Pirates holding Dubai-operated tanker seen by some as Robin Hood-style redistributors of wealth
The residents of Harardhere in Somalia, where a hijacked oil tanker is being held, are torn over the pirates who took it, seen by some as heroes redistributing wealth to the poor and by others as dangerous criminals.
The tiny coastal village could fit in its entirety on the bridge of the Sirius Star - a Saudi-owned, Dubai operated tanker which was hijacked a week ago in the Indian Ocean by pirates. The owners of the ship have been given until November 30 to pay a $25 million ransom.
The pirates' unprecedented feat of seizing a 330-metre ship laden with crude oil has drawn the world's attention to the fishing hamlet and some of its residents see that as a mixed blessing.
Some see the pirates, a rag-tag army of local clan militia and former coast guards, as heroes attacking the world's powerful nations and injecting much-needed wealth in a bleeding country rife with corruption and famine.
"Some of them come to shore freely, they take their supplies, including khat (a narcotic leaf widely chewed in Somalia) and go back to the tanker peacefully," said local resident Mohamed Du'ale Uluso.
"They don't look to me like criminals afraid of punishment."
Pirates along Somalia's coastline - who claim they are simply levying taxes on foreign fleets who have been plundering Somalia's maritime resources - have enjoyed wide popular support by redistributing ransom money in the community.
Muhamoud Ali argued it was only fair for oil-rich Saudi Arabia to fork out a ransom that will benefit one of the world's poorest nations.
"Neither the pirates nor the people of Harardhere have any bad intention against the government and people of Saudi Arabia. This tanker belongs to the Holy Kingdom and it will be released immediately after they pay the peanuts demanded," he said.
"Twenty-five million dollars is nothing for Saudi Arabia and the owners of the tanker. It will be good for everybody if this crisis is resolved immediately," he added.
Abdi Hassan, who owns a small teashop in Haradhere, said the mere presence of the pirates and other clan militia securing the area was good for business.
"The presence of more people here, whether they are militia or not, is good for the economy of Harardhere. At least they will consume what we have," he said. "They are welcome here as long they don't loot and kill."
But with the world threatening tough action against a surge in piracy that has started to cause havoc in international shipping and trade, some villagers fear the pirates will eventually only bring more misery to Somalia.
"The increasing number of militia in Harardhere is undermining the peace we have enjoyed over the past six months," Muhamoud Munin, a 62-year-old resident said.
The pirates are the country's new sultans, building new houses and buying freshly-imported SUVs, and the elderly Munin predicted that other armed groups would soon want a share of the ransom bonanza.
"Maybe local fighters will be encouraged to be pirates," he added. Asha Mohamed, a young mother, also said she felt uneasy with such a large presence of militiamen in the area.
"I pray that this issue will be resolved quickly and that all the new militia who have arrived here will soon leave us alone," she said.
We're ready to fight
The Somali pirates holding the Sirius Star have vowed to fight back should any assault be attempted to free the ship and urged its owners to pay the $25 million ransom.
As world powers rushed naval forces to Somalia's dangerous waters amid growing concerns of major disruptions in international trade, the pirates consolidated their land base with more men and weapons.
Speaking from Harardhere, a member of the group holding the Sirius Star said there was no plan to destroy the super-tanker or harm its crew but warned any military bid to free it would be "disastrous."
"I hope the owner of the tanker is wise enough and won't allow any military option because that would be disastrous for everybody. We are here to defend the tanker if attacked," Abdiyare Moalim said.
"Their intention is clear, I was speaking to them some minutes ago and they told me they are not going to destroy the ship or harm the crew. They are hoping to get what they demanded," he said.
Local residents said that reinforcements of at least ten well-armed men joined the pirates holding on the ship, which anchored off Harardhere, north of Mogadishu, with its 25 crew three days after being hijacked on November 15.
"Early this morning, I saw at least ten heavily armed pirates heading to the ship. Their boat returned after dropping them off," local fisherman Hassan Ahmed said.
The Sirius Star, the biggest ship ever hijacked, and its $100 million load of oil was seized on November 15 and taken three days later to Harardhere. The pirates have given the owners until November 30 to pay the huge ransom, said a pirate who identified himself as Mohamed Said, threatening "disastrous" consequences if Vela International, the Dubai-based shipping arm of the Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco, failed to comply.
© 7Days 2008
