By NNN-Bernama,
Dubai : The international community should go after pirates in Somalia on their own turf to ensure safe shipping in the Arabian Sea and off the coast of East Africa, said a leading Saudi Arabian newspaper.
“Hitting the pirates in their lairs would mean naval action against Somali ports such as Eyl and the destruction of all potential pirate vessels there. That could only be done under United Nations (UN) authority,” Arab News said in an editorial Wednesday.
According to the daily, it had suggested the creation of a UN naval force — a maritime equivalent of the UN peacekeeping forces — to ensure safe passage for ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
“Whether it is that or providing the authority to move against the pirates, the UN has to address the issue — and immediately,” it said.
Somali pirates Saturday seized Saudi supertanker, the “Sirius Star”, carrying US$100 million in crude off the coast of Kenya in what has been described as the most brazen attack in the region to date.
The article was also critical of current measures taken to deal with pirate attacks, saying: “The policy of trying to contain the threat by increasing security on board ships is all very well, but it is ultimately futile — and expensive. It is not going to stop the pirates. They will find plenty of victims.”
It also described as “madness” negotiations with pirates and paying them ransom to free hijacked ships.
“It positively encourages them to strike again. This is now a multimillion dollar business,” said the editorial.
Somalia, it said, would provide a safe haven for the pirates while it remained a failed state.
But the world could not wait until law and order was reestablished in Somalia, it said, adding that it could be years before that happened.
“In the meantime, the attacks will continue and become ever more menacing. It is no exaggeration to say that the kingdom’s very economy is at stake here, as well as that of other Gulf states,” it added.