Potentially deadly stand-off at Somali coast : Cleveland IMC (((i)))

ECOTERRA Intl.

CALM DOWN ALL !

ECOTERRA INTERNATIONAL - PRESS RELEASE
on the stand-off concerning the Ukrainian weapons-ship hi-jacked by Somali pirates.

update 2008-09-29 23:10:58

ECOTERRA International urges all sides in the case of the hi-jacked weapons transporter FV FAINA to de-escalate the extremely dangerous situation. "If the falcons from the US, Russia, Ukraine and last but not least some ill-advised Somali politicians would get their way and drive the case to an end by military means, a major humanitarian and environmental disaster would be created!", ECOTERRA spokesman Dr. Hans-Juergen Duwe stated.

The cargo of the ill-fated ship comprises not only of the 1,500 mt of T-72 refurbished tanks (33 units), which many are concerned about to not fall into the wrong hands, it also consists at least of 1,000 mt other military hardware, including a substantial amount of 125mm 3BM32 tank ammunition, containing a depleted uranium (DU ) penetrator. It also must be established if among the ammunition tank rounds encased in a DU liner for ‘enhanced killing power’ can be found, which Russia has marketed for export.

In case the US, who is presumed to have financed this arms shipment in any case of the debated destinations, or Russia are willing to go for a military solution and the FAINA has been prepared by the pirates or commandos in the meantime to be blown up, a grave humanitarian and a major environmental disaster would be created at the Somali shoreline.

Depleted uranium (DU) munitions are at least controversial because of unanswered questions about potential long-term health effects and are considered a toxic heavy metal. Cellular and animal studies have shown that uranium is a kidney toxin, neurotoxin, immunotoxin, mutagen (agent which changes the genetic information of an organism), carcinogen and teratogen (agent causing malformations of the embryo or foetus), which is why not only the vast majority of countries - including Kenya - have signed a resolution to ban its proliferation, but also the UN and the EU work on its global ban.

"The acute humanitarian and environmental crisis still can be solved through negotiations", Dr. Duwe is convinced, "because the pirates are only interested in the money and a quick get-away."

"This crisis is of such magnitude that it can not be left to junior Ukrainian diplomats in Nairobi or to the arms-exporters to drag on, while the military hard-liners, referring to ill-advised demands of some biased Somali politicians, get ready to blow it into a real problem", the ECOTERRA spokesman concluded with the demand that the stand-off is solved peacefully by a payment from those who left this dangerous shipment unprotected into Somali waters. ECOTERRA Intl.demands that the United Nations Environment Programme as well as other relevant UN organizations are called in to inspect the cargo after the pirates release it.

Since last Thursday ECOTERRA Intl. has urged the group, which hi-jacked FV FAINA, to treat the crew with all human respect, to allow medical personnel as well as supplies for the people to come on board, to not tamper with the cargo and to agree to an unproblematic quick solution to the crisis. The recent developments, however, calling in the guns to bring the stand-off to an end would cause a real disaster and must be averted by all means.

BACKGROUND

The Ukrainian MV FAINA under cover of a Belize flag was hi-jacked on 25. September 2008 in the late afternoon by a gang of Somali pirates in three fast skiffs off the coast of Somalia on the way to its destination at the Kenyan harbour of Mombasa, where it was supposed to arrive in the early morning hours of the 27. September 2008.

The 21 men crew was taken hostage and the ship turned northwards again to reach the coastal pirate hideout at Eyl in North-Eastern Somalia. While first a smaller military vessel had shadowed the FAINA, the US-American destroyer USS HOWARD caught up, which caused that the FAINA stopped off the coastal village of Hinbarwaqo, north of the town of Hobiyo. Already at that time it was reported that the captain of the ship had suffered a heat-stroke. First communications were established with the pirates as well as the first mate, who later reported that one crew member had died due to hypertension.

While the Kenyan Government spokesman claimed that the cargo, consisting of 33 refurbished T-72 tanks and around 1,000 tonnes of ammunition and other military hardware, was supposed to be delivered to the Government of Kenya, Kenya's military command denies that any supplies are to be received from Ukraine. Though the Southern Sudan governance of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement and Army (SPLM/A) denies that the consignment would be for them, despite the fact that three earlier deliveries of similar tanks and hardware for South Sudan are reported, Khartoum also presumes that the shipment was supposedly to be delivered to Southern Sudan. Likewise Lt. Nathan Christensen, a deputy spokesman for the U.S. navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, finally came out on Monday afternoon saying the shipment of 33 Russian-designed tanks along with rifles and ammunition was headed for Sudan, not Kenya as previously claimed by Kenyan officials. Christensen, however, did not specify whether the arms were intended for the Khartoum-based Sudanese government, or southern Sudan, which was granted a degree of autonomy under a 2005 peace deal that also guaranteed the oil-rich region a referendum on full independence in 2011. The UN has imposed an arms embargo on weapons headed to Sudan's Darfur conflict zone, but the ban does not cover weapons sales to the Khartoum government or southern Sudan's autonomous government. Shipping documents stamped by Belize and presented by the Kenya Government to prove its ownership were presented to the Press on Monday evening, but already have been disputed by several sides as hastily issued and backdated cover ups. Especially the conflict in the war-torn Darfur region in Southern Sudan, classified by the US government as a case of genocide, is under an UN arms embargo and therefore the wiggling of the players could be explained.

However, and while that could be sorted out later, the much more explosive situation at hand is the fact that the FAINA with its cargo is pinned down at the Somali coast by now several US, a Russian and at least two further European warships, awaiting the arrival of the Russian missile frigate Neustrashimy.

The pirates, who are now in communication with TOMEX, the Ukranian owner of the ship, demand a ransom of in minimum 5 and maximum of 20 million US dollar, having come down from an earlier demand of 35 million. Many ship-owners of clandestine goods drove the ransom paid upwards to today's level, where at least 1-2 million US dollar have to be paid for any vessel released by the pirates, who usually do not harm the crew.

But the pirates of the MV FAINA threaten now to rather die together with the crew of now 2 Russians, one Latvian and 17 Ukrainians, if the ship would be attacked. Such horror-scenario would include the explosion of the ammunition on the ship, including the ammunition heads with depleted uranium.

Many consider DU as extremely hazardous. The Nov. 2007 resolution entitled 'Effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium' was passed by 122 votes to six at the UN First Committee in New York; with 35 abstentions. The resolution urges UN member states to re-examine the health hazards posed by the use of uranium weapons. In May 2008 the European Parliament has passed its fourth and most far-reaching resolution yet against the use of uranium weapons. MEPs have called for an EU and NATO-wide moratorium and global ban. Among others the US-American Nuclear Society had criticized the US military for the extended used of DU ammunition in the wars during the breaking up of former Yugoslavia.

While ECOTERRA Intl., who is the last environmental organization still working in Somalia, through it's ECOP-marine group had alerted ship-owners, many of whom were fishing illegally in the 200 nm Exclusive Economic Zone, since 1992 to stay away from Somali waters and had requested the international community for help to protect the coastal waters of the war-torn state, lawlessness has seriously increased and gone out of hand. Since no help to assist Somali fishing communities or the numerous governances was forthcoming to protect and regulate the Somali waters, in the meantime organized crime dealing with fake fishing licences first and later engaging in the hi-jacking of commercial vessels has taken over the scene. To combat the present situation will cost many more million dollars as would have been required to set up and maintain proper coastal and marine management.

Press Contact: ECOP-marine

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