the east of the
Gulf of Aden.
The maritime coalition is comprised of forces from the United States,
Britain, France, Denmark, Spain and Italy.
Malaysia asked Yemen last week to help free two Malaysian tankers
hijacked by Somali pirates who are demanding US$ 4.2 million to release
them.
Somali pirates currently hold around ten ships captive in the coastal
city of Eyl in Somalia, located some 800 kilometers to the north of
Mogadishu.
The city of Eyl is considered to be the main coastal base for armed
Somali pirates who launch piracy operations against ships, tankers and
yachts for financial purposes, accusing other countries of exploiting
their water and fish wealth.
Yemeni economic experts have warned against the major risks to local
economy caused by the aggravation of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and
around Horn of Africa. They pointed to the negative impacts of ongoing
Somali piracy, in particular the increase in the cost of insurance for
ships crossing Yemeni waters.
http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1189
<http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1189&p=front&a=1> &p=front&a=1
<http://www.eoearth.org/media/draft/9/92/Bab_el-Mandeb.jpg>
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