TIM TIM eMagazine Vol Vol . 1 . Issue 1 115
Kidnappings At Sea In Asia Reach 10 Year High Level
S outhampton charity Sailors ’ Society is launching a crisis response network to help victims of trauma at sea in Asia , as kidnappings at sea reach their highest levels in 10 years .
The charity , which supports seafarers around the world , has trained all 20 of its chaplains across Asia in crisis response and is now offering a 24-hour support service to victims of piracy , kidnapping and natural disasters .
The network is being launched in the same month that the International Chamber of Commerce ’ s International Maritime Bureau ( IMB ) released statistics showing that kidnapping at sea trebled in 2016 , with pirates kidnapping 62 people for ransom in 15 separate incidents last year .
The trend appears to be continuing : on January 9 , another eight fishermen were killed by armed men who attacked their boat in a suspected pirate attack off the Southern Philippines .
Adi Manurung , 32 , is one of 26 crew members from the Naham 3 , who were released in October after being held hostage by Somali pirates for almost five years . He is now receiving help from Sailors ’ Society chaplains , including financial support , accompanying him on visits to the psychiatrist and providing counselling for him and his family to help him reintegrate into his community .
Adi said he and his colleagues ate mice and wild cats during their captivity . “ I thought that I would die ,” he said . “ There was no hope . “ The thing that helped me survive was reading a Bible that I had brought with me . When one of the pirates found out that I had it , he threw it onto the floor and stamped on it .
“ My dream for the future is to return to the job I always wanted as a seafarer so I can please my parents , who are aging and cannot work .
“ I hated the pirates . But now I can forgive them . God is forgiving , and I should also be a forgiving person .”
The Crisis Response Network Asia expands Sailors ’ Society ’ s existing crisis response networks in Ukraine and Africa , and comes at a time when there has been an escalation in the number of kidnappings in the Sulu Sea between East Malaysia and the Philippines .
According to the IMB , in the last quarter 12 crew members were kidnapped from vessels in three separate attacks in the Sulu Sea .
Stuart Rivers , CEO of Sailors ’ Society , said : “ Victims of piracy and kidnappings are exposed to violence and terror , which can have a devastating impact on them and their families for years to come .
“ By coming alongside these survivors and their families , we can work with other agencies to help them come to terms with what has happened , give them financial , physical and psychological support to help them pick up the pieces of their lives .”
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