Qadafi African Union President says somali pirates are heros

[Cusmano]

Kadhafi wants Somali exclusion zone to fight piracy


Friday, May 29, 2009

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi
SABRATHA, Libya (AFP) — Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi called on Friday for the creation of a Somali exclusion zone as part of efforts to fight piracy in lawless waters off the Horn of Africa country.

Speaking at an African regional summit, Kadhafi said he will "submit to the world a plan consisting of respecting the economic waters of Somalia in exchange for an end to piracy."

He described pirates who have attacked dozens of ships over the past year as "poor Somalians who are defending their wealth."

"They are not pirates but people who are defending their rights."

Kadhafi also accused unnamed "foreign countries of pillaging" Somalia's wealth.

Warships operating under US, European Union and NATO commands, as well as independent vessels from nations including China and Russia, are currently operating in the troubled region in a bid to thwart piracy.

Calls for more concerted action have risen as attacks off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden have escalated this year.

Piracy watchdogs say there have been 114 attempted hijackings so far in 2009, compared with 111 during all of 2008.

Kadhafi was speaking at the opening of a two-day summit of the 28-member Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) in the Libyan city of Sabratha, a UNESCO World Heritage site west of Tripoli.

He said Africa needs an organisation such as Frontex -- the EU agency specialised in border security -- to protect "our maritime wealth" and warned against the spread of piracy.

The 11th CEN-SAD summit is also due to discuss the conflict between Sudan and neighbouring Chad, according to a copy of a draft agenda obtained by AFP.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir -- who is facing an international arrest warrant for alleged warcrimes in Darfur -- and his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby Itno are among the heads of state attending the summit.

CEN-SAD groups Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo and Tunisia.

Source: AFP, May 29, 2009

The president of the AU is supporting the pirates..Hollywood is supporting the pirates...Marka why is somalis not? nacalad baa ku yaal thats why...anyways we as puntlanders shouldn't allow these ppl to ruin our state...the march to truth, advancement, healthy society is only ever going to happen with us..