Piracy in Somalia Threatens Global Trade - Feeds Local Wars

A report by Chatham House.

Summary:

• Piracy off the coast of Somalia has more than doubled in 2008; so far over 60 ships have been attacked. Pirates are regularly demanding and receiving million-dollar ransom payments and are becoming more aggressive and assertive.
• The international community must be aware of the danger that Somali pirates could become agents of international terrorist networks. Already money from ransoms is helping to pay for the war in Somalia, including funds to the US terror-listed Al-Shabaab.
• The high level of piracy is making aid deliveries to drought-stricken Somalia ever more difficult and costly. The World Food Programme has already been forced to temporarily suspend food deliveries. Canada is now escorting WFP deliveries but there are no plans in place to replace their escort when it finishes later this year.
• The danger and cost of piracy (insurance premiums for the Gulf of Aden have increased tenfold) mean that shipping could be forced to avoid the Gulf of Aden/Suez Canal and divert around the Cape of Good Hope. This would add considerably to the costs of manufactured goods and oil from Asia and the Middle East. At a time of high inflationary pressures, this should be of grave concern.
• Piracy could cause a major environmental disaster in the Gulf of Aden if a tanker is sunk or run aground or set on fire. The use of ever more powerful weaponry makes this increasingly likely.
• There are a number of options for the international community but ignoring the problem is not one of them. It must ensure that WFP deliveries are protected and that gaps in supply do not occur.

Number of Piracy Attacks and Attempts in the Gulf of Aden

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Source: Chatham House

Links:

Pirates off Somalia Get $18 - $30 million in Ransoms

On November 10, the European Union (EU) launched a secunity operation to combat Somalian pirates

Update, November 18, 2008: Somali pirates have hijacked a Saudi supertanker carrying a cargo of $100 million in oil. The capture of Sirius Star 450 nautical miles southeast of Kenya's Mombasa port, and way beyond the Gulf of Aden where most attacks have taken place this year, is their boldest attack and the culmination of several years' increasing activity.

Circumcision Rates of Newborns Drop Dramatically Worldwide, Except in the US

Circumcision rates of newborns worldwide has dropped dramatically since World War II, except in the US where the rate has dropped from 64 percent of newborn males to 57 percent of newborn males. Doctors fear this is a serious public health issue since circumcision defends against many forms of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Arguments against the procedure include fear of desensitization of the penis, which doctors claim has never been demonstrated clinically.

Rates of Newborn Circumcision Have Dropped Dramatically Since WWII, Except in the US

Source: NewScientist, "Cut!", July 19-25, 2008

Female genital circumcision (mutilation) showed a drop from 35% to 20% in Ghana at the War Memorial Hospital from 1995 to 2003.

Prevalence of FGM among mothers delivering at the WMH (1996–2003)

Ghana Med J. 2006 September; 40(3): 87–92.

The WHO says that 3 million girls a year undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) in Africa.

"Prevalence of female genital cutting in Upper Egypt: 6 years after enforcement of prohibition law."

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC) in Upper Egypt, after 6 years of putting prohibition law into action. A total number of 3730 girls between the ages of 10-14 years were recruited to participate in this study. They were mainly preparatory school students (three urban and three rural areas). Social workers interviewed them as to whether they had undergone circumcision within the last 6 years or not. Subsequently, a questionnaire was sent to parents of girls who were positive for circumcision as to the circumstances surrounding the procedure. The prohibition law of FGC seems not to have altered the prevalence of this procedure. The majority of girls (84.9%) had had circumcision within the last 6 years with high prevalence in rural areas (92.5%). Circumcision was done for a combination of reasons, according to parents, with high rates of non-medical personnel participation (64.15%). This study's results indicate that the practice of FGC in Upper Egypt remains high despite enforcement of law. Extensive efforts are needed both to revise public awareness and to change attitudes regarding FGC.

PMID: 18348787 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]