Somali transitional government wants role in fighting pirates

Somali transitional government now wants to be involved in the rescue efforts of the hijacked Ukrainian ship said to be carrying Kenyan arms.

Speaking to the Nation on Saturday, a special presidential emissary Mr Abdirashid Sed, said there was need to empower the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to fight the pirates.

He noted that the Government had doubts about the situation on the Somali territorial waters that have now been taken over by military vessels surrounding MV Faina that was seized by pirates while headed to the Mombasa port.

The demand echoes earlier remarks by Somalia’s foreign minister Ali Ahmed Jama over the need to restore Somalia's political stability so as to curb piracy along its coastline. 

The announcement could jeopardise the fight against piracy, as the pirates are likely to feel supported by the TFG. The pirates had threatened to blow up the ship with its cargo last Monday, but they did not carry out their threats.

Also, addressing a news conference in Nairobi, a group of Somalia legislators want the international community to involve the TFG in the rescue efforts.

The MPs included the Chair of Foreign Relations Committee Mohammed Hassan, the Chair of Culture Committee Awad Ashareh and the first deputy Speaker of the Somali Parliament,  Prof Mohammed Dalha.

“The TFG is recognised, just as any other country, why then is it segregated? Unless they assist us to establish our forces, we’ll defend our sovereignty,” Prof Dalha said.

He added: “ Why send forces without the approval of the Somali Parliament. No one is going to use our land, sea or airspace without our permission.” Prof Dalha said they were in Nairobi on the request of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), but he could not divulge the nature of the deliberations to be held beginning Monday.

“We support the fight against piracy, but we are not sure that their sole aim is to secure our coastline,” Mr Ashareh said.

He noted that the problem was not in the high seas but in the mainland where pirates are trained and where the loot from hijacked ships ends.

Mr Ashareh attempted to defend the pirates when he said that their main duty was to protect the Somalia waters from illegal fishing.

“It’s only that they sometimes turn into robbers,” he said.

He said the countries with warships surrounding the MV Faina were just “reluctant” to attack, since the TFG had already okayed the use of force to secure the arms.

“There is a hidden agenda ...nobody knows how long they are going to last and what they are doing as they monitor a stationery ship,” Mr Ashareh said.

The TFG has been termed as weak by the international community, due to the frequent attacks by militant groups that have seized sections of the vast war-torn country in the horn of Africa.

The MPs appealed for help to fight the pirates and restore peace to the country.

“If Puntland was empowered by foreign governments and successfully fought off pirates, we can also do it,” Mr Ashareh said.