Shrill media voices adversely affecting Somalian hostage crisis

New Delhi, Mar. 12 (ANI): Various nodal agencies of the Indian Government are in constant touch with shipping companies negotiating with Somali pirates for the release of Indians in the taken ships, but official sources here are of the opinion that the excessive media focus on the families of the hostages and strident criticism of the government would be counter-productive.

The negotiations are protracted, no doubt, said an official, but piracy and hostage negotiations is a complicated issue, and the fact that the Indian Government does not negotiate with pirates, means that it can only provide behind the scenes pressure tactics.

This, officials said, was being done on a constant basis, with foreign shipping companies as well as with the concerned governments. It is a sensitive issue and excessive media glare strengthens the hands of the pirates and not the negotiators, said the official.

The number of sailors currently held captive by Somali pirates is 53.

The sailors are on five ships-MV Iceberg, MV Suez, MT Asphalt Venture, MT Savina Caylyn and MV Sinin. Three of them are under the Panamanian flag, one Italian and one Maltese.

So far, the only point of contact for the Ministry of External Affairs has been the shipping companies that are located mostly in the Middle East.

The companies as well as the governments have expressed concern through back channels about the rising criticism in the India media about the delay in hostage release.

Officials pointed out that the media's pressure on the government to negotiate and maybe even pay ransom to the pirates, would endanger the current negotiations and would also make all merchant ships where Indian sailors are present, fair game in the future.

Nodal Indian agencies dealing with the piracy off the coast of Somalia are the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Defense.

The main point of contact with the ship owners is the Director General, Shipping, which is in constant touch with the management of the shipping companies.

The Ministry of External Affairs only comes into the picture when facilitation needs to be done with the country in which the shipping company is based.

Fifty-six Indian nationals held on merchant ships were released last year and 13 were released this year. Fifty three are still in captivity. They have been in captivity for several months and the families have raised a hue and cry about the supposed laxity shown by Indian nodal agencies, which the government denies.

The Somali Government can do little to help in this issue, even though various foreign governments have been in touch with Somalia President Sharif Ahmed.

In such a situation, village elders in Somalia have been contacted to pressurize younger men not to take up piracy and to release the hostages.

Under normal circumstances, pirates do not execute hostages. So far, no Indian hostage has died in captivity. This is what separates pirates from run of the mill terrorists.

The pirates are only interested in money and not in taking lives. However, they will not hesitate to kill, if their demands are not met.

But negotiations are sensitive and are conducted by skilled hostage negotiators, not governments, said the official.

If there are any foreign governments who pay ransom, it is done under wraps, as no government will admit to negotiating with terrorists or pirates.

Another problem is that currently there are no international laws that define piracy. At present, the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea is used.

The Indian Government is now working on formulating a new law that will have provisions to deal with the problem of piracy. This will deal with various issues like how to prosecute pirates, prevent arms from reaching them and how to cut off funding sources etc.

A senior Indian Naval official said that since 2008, the Indian Navy has provided safety to 1,500 ships in a 140 nautical mile zone in the Gulf of Eden.

So far, 28 attacks have been prevented near the Indian coast, even as Somali pirates have begun moving operations eastward towards India.

No Indian ship has been harmed so far. There were two incidents of piracy near the Lakshwadeep Islands but both vessels were seized.

MEA officials said the government is in touch with United Nations agencies, as also with the Contact Group on Piracy on the Coast of Somalia (CGCS), to coordinate action on piracy control and the release of hostages. (ANI)