There are reports that the Somali pirates holding the British couple, Rachel and Paul Chandler, are demanding payment of ransom within two months. There is no question that their demand is unacceptable. Giving in to such a demand will encourage criminality. However, Somalia Research Report is of the opinion that not all the right buttons have been pressed to facilitate the unconditional release of the British couple who were in their yatch off the Somalia coast when the pirates captured them nearly three months ago.
We believe Rachel and Paul Chandler can be released provided the British government take the right steps since it dealt with a case far more complicated than this: that of the gangster Mustaf Jama who murdered the British policewoman Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005, and fled to Somalia. Mustaf Jama was brought back to United Kingdom from Somalia to face justice. We are not calling for a similar approach to nab the pirates holding the British couple but to see a productive cooperation between the British government and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) and its ally Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a group near where the pirates are based.
Both the TFG and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a can use their leverage to persuade the pirates to release the couple. Few months ago the prime minister of Somalia’s TFG Omar Sharmarke was received at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Although the Somalia’s TFG prime minister does not hail from the area where pirates are holding the British couple, he , along with the Somali president and other influential Southern politicians and traditional leaders can put effort into bringing the whole hostage saga to a peaceful end.
The release of Rachel and Paul Chandler can be secured if the British Government and Somali authorities cooperate. We demand the unconditional release of Rachel and Paul Chandler NOW.
sourced from Somalipressreview.com
Tags: paul chandler, somali pirates
I really feel for these poor people. Is there a site to go to where people can write to the govt to ask for the to act ? I feel these people have been abandoned largely and without family to hlep them could easily just disappear. please post a link if there is a site to go to to write or act somehow in their favor. thanks
The UK government is sticking with their position on this. This is why the PEOPLE are standing up and acting on this.
who are your “the PEOPLE”?
“the PEOPLE” are people who are supporting the efforts to free Paul and Rachel
I feel like admin – Rachel is a lovely woman and deserves the best that life could give her not this. These pirates are despicable.
Can I suggest that everyone who wants to help achieve the Chandlers’ release should email their MP. There is a list of MPs and constituencies on the website http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm . I did this and it resulted in a response from Ivan Lewis, Secretary of State, in which he states the Government’s policy of ‘not making substantive concessions to hostage-takers.’ He goes on to refute the claims that the Government blocked a ransom payment but points out that ‘a third-party payment of a ransom to pirates would not be illegal under UK law.’
There are two points to be made: firstly, although anyone else who writes to their MP is likely to receive the same result, at least there will be a groundswell of public opinion made apparent to the Government (politicians need votes after all). The second point is that I take Mr Lewis’s response to mean that if any individual or organisation can provide the ransom money, the Government will not stand in the way. Perhaps this provides a glimmer of hope.
Thank you Mr Buxton
I attempted to leave a message for Mr Miliband via Twitter
No effect – he doesn’t follow me
Therefore, using the link you gave above, I found his email and
I have emailed [email protected] today
“Dear Sir
[Full Article quote with link to this site started email...."We believe Rachel and Paul Chandler can be released provided the British government take the right steps..........] Followed by
Please do not reply with “The Government’s policy is ‘not making substantive concessions to hostage-takers.’ It has already been stated by an MP that ‘a third-party payment of a ransom to pirates would not be illegal under UK law.’ Although seeing as the Government then blocked a third party ransom payment, perhaps another option could be the aforementioned above?
Please address this if you can
Most sincerely, and in hope
A Concerned Voter”
In Hope indeed.
I REALLY felt for them over Christmas – and still
G.I.F.C.A is an organization that negotiates the release of hostages taken by islamic militants. They have been successful in the Phillipines. It is run by Saif al Islam Muanmmar Al-Gaddafi (Libyan leader’s son). I thought I would leave a message, in case it might help.