--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ffl...@... wrote: > > Top Ten Questions To Ask Yourself Before Becoming A Somali Pirate
Or how about complaining to the UN about the miserable state Somalia has been allowed to fall into and the illegal exploitation of resources by rich "civilised" countries: "Following the massive tsunami of December 2004, there have also emerged allegations that after the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in the late 1980s, Somalia's long, remote shoreline was used as a dump site for the disposal of everything from uranium radioactive waste, to industrial waste, to hospital and chemical wastes. The huge waves which battered northern Somalia after the tsunami are believed to have stirred up tonnes of nuclear and toxic waste that was illegally dumped in the country by several European firms. The European Green Party followed up these revelations by presenting before the press and the European Parliament in Strasbourg copies of contracts signed by two European companies -- the Italian Swiss firm, Achair Partners, and an Italian waste broker, Progresso -- and representatives of the warlords then in power, to accept 10 million tonnes of toxic waste in exchange for $80 million (then about £60 million). According to reports by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the waste has resulted in far higher than normal cases of respiratory infections, mouth ulcers and bleeding, abdominal haemorrhages and unusual skin infections among many inhabitants of the areas around the northeastern towns of Hobbio and Benadir on the Indian Ocean coast -- diseases consistent with radiation sickness. UNEP continues that the current situation along the Somali coastline poses a very serious environmental hazard not only in Somalia but also in the eastern Africa sub-region. "The intentions of these pirates are not concerned with protecting their environment," the UN envoy for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said.[28][29][30] At the same time, illegal trawlers began fishing Somalia's seas with an estimated $300 million of tuna, shrimp, and lobster being taken each year depleting stocks previously available to local fishermen. Through interception with speedboats, Somali fishermen tried to either dissuade the dumpers and trawlers or levy a "tax" on them as compensation. In an interview, Sugule Ali, one of the pirate leaders explained "We don't consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits (to be) those who illegally fish and dump in our seas." Peter Lehr, a Somalia piracy expert at the University of St. Andrews says "It's almost like a resource swap, Somalis collect up to $100 million a year from pirate ransoms off their coasts and the Europeans and Asians poach around $300 million a year in fish from Somali waters."[31][32] From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy_in_Somalia > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is piracy a recession-proof industry? > > > > > > > > How am I at ducking sniper fire? > > > > > > > > Is there enough swash in my buckle? > > > > > > > > Before committing, should I temp as a pirate? > > > > > > > > Am I doing this just to get babes? > > > > > > > > Is there an all-inclusive meal plan? > > > > > > > > Will I get to meet Johnny Depp? > > > > > > > > Will I get along with Ross Ohlendorf? (Sorry, that's a question to ask > yourself before becoming a Pittsburgh Pirate) > > > > > > > > Is there more opportunity for advancement in Al Qaeda? > > > > > > > > How's the commute from Jersey? > > "Love will swallow you, eat you up completely, until there is no `you,' only > love." > > - Amma >
