EU-Kenya Operation Atalanta European Union values

Letter expressing outrage over UN and EU's continued embrace of punitive and criminalized "solutions" for "Somali pirates" and the so-called "trust fund!" Lip service to REAL solutions to Somali piracy!

Dear Sweden and EU Presidency:

I listen to the speech given Mr. Anders Lidén, as well as the rest of the 2 1/2 hour Security Council meeting, much of which dwelled on so-called "catching Somali pirates.” What is outrageous and very sad is to see the world body of the Security Council and the European Union continuing the mantra of "punish pirates, punish pirates and punish pirates" with NO real efforts at combating the real reason why the Somalis are taking up piracy in the first place.

While the clandestine fishing and toxic waste dumping and lack of an effective government were mentioned, there is only lip service given to alternative livings for those that take up piracy. WE MUST understand - NOW - the reason why the "pirates" do what they have to to feed their families!!! WE MUST then understated WHY it is the "pirates" then adapt their methods, and plan, bald-face evil criminality IS NOT the reason, but the need to make some kind of living! WE MUST get the EU back to its basic core values and away from the un-European activities of "Operation Atalanta!"

Now - what Mr. Lidén's speech proposes are policies that are outside of European values in its foreign and security relations. first of all, Mr. Lidén proposed in his speech are essentially show trials of "pirates," long prison sentences, which are absolutely against European values. This so-called "trust fund" with Kenya is also un-European in that there are no rehabilitation and reintegration programs for "convicted pirates."

What should also be proposed in the EU-Kenya relationship to "punish pirates" is rehabilitation programs for "pirates" that are in prison. There should be education and reintegration programs for "convicted pirates" that are in prison. Excessively long prison sentences and criminal stigma must be avoided and full compliance with human rights of the "convicted pirates," including their right to lawful method to earn a living should be respected by the European Union.

This "trust fund" that seeks only to "catch and punish pirates" is shameful to the idea of the European project and a stain on the European Union - unless rehabilitation and reintegration of "convicted pirates" is also included!

Thanks for your time - for those caught up in piracy - this is important!

(signed and dated by me)

Let's cheer on the "Somali pirates" - Godspeed and best of luck to them!

I am currently listening to the 2hr debate in the Security Council on the so-called "scourge of Somali piracy." I am outraged that the whole debate surrounds, as well as on the EU Security and Defense YouTube channel, the "need" to catch "pirates" and put them into "prison."

Somali "piracy" is not the problem - but the conditions that force Somalis into piracy in the first place. It is no wonder that the so-called "pirates" are adapting and getting better. Piracy is that only form of living for the so-called "pirates," then attempts to tamper with their form of living to feed their families results in protecting their way of "criminal" living. This is such an easy thing to see, a caveman can see it, let alone the jackbooted bruts of Operation Atalanta!

Good people should actually be both outraged that the root causes of piracy are being ignored and should then cheer on the so called "pirates. "We should feel no sympathy for fishing vessels that are captured by so-called "pirates." So as long as there in NO real action on alternative livings for the Somalis - and they are driven into piracy - we should wish the "pirates" the best of good luck in "work" in feeding their families through piracy. Good luck and best of wishes to the pirates!!!

The EU ESDP mission, Operation Atalanta, is against basic European values in the first place in that it violates non-violent and peaceful solutions to humanitarian problems FIRST, such as so-called "scourge of Somali piracy." A real European solution would seek a law abiding livings for the so-called Somali "pirates," not degrade them as human beings, and insure their right to an proper living!