Pirate Kingpin Amnesty Offer Denied by Puntland Government
THE NEWS that only the second pirate kingpin was to be offered amnesty in Somalia made big news and was eagerly tweeted and Facebooked earlier this month. Now, however, that offer of amnesty to the pirate kingpin, or linchpin, has been denied, or possibly viewed as being retracted, by the Puntland Government, according to a press statement first highlighted by Jay Bahadur, the successful author of the bestselling book, ‘The Pirates of Somalia’.
Puntland Government in northern Somalia for the first time denied that it granted amnesty to pirate linchpin Isse Mohamoud Yusuf (Isse Yuluh), Garowe Online reported.
In a press statement carried by said to be pro-Puntland Government news site, Horseed Media, the government stated, "The Government of Puntland strongly rejects recent false media reports concerning offer of amnesty to pirate kingpin, Isse Mohamoud Yusuf(Isse Yuluh). There is no truth to the false reports published by Somali news websites".
"Furthermore, the Puntland Government will not negotiate with pirates or criminals," the government noted in response to an article posted on Garowe Online on 4th of May.
Nevertheless, Garowe Online said it had learned that Isse Yuluh was escorted by presidential aides to Bari regional district of Armo, 100km south of Gulf of Aden port city of Bossaso.
Under the deal that he struck with Puntland presidency, Isse Yuluh was expected to informally handover armed trucks to Puntland Government and to absorb his militiamen into Puntland defence forces.
Credible sources were said to have told Garowe Online that President Gaas' administration has showed extreme reluctance following the leak of amnesty plans. The government temporarily ceased negotiations with Isse Yuluh but he, without persecution, strolls around Armo, sources revealed.
Isse Yuluh, alongside co-organisers and principal financiers, was reportedly involved in violent inter-clan feud in Bari region by arming militias and smuggling small arms and pick-up trucks into peaceful areas.
Yuluh and his militia are said to be implicated in securing more than $12 Million from the capture of MV Royal Grace chemical tanker and MT Smyrni oil tanker, both freed in March 2013. His militiamen also held captive a Danish family consisting of father, wife and three teenage children in September 2011.
UN Monitoring Group reported the leading Somali pirates including Isse Yuluh to the Security Council.
OCEANUSLive has since received comment that the director of the President of Puntland's office was given instruction to release the statement, and that a separate source from the PMPF confirmed Yuluh remains on the "arrest list".
Original Source: Garowe Online
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