Seychelles to attend Somaliland prison inauguration

[Jacaylbaro]

HARGEISA — The government of Seychelles will send two member delegation to Hargeisa, Somaliland, early next week to take part in the inauguration of a Western-funded prison that will house Somali pirates.

 

According to a joint press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seychellois Ambassador to South Africa, Mr. Joseph Nourrice, along with the Superintendent of the Montagne Posee Prison, Mr. Maxime Tirant, will fly to Hargeisa to represent the small Indian Ocean nation.

 

Seychelles is an island country with a population of only 84,000 in the Indian Ocean that comprises of 115 island chains– it lays east of Tanzania.

 

The government of Seychelles has been working with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its own effort to tackle piracy in the region. The small island is one of several east African and Indian Ocean nations that accepted to try suspected pirates in its own courts.

 

Seychelles insists the sea gangs are direct threat to its economy and security. In 2009, Somali pirates from Harardheere, in central east Somalia, successfully picked up a Russian tuna trawler and British couple, the Chandlers, off the coast of Seychelles.

 

Just last month, days after the island signed an agreement on the extradition of prisoners with Somaliland and Somalia– Seychellois Minister for Home Affairs, Environment and Transport Joel Morgan told Reuters that the country was housing 47 pirates. A number it said was taking a toll on its taxpayers considering the whole island nation has 400 prisoners. It is also hurting its fishing and vibrant tourism community while transport insurance for cargo bound for Seychelles skyrocketed.

 

This visit to Somaliland follows last month’s agreement terms which included, before the repatriation of convicted Somali pirates, the government of Seychelles needed to ensure that prisons met international standards.

 

The Indian Ocean nation said it was taking piracy very serious and it was ready to play its role within the larger international effort. It equally encouraged others to do the same, in particular, Somaliland and Somalia.

 

“Our policy on dealing with captured pirates is clear; we bring them to justice and then subsequently repatriate them to their respective countries to serve the remainder of their prison sentences. These countries must take responsibility for the actions of piracy committed by their citizens and Seychelles therefore welcomes the setting up of this new prison in Hargesia for this purpose,” said Mr. Joel Morgan.

 

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, added: “This is about Seychelles being active not only in fighting piracy at sea but at land too. We have been calling on the international community to be more engaged with Somalia and this has not been an idle call of the government. We firmly believe that piracy must be addressed by assisting the Somali authorities in tackling piracy within their country and in establishing the rule of law. Workable and reliable prison infrastructures within Somalia, exactly as the UNODC is doing, is part of this important process.”

 

This trip to Somaliland was facilitated by UNODC.

 

Somaliland is an unrecognized nation of 3.5 million people that unified with the neighboring Somalia in 1960. The union quickly collapsed and Somaliland began fighting for its separation from Mogadishu. It succeeded in 1991 and Somalia Somalia descended into chaos with armed warlords waging wars on each others.

 

Like Seychelles, Somaliland is cracking down on pirates, it currently holds 88 Somali pirates and just on Wednesday it captured six pirates in its remote Sanaag region. They are expected to be transferred to Hargeisa where they will face a trial.

 

 

Somaliland Press