A French General commanding French forces in the Southern Indian Ocean said that piracy in the seas around Somalia no longer poses a threat to merchant shipping, but cautions that the causes have not yet been eradicated. Similar sentiment made by US Government Accountability Office but emphasises that US agencies have not assessed their counter piracy efforts as previously recommended. Systematic assessment of the costs and benefits of counter piracy efforts has not been conducted, despite changing conditions.
The Council of EU has endorsed the EU maritime security strategy with the objective to secure interests against risks and threats including organised crime, freedom of navigation, environmental and cross-border risks. In 2008, Amanda Lindhout was kidnapped by Somali 'ransom-seekers', held and tortured for 460 days. For survival, she converted to Islam, made one escape attempt and was repeatedly raped. Her harrowing ordeal was turned into a bestselling book, "A House in the Sky", now, following a bidding war, the book will be adapted for the big screen with Oscar-nominated personalities involved.
The Iranian navy has, once more, reported the successful protection of a tanker against attack by pirates in 8 boats in the Red Sea with a fire fight taking place before the pirates retreated. An agreement for the East African Standby Force has been signed by 10 nations including Somalia. EASF mandate consists of enhancing peace and security in the East Africa region., whilst the issue of ports in EA causes frustration and cautious optimism in equal measure.
In Nigeria, the JTF claimed 3 suspected pirates died during crossfire following an attack on JTF patrols boats by 30 suspected pirates. The NN Chief of Naval Staff has linked the recent spate of piracy in the waterways to the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. Meanwhile, thousands of Nigerian fishermen have rejected $50 million offer from Royal Dutch Shell for oil spills after a landmark ruling. In the north of Nigeria, the CNS says NN is recording successes against Boko Haram, which along with its leader, have been sanctioned by the UN Security Council.
Recent weeks has seen SE Asia piracy highlighted through the hijacking of tankers, however, another area is affected by piracy with 411 fishermen killed by pirates in the last 5 years, and a further 1,000 wounded. Where? Bangladesh. Over 3,000 fishermen abducted for ransom between late 2011-2012 alone.
Japan and Philippines meet to affirm closer ties in maritime security amid China's increasing assertiveness in the region as Australia announces a $2 billion Pacific Patrol Boat programme. A number of Chinese fishermen are missing after a trawler sank in waters of disputed islands in the East China Sea.
The last consignment of declared chemical weapons has been handed over by the Syrian government.
More prosecutions announced in the Sewol ferry disaster; the wife of the most wanted man in South Korea has been arrested along with the younger brother; the major shareholder of the ferry operator has appliedfor receivership, and another victim of the disaster has been recovered with eleven still unaccounted. Surviving teenagers have returned to school for the first time, and surviving passengers are to give evidence in the trial of the crew. Tragically, the daughter of a crew member committed suicide, say police.
The Malaysia Airline, MH370, search could take decades as the new search area is announced. The change of leadership in the Malaysian Transport Ministry should have no affect, however, the pilot of the aircraft is said to have plotted a flight path to a remote island in the souther Indian Ocean on his home flight simulator. A Bengal tiger snatched a man off a fishing boat in eastern India, dragging him away into a mangrove swamp as his children looked on in horror.?