Trouble on Land and in the Sea [Archives:2006/915/Opinion]

The latest spate of sea vessels capsizing with scores of dead and missing in our warm and friendly waters or water surroundings is beginning to alarm the conscience for two reasons. One, is that we obviously are not monitoring our coastal waters properly and are not really aware of what is going on in our marine periphery, let alone the entire water bodies that touch on our equally friendly and warm land. Two, is that we are doing very little in the area of prevention to avoid such unholy catastrophes to poor innocent souls seeking a respite from the never ending bloodshed and instability that has prevailed in Somalia for the last half century almost. There is room for worry in both respects in that we are certainly lax about our waters and this makes Yemen ever the more vulnerable to any calamity that can occur, by an Act of God or by the evil doings of horrendous smugglers who have no conscience whatsoever, or an unexpected hostile attack. How long must this country be subjected to the workings of evil blood suckers, who know nothing except how to enrich themselves without any care for the consequences of their monstrous greed that places a low value on anything that is sacred, including human lives? Here we are hearing of the drowning of tens of people almost on a weekly basis, as if the shock of the first drowning a few months ago has not shaken our conscience or sensitivities to the sanctity and extent of safety of our marine surroundings.

Surely, one cannot help but feel sorry for these poor souls, who are suckered by evil smugglers, who promise their gullible customers that they will take them to the gates of paradise, if they just give them whatever is left of their properties or valuables. Then they dump these poor people into overcrowded boats that probably are not fit for floating on the sewerage lakes of Al-Hasaba Street in Sana'a, let alone sail the high seas. These boats are probably not even equipped with communication equipment that could signal out “May Day”” in the event of any trouble in the middle of the deep seas or when confronting terrible stormy waters that are normally edgy at this time of the year.

One is not sure how much the Somali Government has control over the marine activities emanating out of its coasts