Following the discussion on the Chandlers earlier this week, things have developed. A ransom demand has been made. The UK government has, quite rightly, made it plain that there will be no payment from them.
The Foreign Office said the couple were “blameless tourists” but said no payment would made nor advice given to the family to help them make a payment.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office added: “We are aware of reports that a ransom demand of $7m has been made. [Her Majesty’s Government] HMG’s policy remains clear: We will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms.”
No mention has been made of insurance as was discussed on this thread. So, I guess, no insurance cover exists – and that wouldn’t surprise me. That leaves the family or some convoluted deal involving other captives.
Nothing has happened to change my original analysis – despite setting a course wide of the Somalian coast, there were reports earlier in the year of pirate activity well out into the Indian Ocean. This was a foreseeable risk and entirely avoidable. While I feel some small amount of sympathy for the captives, it is everyone else dragged into this unwittingly who have my main empathy.
Quite right – no payment. And they should never have been near there.
.-= My last blog ..Self interest is in the community’s best interest =-.
But a possible quid pro quo of HMG’s correct insistence that it will not make ransom payments might be that they follow up such demands with gunboats.
Currently, the HMG position risks being undermined by – in the circumstances perfectly reasonably – attempts by others to secure their release.
Herein lies the problem. Other countries pay the ransoms. Indeed, the news programmes talk of making deals as if this is a commercial transaction. It is criminal extortion and should be treated as such. What should happen, but won’t unfortunately, is what happened when we last faced pirates on the high seas; give the Royal Navy the go-ahead to sort it out.
The only reason our government is not paying like the rest of them is it doesn’t have the money.
Plus the gunboats can’t go because of H&S rules. Bullets may harm those poor pirates and we know they have had deprived lives.
We need some 12 year olds to go and rescue them.
.-= My last blog ..Mind reading scanners =-.
Bring back Lord Palmerston.