Trouble On My Mind

This really gets to me....

CNN Story of British sailors taken captive.

A British couple cruising towards Tanzania aboard their private yacht (not like P Diddly's, it was a small sailboat) were boarded and taken captive almost 100 days ago. The pirates working from the Somalian coast are demanding $7 million dollars for their safe release. The British government refuses to pay the ransom but say they are actively negotiating with the captors. I understand the governments position and have to agree with their actions... But having said that, my sailor side feels terrible. I put myself in that position of hopelessness and it is a truly sickening feeling.

I feel very sorry for not only Mr. and Mrs. Chandler, but also their families back home and unable to do anything to help. The article above states both are having health issues and their living conditions are growing worse and worse the longer the ransom goes unpaid.

This is only one of MANY upon MANY stories. There are a large number of ships and their crews being held in Somalia right now that you will never hear about. It is not anything new. But the mainstream media only started to report it when they could get ratings. It took a couple U.S. snipers before the story caught traction and even then CNN got bored with it before the commercial break.

The reasons behind piracy in that area are a lot deeper than rape, pillaging, or the lust for gold. Like every other horrific problem the world has to offer us right now there are underlying issues that we are not looking to solve. It is easier to cope with the damages than to prevent the cause.

So, what can I do? Nothing really. I can try to get the word out a little more. Even if one person (looking at my blog views, I am lucky to get that!) reading this is made more aware of the issue... Then I have done something.

K'naan is a great artist. I really like his music and humble style. I found this piece where he is explaining some of the bigger issues behind African Piracy. Now, I am not an expert on this topic and I don't understand the problems either. But take the time to check out some more information.