Piracy lethal force policy clarity call 05.01.12
5The Government is being urged to clarify when it is legal for British-flagged ships to shoot and kill Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
Last year MPs on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee welcomed moves by the Government to allow armed private guards on British vessels sailing off the Somali coast.
But a report to be published today says guidance on the use of "lethal force" is very limited, leaving ship captains in a difficult position.
The committee of MPs has also concluded that the solutions to combating Somali pirates lie on land, with a need for better support for Somalian civil society organisations and local projects.
And in response to criticism from former captives Paul and Rachel Chandler about the Foreign Office's support for their family during their 13-month captivity, the committee said the Government should review its communication and other procedures when Britons are kidnapped abroad.
Committee chairman Richard Ottaway said: "It is unacceptable that 2.6 million square miles of the Indian Ocean has become a no-go area for small vessels, and a dangerous one for commercial shipping. There is a clear need to take decisive action.
"Naval forces have had some success, but they cannot hope to police such a large area of operation. Ship owners must take responsibility for their own protection, and the Government must let them do so.
"The Government was right to permit private armed guards to defend British flagged shipping against Somali pirates, but its guidance on the legal use of force lacks critical detail.
"The question anyone would ask is that if a private armed guard on board a UK flagged vessel sees an armed skiff approaching at high speed, can the guard open fire? The
Government must provide clearer direction on what is permissible and what is not."
Mark Brownrigg, director general of the UK Chamber of Shipping, said: "This substantial report covers the full spectrum of complex issues surrounding piracy. Shipping carries more than 80% of world trade and therefore any threat to ships and seafarers on major routes will have its own impact on the UK and global economy.
"This is why it's essential that the current effective military presence in the Indian Ocean must be maintained and strengthened, even in the face of today's economic pressures."
Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Somali piracy has grown into a major international problem, exacerbating the wider challenges we face in helping Somalia recover from conflict and drought.
"We will use the London Conference on Somalia to chart a way forward on the future political direction of Somalia, the vital humanitarian effort and the international community's approach to tackling piracy.
"I particularly welcome the FAC's clear support for our military engagement in the Gulf of Aden and in the wider Indian Ocean, for our position on establishing an extra-territorial Somali court, and policy of prosecuting pirates in local courts and our prisoner transfer agreements.
"Britain will continue to work with the UN, African Union, regional partners and the Somali people to build a stable Somalia and through our work with DFID to build sustainable alternative livelihoods for coastal communities in Somalia."
The conference is being hosted by the UK next month, bringing together leaders of key countries and bodies in a bid to improve the co-ordination of the international response to piracy, extremism and the underlying causes of instability and conflict in Somalia.