Somalia

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/2uam29e

Are the officials right to warn yachters to keep away from pirate alley off Somalia, or are they being racist?

After all, Somalis are not all the same, there are some very nice, (wouldn't harm a fly Somalis) around.

[sandyRoe]

True. You can't tar them all with the same brush. But the ones who go down to the sea in small boats looking to commit piracy should be warned about

[jaydah]

carry an AK47 or two - sorted !

[craft1948]

I must admit that I was surprised to learn that even huge cruise ships have an arsenal in the event of attempted piracy........

[jaydah]

They're sailing in convoy and are rich to take part in such events.....will I care - I dont think so.

[ll_billym]

If those yachters are that dumb that they don't know the risks and need a warning then sure, give them a warning.

The thing is that if they get kidnapped they will be pleading with the government to help them wa wa wa, just like the Chandlers who are wishing they stayed at home.

Harsh but true.

[jaydah]

Not only rich Rosea, back-packers in 3rd world whinge to Brit Embassy if their money is stolen from their boots. Some are tooooooooooo niave to worry about.

[Coldicote]

That two innocent people can be held hostage for more than a year surely indicates that Somalia as a whole should be doing more to put its own house in order.

[sandyRoe]

There was an authority forming in Somalia. But it had an Islamic tinge and the Americans didn't like that.

[sandyRoe]

They financed anarchy rather than see another unfriendly state develop.

[fredpuli47]

Watch out anywhere for Italians (Mafia) and particularly Sicilians in Sicily (ditto) and Colombians in Colombia (kidnapping, pickpocketing etc) and indeed any locals in any country of which the Foreign Office warns you to be careful. There's quite a list, and a better and more detailed one in guides like the South American Handbook.

Mind, I've always thought the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was racist! And the Handbook is definitely unjustly and unfairly against the citizens of Medelin (and some other places too)

[rov1200]

Al qaeda are rife in Somalia. They owe no allegience to any one country but can move about the trouble spots.

Makes you wonder why we are p1ssing about in Afghanistan when the real enemy has moved on.

[andy-hughes]

No I don't think this is racist - it is sensible advice to keep people safe.

I am appalled at the notion of some gung-ho sailors who set up a convoy to sail through this area, and then had a party with commemorative certificates when they reached the other side.

Such foolhardy machismo flies in the face of sound advice from guiardians of the waterways, who can and are required to put their own lives at risk to save these foolish 'adventurers' who seem think this is something akin to paintballing at sea.

Piracy is real - these men are killers, and i reckon the 'novelty' of such an exercise would rub off fairly quickly if all who require rescue in the event of piracy, and found to be indulging in this ridiculous 'party' - are fined and have their craft confiscated.

[ludwig]

They're warning people about piracy, not Somalis. So there's no comparison with you warning people about muslims, which I suspect is the point you're trying to make.