December 06,
22007: The Government of Guyana these week appealed to
Suriname to support their efforts in combating the growing
problem of pirate attacks on Guyanese vessels in the eastern
maritime region. Fishermen of Berbice in particular are
increasingly coming under attack at sea and in some cases
are washing up on shore after going missing.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the government expressed
its extreme concern about the development of a pattern in
which fishing vessels were being hijacked and their crews
killed or maimed.
“The Government of Guyana has received additional
information confirming pirates are operating in the eastern
sector of Guyana’s maritime space, executing their nefarious
acts and then escaping to the Republic of Suriname to seek
safe haven”, the release stated. On this note, the
Ministry affirmed that the Government is determined to
eradicate these activities and would redouble its efforts to
terminate them.
On this past Sunday it is believed that some 15 boats were
attacked, of which 5 are still missing.
Earlier survivors of such attacks have described
how masked armed men stole their engines and their catches
and then left them stranded in the deep sea.
"These brutal crimes are also threatening the growth of
an important industry and seriously affecting the livelihood
of our fishermen and their families," the statement said. |
