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Thinking of the piracy victims – at last

by | Oct 4, 2011 | Humanitarianism, Piracy and Security

Only one thing prevented World Maritime Day 2011 from becoming all sound and fury, a meaningfless orgy of speeches and messages spun around the theme “Piracy: Orchestrating the Response”. It was the launch on 29th September, City of London, of the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP). This undertaking is funded by the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) Seafarers’ Trust and The TK Foundation and has the support of all the big guns in the shipping industry. The aim: to help seafarers and families cope with the physical and mental trauma caused by torture and abuse at the hands of pirates. The pain and anguish they suffer are immeasurable, beyond the world’s imagination. Hence our question – why only now? ~Barista Uno

Who leads the anti-piracy orchestra?

by | Sep 22, 2011 | Piracy and Security

Our intellect must have gone on sabbatical. IMO says World Maritime Day 2011 will be observed from 26th to 30th September. The exact date is left to individual governments but at the IMO headquarters in London, it’s on the 29th. We don’t get it. Why call it “Day” when we’re talking here of a week? This year’s theme is “Piracy: Orchestrating the Response”. It’s apropos given the upward spiral of Somali piracy attacks, and it has a nice ring to it. We’re reminded of the London Symphony Orchestra or the Berlin Philharmonic. What we’d like to know is, who’s the conductor? (more…)

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