The Hill News

Piracy can’t be condemned too strongly. Piracy is a breach to the most fundamental principles of the modern civilization. In the worst hit areas off the Horn of Africa no seafarers â€" be it on a merchant ship or even a yacht â€" can be safe at sea.

Today, more than 600 seafarers are being kept as hostages by Somali pirates. They are all innocent victims to the unscrupulous hijackers operating at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean. Their families are afraid that they will never see their beloved ones again.

Piracy is unacceptable not only by all humanitarian, security and legal standards. On top of this come the economic impacts on the global trade and traffic. Though it is difficult to calculate, experts estimate the total cost of piracy to be approximately $16 billion in 2010.

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