Freed from somaliland!

[damu]

The rump-crew of three Sri Lankans and two Pakistani nationals which was held with the vessel MV LEILA inside the Berbera harbour entangled in a legal tussle involving burned cargo on her sister ship MV MARIAM STAR has finally been freed today on Monday and could board a plane to Nairobi, where they will arrive this evening.


Mr. Mohamed Ghadeeb of Abu Dhabi, who stands accused as the vessel`s owner and who is behind Al Hufoof Shipping and another company named New Port Shipping - fronting as the owner-managers of these vessels - did never even go to Somaliland to solve the problems his shipping company has with a court ruling subjecting him to pay damages, fines as well as harbour and court charges. That he first of all abandoned the crew of MV LEILA for all that time they were stranded since August last year with their ship on a court-chain, a conning Somaliland port authority and an obvious ignorant governance is not taken lightly.

[damu]

qoutes from the Sri Lankan captain

`This was not a dealing I had to do with pirates. We were taken into custody by Somaliland State Government, he added with a feeling of despise.

They say it is a democratic Government. Their democracy was proved by the way they treated us. They treated us in a very appalling way. Actually they didn`t know what democracy was. It was a bunch of terrorists ruling the country.

So they told me to speak good about Somaliland letting down my former allegations in the presence of international media.

The approach the Somaliland Government adopted on us changed its colours meanwhile. They came up with an idea I never expected. They asked me to change my religion, then marry a Somali woman and serve Somaliland. In response to their suggestion I told them that I have a wife and a child back in Sri Lanka. I told what I expected from them was my quick release. But there were only negative answers available; they were actually taking revenge over what I have done. I tarnished their image in the presence of international media. They were penalizing us.

must be the same deal they gave the german porn producer

[Pwani]

So they told me to speak good about Somaliland letting down my former allegations in the presence of international media.

recognition gone far

The approach the Somaliland Government adopted on us changed its colours meanwhile. They came up with an idea I never expected. They asked me to change my religion, then marry a Somali woman and serve Somaliland.

kuwan sommali wa cebeyen

[FBISOMALIA]

The approach the Somaliland Government adopted on us changed its colours meanwhile. They came up with an idea I never expected. They asked me to change my religion, then marry a Somali woman and serve Somaliland. In response to their suggestion I told them that I have a wife and a child back in Sri Lanka. I told what I expected from them was my quick release. But there were only negative answers available; they were actually taking revenge over what I have done. I tarnished their image in the presence of international media. They were penalizing us.
must be the same deal they gave the german porn producer

is the somali girl became staff to buy it or sell it ...???

really no comment

[damu]

HERE IS ANOTHER QUOTE FROM A BACKPACKER IN HARGEISA!

So that evening Eddy took us out for dinner and another surreal moment was had. Eddy picked up two of his ‘lady friends’ who were decked out in full Burkas and Niqabs (the entire veil over the face). We then picked up another guy who we had briefly met in the street the day before, called Muhammed. OK, at this juncture I want to say something about traveling – to anyone who has been traveling before, you know those moments when the realization of the situation, the country, the cultural differences and everything just strike you and you just love living life like this and being on the road is the best feeling imaginable, this was one of those moments…

I was in the back seat with one of my best friends alongside these 2 chicks in full Islamic dress, Fast Eddy the Saudi property tycoon is in the front bribing the police because the foreigners (us) don’t have the their security escort with them, in the passenger seat is Mohammed a British/Somalian who had just recently been (incorrectly) arrested and detained in Somalia on terrorism charges… all of us drinking gin and coke from plastic coke bottles in a bid to not get our alcoholic drinks discovered – what a sight we must have been! Somaliland, what a place.

the SL police is more concerned about the foreigners security than the two girls in the back
seat drinking with white men!!

[ToughGong]

Masaakiin you have been reduced to faking everthing,we don't do pirates

This letter where Somaliland is inserted where it says Somalia is fake


This is the original
http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/04/09/fea20.asp

And this vid

the Fake

[youtube]H5eReW0HA28&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]


And the original

[youtube]zJ26teIGMPY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[damu]

the link you posted says

The approach the Somali Government adopted on us changed its colours meanwhile. They came up with an idea I never expected. They asked me to change my religion, then marry a Somali woman and serve Somali land. In response to their suggestion I told them that I have a wife and a child back in Sri Lanka. I told what

[ToughGong]

^

Fail

[damu]

^

Fail

thats what says on link you posted!!

[ToughGong]

^
So Puntland is not a Somali land is it

It also

Being captive by a ruthless gang of pirates is the worst kind of nightmare

And like I said we don't do pirates and I notice how you completely ignored the vid
Masaakiin

[damu]

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news ... in-somalia

DUBAI // The captain of a Dubai-based cargo ship stranded in a Somalian port for the last six months said yesterday his crew's plight was getting desperate and called for immediate assistance. The Panama-flagged cargo vessel MV Leila, anchored at Berbera Port in the west of the country, is being denied exit by the Somalian authorities due to an alleged legal dispute between some local businessmen and the ship's owner in the UAE.

