Somaliland will not take in foreign-seized pirates

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Hargeisa - Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland on Tuesday inaugurated a UN-funded prison aimed at holding pirates but also warned it was not yet accepting those detained by foreign powers.

 

The prison was refurbished by the United Nations at a cost of about $1.5m with the aim of making conditions there acceptable to countries wishing to repatriate Somali pirates.

 

But the region has backed away from accepting pirates seized by foreign forces, in what is likely to prove the latest setback to attempts by the international community to repatriate Somali pirates arrested on the high seas to east Africa or the Horn of Africa for trial.

 

The Somaliland justice minister, Ismail Moummir Aar, said: "The transfer issue has not yet been accepted."

 

He was addressing a UN Office on Drugs and Crime team headed by its director Yury Fedotov.

 

Fedotov's team came for the official opening of the facility, which has the capacity to house about 425 inmates and which has actually been up and running for the past several weeks.

 

Of the 297 detainees currently in the facility, 88 are pirates from various regions of Somalia.

 

All of them were intercepted by the Somaliland coastguard or by locals.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Press Release: Statement on Counter-piracy.

 

Office of the Presidency.

 

 

 

 

 

Somaliland adopts a proactive policy against the piracy. We have successfully convicted over sixty pirates who had been found guilty of committing sea crimes in our international territorial water who are now serving prison sentences. This has deterred pirates from violating Somaliland coast. Key instruments in this success include the fact that we have denied pirates of establishing bases on the ground in Somaliland. And we have a coastal guard force that is capable of safeguarding our sea.

 

Somaliland also works with the international community in countering piracy. We are signatory to the Kampala Process and we participate the ICG – Working Group 2 meetings which offer regional forums for policy development and technical cooperation on counter-piracy programmes. We would like to enlarge this international cooperation and directly engage with EU member states, USA, Norway and the Gulf States to further consolidate our achievements.

 

Somaliland is the frontline of the fight against piracy. We do not permit pirates to use our territory from which to launch their attacks on international shipping. Therefore, you will find us a reliable partner in the struggle against piracy. Given more resources, we could do even more to help.

 

I should however state that Somaliland does not wish to become a prison for pirates arrested on the high seas or in other countries. This would pose risk to our security. We will however continue to arrest pirates who violate Somaliland territorial water and Somalilanders who commit act of piracy elsewhere.

 

We express our grave concern over the growing number of people, including seafarers, held hostage. We think prosecution and detention of pirates are effective means of deterring piracy.

 

However, we believe there is a need for increased international cooperation on eradicating the root causes of piracy. In this regard, Somaliland welcomes the report of the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on Legal Issues related to Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, and looks forward to further debate in the UN on the implementation of its recommendations.

 

While looking forward to more cooperation in this area, please accept the assurance of my highest consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo

 

President, Republic of Somaliland.