Negotiations continue for ship's release

by Manjula Fernando

Eight days into the hijacking of Kenyan vessel MV Semlow skippered by a Sri Lankan, the pirates have not shown any indication of setting it free.

Negotiations continued yesterday based on a WFP appeal that it was on a humanitarian mission, carrying food items to Somalian tsunami victims.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Himalee Arunatilleke said the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Kenya yesterday spoke to the Kenyan Ambassador in Somalia who had made direct contact with the pirate leader.

"He had assured our High Commissioner that all crew members including the Sri Lankan Captain were fit and well," she said. The negotiations by the Kenyan Shipping Company and the WFP are continuing.

The Foreign Ministry had contacted the Sri Lankan Captain's sister's family in Colombo and briefed them of the latest developments.

The spokesperson said: "We have not been informed of any apparent change in their demands, a ransom of US $ 500,000 for the release of the ship and its crew." The Ship's crew comprised the Sri Lankan Captain, a Tanzanian Engineer and eight Kenyan deckhands.

The pirates stormed the WFP hired ship last Monday when it was in the Somalian seas 60 kilometres off the coast. It was carrying a consignment of rice donated by Japan and Germany after the WFP'S distress call after the December tsunami. According to the WFP, its country representative in Nairobi is to travel to Somalia shortly to involve in the negotiations.

Meanwhile the WFP has announced that they were suspending all their shipments of food aid to Somalia in the light of this development due to insecurity in Somali waters. They said the decision will be reviewed depending on the release of the vessel.