DATE=5/2/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=ASIA/PIRACY
NUMBER=5-46240
BYLINE=AMY BICKERS
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: In Asia's waters, the number of reported pirate
attacks on ships has jumped threefold in the last five
years and presents a major safety threat to vessels and
crews. As Amy Bickers reports from Tokyo, alarmed
governments across the region are trying to find ways to
collectively fight this growing scourge and Japan is taking
a leading role
TEXT: Law enforcement and shipping officials agree:
reducing the number of piracy attacks in Asian waters will
be difficult at best. As former sea captain P. Mukundan
notes, many pirates are both skilled sailors and hardened
criminals, backed by organized crime syndicates.
/// MUKUNDAN ACT ///
The people who come on board are very well armed with
automatic weapons. They have used them. They are quite
prepared to kill crew members. There are whole crews that
have been murdered in cold blood. They will set them adrift
in small rafts and they steal the ship and cargo -- many
millions of dollars worth of ship and cargo at the same
time.
/// END ACT ///
Officials agree that the waters around Indonesia are the
most dangerous in Asia. They were the site of more than one
third of the 285 reported attacks last year.
Jakarta says it does not have the resources to tackle the
problem. Mr. Mukundan, who now directs the International
Maritime Bureau for the International Chamber of Commerce,
blames a lack of law enforcement to deter criminals. He
says Indonesia has only nine patrol boats to cover its
sprawling archipelago.
At a meeting of maritime safety authorities in Tokyo last
week, officials from 15 Asian countries pledged to jointly
fight the increasing number of piracy attacks in the
region's waters.
They say they will work together to train personnel and to
upgrade equipment used to combat pirates. They also agreed
to establish effective systems for reporting attacks and
exchanging information. Japan, which has recently hosted
several international meetings on the topic, offered to
provide training to ships' crews and cost guards from other
Asian nations. Tokyo says it will provide the help to
poorer nations as part of its aid packages.
According to Mr. Mukundan, such coordinated efforts are
sorely needed.
/// MUKUNDAN ACT ///
Pirates have lots of resources at their command. They have
other vessels to launch attacks, access to commodity
brokers and others who can sell the cargo on board. They
have false passports and documents for the cargo and they
know exactly how shipping works.
/// END ACT ///
In addition to taking joint steps to catch and deter the
pirates, Mr. Mukundan says the International Maritime
Bureau is encouraging nations to enact laws to deal with
the criminals who often move quickly from nation to nation,
eluding prosecution.
/// MUKUNDAN ACT ///
We feel that the most important thing that governments can
do now is check their legislation to make sure there are
laws in place for them to deal with modern day piracy. By
that I mean they should have legislation to investigate and
prosecute pirates who have committed an act of piracy
outside of their jurisdiction, but turn up in their state.
/// END ACT ///
One country which has cracked down on piracy is China. In
January it executed 13 pirates for the killing of 23
crewmen on a Hong Kong-owned ship one and a half years ago.
At the Tokyo meeting last week, other nations indicated
their willingness to take steps to quell the rising tide of
armed robbery on Asia's high seas. (SIGNED)
NEB/AB/FC
02-May-2000 06:00 AM EDT (02-May-2000 1000 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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