MPHRP at CGPCS at the UN , New York
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) held its Thirteenth Plenary Session at UN Headquarters in New York on 11 December 2012 under the chairmanship of India. Dr. Peter Swift – Chair MPHRP and Chirag Bahri – MPHRP Regional Director for South Asia were in attendance which discussed the need for continued international efforts and emphasised on the support for piracy affected seafarers and their families.
On 12 December 2012, Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) with the Indian mission to UN and the International Peace Institute (IPI) co-hosted a side event off CGPCS – A sustainable solution to Somali Piracy at IPI, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York. Mr. Pottengal Mukundan, Director – ICC-IMB, chaired the first panel which discussed reducing the human cost of piracy. He introduced Dr. Swift for his presentation.
Dr Swift gave a brief introduction on MPHRP and that it is assisting the seafarers and their families affected by piracy in different regions around the world. He spoke on the ordeal suffered particularly by the Iceberg1 crew and their families which had at that time almost completed 1000 days in captivity. He highlighted the importance of delegates sharing information and cooperation among different stake holders should be emphasised so as to provide assistance to the affected seafarers and their families.
Mr. Bahri then followed Dr Swift and gave an emotional and touching presentation on the effects of piracy on the seafarers and their families. He presented how a seafarer feels and reacts on receiving information from his company that the ship has been scheduled to transit through the Gulf of Aden or other piracy affected waters, when she actually transits, if the ship is attacked and caught by pirates and the tortures suffered by seafarers at the hands of pirates. He also spoke on the unaccounted plight of families, their sufferings and mental trauma which they have to undergo during such incidents. He stressed that training and awareness among seafarers can help them to prepare for coping in captivity together with encouraging international community to support capacity building in Somalia, better policing the coast among few of the main alternatives.
The second session explored the possibilities for an enduring and equitable solution to Somali Piracy which was chaired by James Hughes, Deputy Head, Security Policy, UK Commonwealth and Chair WG1 – CGPCS. Speakers for the event included Ms. Jiyoung Kim – Second secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade South Korea, John Steed – UNPOS Chief Counter Piracy and Maritime Security, St Hilaire Pierre – Head of Interpol Counter Piracy Program among others. It was a well structured discussion on the very important and crucial issue of Maritime Piracy off the coast of Somalia.
Source: MPHRP