Hostage, part two
April 13, 2009In the international scene, several incidents of hostage taking and abductions by pirates were reported off the coast of Somalia. The pirates purportedly are making a brisk industry out of kidnapping, demanding huge amounts in ransom and gripping in fear what once was a thriving commercial sea route.
The pirates have attacked several merchant vessels and have taken hostage crew members of various nationalities, including Filipinos. Even Japan recently ordered two of its warships to join an anti-piracy mission off Somalia–one of the most active deployments yet for a country restrained by its post-war pacifist constitution. US, European and even Chinese naval vessels have long been deployed in the gulf of Aden in efforts to curb piracy in this vital economic zone.
The latest casualty was the American captain of the US flagged Maersk Alabama, who reportedly was abducted and held on a lifeboat as two US warships watched helplessly. Fortunately, the drama took a sad ending for the pirates. A decisive Barack Obama and a daring rescue by navy seals turned things upside down for the bandits. US Navy snipers, according to reports, opened fire and killed the three pirates holding the American captain at gunpoint, delivering the skipper unharmed and ending a five-day high-seas hostage drama on Easter Sunday.
The rescue was a dramatic blow to the pirates who have preyed and made a business out of hijacking merchant vessels and hold more than a dozen ships with about 230 sailors from a variety of nations. But there is fear the incident may provoke retaliatory attacks, for political or other reasons, especially since it was done by the world’s most powerful military. Before the issue gets clouded by the underdog syndrome, it may be worth mentioning that piracy is considered as hostis humani generis–a common threat to mankind. Since pirates are humanity’s common enemy all states have the duty to curb piracy as a universal right and obligation. In other words, the US–or any nation for that matter–is justified to employ violence against these pirates as an obligation under international law.
Phillips reportedly was able to save his crew when he offered himself as hostage to the pirates. But the real heroes, he said, are the US Navy Seals whose courage was put on the line. I believe, however, that credit must go as well to US President Barack Obama, whose decisiveness undoubtedly changed the drama’s outcome.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, government officials are still at a lost about how to rescue the two remaining International Red Cross volunteers who are still in the hands of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf. Sigh…
