UN proposes Somalia pirate court
UN: Somali pirates are expanding their attacks and costing the world
more than $7 billion a year, according to a UN study released Monday
that calls for stepped up security and a pirate court.
The report by former French minister Jack Lang suggests establishing
a court under Somali jurisdiction but based in a foreign country in
order to address the phenomenon, which has grown in recent years.
It said the international naval force in the Indian Ocean should
patrol closer to the pirates' coastal hideouts and that economic
incentives should be offered to Somali youth to dissuade them from
joining the buccaneers.
Somali pirates have captured nearly 2,000 people and been paid
ransoms of up to $9.5 million for seized tankers since 2008. As of
December 31, 612 people and 26 ships were still being held, according to
UN figures.
"The battle is being won by the pirates," Lang told reporters.
"They are going further out into the Indian Ocean and with more
high-tech equipment to help them."
The pirates are even taking counterfeit bank note detectors out to
sea to check ransoms, the report said. Tuesday, AFP
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