"We escaped the pirates but are still stuck in the port," the ship's skipper, MP Sarath Weerawansa, told The National by telephone from Berbera Port yesterday. He said his crew had been glad to avoid being hijacked in the pirate infested waters of Somalia, and had never expected to be "held hostage" by the authorities instead. Capt Weerawansa and his 13-strong crew - two Sri Lankans, two Somalis, two Pakistanis and seven Indians - are now languishing on board without food, money or medical supplies.

[Awe]

This is a new low even for the qaldaans.

[damu]

it said it was easier to deal with the pirates than the goverment..he called the goverment
pirates

oh yeah whats that vid gotta do with me????

[ToughGong]

FUCK TERROR SOMALI,HERE IS THE FULL ARTICLE IN THE SRILNAKAN DAILY NEWS
Are you saying the Captian of this ship is lying and some c#nts who's full of cuqdad is right
When you 're in a hole stop digging sxb

Captain Weerewansa returned to his motherland two weeks ago after being freed from the clutches of Somali administration. However, the twist to the tale, according to him is that the Somali State Government was working hand in glove with the pirates.


A captain who didn’t stop fighting for his men and his country and his freedom

Piracy in Somalia is a great impediment on the cargo movements. The Somali Government now in power is not in a position to combat this menace as the pirates are overwhelmingly powerful than the state authorities. But the adventure story woven around Captain Weerewansa has nothing to do with pirates. Actually, it is an exception.

‘This was not a dealing I had to do with pirates. We were taken into custody by Somali State Government, he added with a feeling of despise.

When asked what took him to Somalia he said, ‘ Somalia wasn’t my destination, but the sister ship launched before us was caught up with fire, I was behind them. They met with that accident in Somali waters. So the owner of my shipping company told me to go to them and help in any possible way. When I embarked there the crew of my sister vessel had been taken into custody. So that was the same fate I also had to undergo.

Revealing the reason behind for such an arrest Captain Weerawansa said that Somalia clamp a US $ 2.5 fine to release the ship. So Somali authorities told us to tolerate the things until our shipping company pay the fine.

‘But the company was not that quick to pay the fine and release us. We were optimistic of a rapid release. But nothing of the kind happened. They say it is a democratic Government. Their democracy was proved by the way they treated us. They treated us in a very appalling way. Actually they didn’t know what democracy was. It was a bunch of terrorists ruling the country.

The crew of my sister ship was assaulted and tortured by the authorities. August 7 was the day on which we were arrested. Two days after the arrest the ship was taken into the pier. I was able to contact the owner of my ship and he was telling me he was doing his very best to release us. He was asking for time.

A week became a month. Month became many months. To take the ship out of Somali waters we were asked for the port clearance certificate. But we were unable to submit that certificate as we were under arrest. Captain Weerawansa thought it best not to inform the family the circumstance he was under. Now already three months had passed. He was helpless thinking about the plight his family would have had to confront if he was not released forthwith.

‘But I didn’t tell them what was happening around me thinking that they will be scared. I expected the company and other accountable authorities to do their best to get us released. But that was not what really happened. ‘My hopes began waning when I felt the owner ignoring my plight. He avoided answering the phone. Ultimately he severed the connections he had with us.

There was a shortage of food and water. No words can describe the difficulties we had to face, revealed Captain Weerawansa. A Somali Journalist got an interview from me. It was published in their paper. U ltimately the plight we were undergoing in this unknown land was leaked to the international media.

They had a field day interviewing me over telephone. ‘Somali State is not doing the right thing, not sending us to our motherlands. This is not a Government but a bunch of terrorists administrating the country. This is not a country of democracy but a country of piracy’ was the response he marketed to the international media’

Weerewansa and crew were detained under no court order. He appealed to the international community to stop sending their ships to Somalia. This is not a court in the real sense of the word. This is a Kangaroo court and only the jungle law reigns in the country. His words went reverberating in the international scene. As a result some countries avoided sending ships to Somalia. My allegations hurt the Somali Government.


Captain Sarath Weerewansa of the ship M.V. Leila. Pictures by Rukmal Gamage

The President of Somalia made a friendly approach towards us. They took us to hotel where a media gaggle was organized. So they told me to speak good about Somalia letting down my former allegations in the presence of international media. I saw some men who are around us with AK 47s and other arms.

But I was not shaken. I was adamant and repeated my allegations without letting down my criticism against the Somali Government. I told the Somali government officials to shoot me down without taking me and my crew to task.

The approach the Somali Government adopted on us changed its colours meanwhile. They came up with an idea I never expected. They asked me to change my religion, then marry a Somali woman and serve Somali land. In response to their suggestion I told them that I have a wife and a child back in Sri Lanka. I told what I expected from them was my quick release. But there were only negative answers available; they were actually taking revenge over what I have done. I tarnished their image in the presence of international media. They were penalizing us.

