Somali piracy is worst in world
By Mark Doyle
BBC World Affairs Correspondent

The Seabourne Sprint, which escaped an attack off the Somali coast on
Saturday
This luxury cruise liner was attacked by pirates two months ago
An increase in piracy off the Indian Ocean coast of Somalia has made
these waters the most dangerous for pirate activities in the world.

Shipping companies say the area has overtaken those traditionally
plagued by piracy such as the Straits of Malacca in south east Asia.

The pirates generally use speedboats to steal trading goods or food aid
- sometimes impounding ships and crew at gunpoint and then demanding
ransoms before they are released.

Somali clan leaders have just signed an agreement to try to end over two
decades of factional fighting in the country - and they say they have
also made attempts to address the piracy problem.

But the high level of lawlessness off the long eastern Somali coastline
reflects the level of chaos there has been on the ground in the country
for more than a generation.

The problem does not affect the northern coast of the self-proclaimed
and more stable Somaliland as much.

Shipping companies grouped under the International Maritime Bureau (a
branch of the International Chamber of Commerce) say there have been 35
incidents of piracy off the Indian Ocean coast of Somalia in the past
nine months.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4584878.stm
for the rest of the article.
--
Reggie
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