Links...
Parliamentary committee calls for shoot-to-kill guidelines
Clearer guidelines are needed for the use of lethal force against Somali pirates, according to a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee report. The report, titled Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, states “The government was right to permit private armed guards to defend British-flagged shipping against Somali pirates, but its guidance on the legal use of force lacks critical detail.”
The report goes on to call for clear direction from the government as to whether armed guards aboard UK-flagged commercial vessels are within their rights to open fire if they perceive a threat from an armed pirate skiff.
With average ransoms at an average of USD4.7 million per vessel, the incentive to the pirates is thought to outweigh the currently limited repercussions if they are caught. At present, in 90% of cases where pirates are detained, they are simply returned to their boats of to land without facing any further charges.
The report suggests there is no reason the UK cannot assert jurisdiction over suspected pirates, with Committee Chairman Richard Ottaway calling for decisive action to be taken. In response, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that next month’s London Conference on Somalia will be utilised to address the issue as part of a holistic approach to tackling Somalia’s political and humanitarian problems.
Article written on
Thursday, January 12th, 2012 and is filed under
General .
You can follow any responses to this entry through the
RSS 2.0 feed.