When food and water was running out they took a long time to replenish. I went from pillar to post asking my release. But most of the officials showed their unconcern, most of the discussions I had with them ended up with heated arguments.

If I tell you frankly the helplessness I felt, when the ship’s owner was online I asked what was happening’.

He told me he was not competent to do anything. I demanded why he didn’t tell me earlier about this in which case I could do something worthwhile without having my faith in you. ‘Is this the way I am rewarded with for looking after your ship? I demanded. Some Indians in my crew thought to take their life in water.

My health condition was deteriorating. I was hospitalized twice. Second time was due to diarrhea. Though they didn’t torture us physically they did mentally.
How they were released

The crew of my sister ship was released under a court order. But still we were detained. I struggled with my argument Law is law. But the official seemed not flexible enough. Ultimately they had to release us as they couldn’t withstand the international pressure unleashed on them. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the High Commissioner in Nairobi, Jayanatha Dissanayaka for his untiring efforts to take me out of that hell. Ultimately on March 24 we came to Sri Lanka. First we arrived in Nairobi, where I can remember how Jayantha Dissanayaka and Deputy High Commissioner Mahesh were there to welcome us. They arranged a party for us. But I was in a critical condition caused by diaherria.

During my detention my family had lot of hardships. My telephone line and the electricity were cut off. But when my wife told Sri Lanka Telecom and Electricity Board the conditions we were in they supplied the facility unhindered, I should admire SLT for providing the facility as it was the only way possible for me to hear the voice of my wife and child - the only solace I had.

Captain Weerawansa has not yet been paid for 7 months by his company. The company owner had changed the name of the company in fear of prosecution. I seek the help of media to go before international human rights.

I need to take legal action against Somali Government for torturing me and my crew. But I know next to nothing about the procedure I will have to follow. So I request from able authorities to make me aware of the possibilities bringing those rascals to book,’ concluded Weerewansa.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/04/09/fea20.asp

[damu]

why you twistin it...dude is talking bout when he was arrested in SL..not the time he got caught by pirates..check your own link it says somali land

DUBAI // The captain of a Dubai-based cargo ship stranded in a Somalian port for the last six months said yesterday his crew's plight was getting desperate and called for immediate assistance. The Panama-flagged cargo vessel MV Leila, anchored at Berbera Port in the west of the country, is being denied exit by the Somalian authorities due to an alleged legal dispute between some local businessmen and the ship's owner in the UAE.

"We escaped the pirates but are still stuck in the port," the ship's skipper, MP Sarath Weerawansa, told The National by telephone from Berbera Port yesterday. He said his crew had been glad to avoid being hijacked in the pirate infested waters of Somalia, and had never expected to be "held hostage" by the authorities instead. Capt Weerawansa and his 13-strong crew - two Sri Lankans, two Somalis, two Pakistanis and seven Indians - are now languishing on board without food, money or medical supplies.

"We did not see this coming. Many, including me, are sick here. The crew is physically and mentally tired," said Capt Weerawansa. "We have no money, food or medicine. The crew is 100 per cent tired. A few of us can go out to get provisions occasionally but we have no money. "I blame the owners. They have neglected us and hardly come on the phone. We have not been paid for four months." The ship left Dubai on September 7 carrying general cargo and cars destined for the Somali market. The hold was emptied by September 15, and the crew was preparing to depart when the port authorities suddenly denied them permission to leave.



The ship's owner, Ghadeeb al Aleey, said the vessel was being held because of a legal dispute, and strongly refuted Capt Weerawansa's claim that their predicament was his company's fault. "We met all our legal duties here in Dubai and there in Berbera," said Mr al Aleey. He would not comment on the claims that the men had not been paid. He said he believed local businessmen influenced port authorities to hold the ship until they are paid for loss of cargo caused by a fire that gutted another ship owned by the same company.

"We are negotiating with the concerned people, but cannot see a promising result or good co-operation," said Mr al Aleey. "We have already proved our case to the highest court in Somalia and they ordered the release of the ship." He said the order was issued by the court on November 12, but the port authorities had so far failed to act on it. "It is being held because the rules of the court are not respected by the port authority," said Mr al Aleey.



"There are 14 crew members who are in a very bad condition. They are being forced to stay on board over the last six months and are short on supplies and no medical care." He said the Somalian businessmen had filed a case against his company demanding a quarter of a million dollars to release the vessel, claiming that was what was owed from the fire. Documents held by Dubai Customs, however, show that the ship that caught fire had been carrying only about US$48,000 of goods for export.

Mr al Aleey said a company representative has been in Somalia for the past few months trying to free the ship. When asked if the crew was being threatened by the authorities, Capt Weerawansa said: "I can't talk about this under the present circumstances. The biggest problem here is that we are stuck. We love our families and we love our lives." Andrew Mwangura, East Africa's co-ordinator for the Seafarers Assistance programme, confirmed that at least two of the MV Leila's crew members had fallen ill. "There is no food or medicine on board. At least two people are sick and need attention," he said.