War on piracy fails to quell worldwide attacks this year<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Pirate attacks mounted worldwide in the
\nfirst six months of this year, buoyed by Indonesia's sinking
\neconomy and straggling sea patrols, a monitoring group reported
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asia remained a pirates' paradise, contributing 85
\nof 165 attacks across the globe from January through June, the
\nInternational Maritime Bureau's Kuala Lumpur-based piracy watch
\ncenter said.<\/p>\n
The worldwide total was up slightly from 161 cases recorded in
\nthe first six months of last year, and 115 in the same period of
\n1999, the center reported in its quarterly survey.<\/p>\n
"It is common knowledge that attacks originate from
\nIndonesia," it said. "Declining economic conditions and lack of
\nmaritime patrolling have exacerbated the piracy threat in
\nIndonesia and surrounding waters."<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the world's fourth-most populous nation,
\nnevertheless recorded fewer attacks in the first half of this
\nyear - 44 off its archipelago's 13,000 islands compared to 56 in
\nthe same period of 2000.<\/p>\n
Bandits picked up the slack in neighboring Malaysia, where
\nattacks doubled from seven in the first six months of last year
\nto 13 this year, despite the Malaysian navy boosting efforts to
\nbattle piracy.<\/p>\n
The Philippines - struggling to contain cash-rich rebels
\nrolling in ransom from chronic kidnappings - also grew more
\nafflicted, with four cases reported so far this year compared to
\none in the first half of 2000.<\/p>\n
During this period, Ghana also suffered a rise from no cases
\nlast year to 3 in 2001, while Tanzania went from one to 3.<\/p>\n
Papua New Guinea, Trinidad, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar,
\nSenegal, Iran and Iraq each recorded one attack in 2001 compared
\nto none in the first six months of last year.<\/p>\n
Three crew members were killed and 19 wounded this year in the
\nsix-month period under survey, the report said. None were killed
\nin the first half of last year, while 13 people were injured.<\/p>\n
The report said the war on piracy was hampered by differing
\nopinions - while some governments want joint patrols, others say
\naction against pirates is "best unilaterally undertaken by the
\nstate that harbors them."<\/p>\n
"Governments continue to differ on how their waters should be
\npoliced and have resisted giving foreign government forces access
\nto their territory," the report said, without specifying any
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The IMB advised ship owners to install satellite tracking
\nsystems that have proven helpful in recovering hijacked vessels.
\nIt also said that all suspicious craft should be reported to the
\nMalaysian piracy watch center.<\/p>",
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