Report from Stronghold of Somali Pirates

Following are excerpts from a TV report from a stronghold of Somali pirates, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on April 17, 2009.

Reporter: This was the beginning of our journey to the city of Eyl, also know as "Pirates' Capital." Our hardships ended only after an arduous journey, which lasted for two whole days, in which we crossed rivers, vast deserts, and towering mountains. Eventually, we arrived at this city, on the coast of the Indian Ocean. The rough roads and the surrounding mountains have turned this city into a stronghold of the pirates, even though their presence and influence within the city is limited. If you turn your eyes to the sea, however, you can spot the pirates' spoils, floating a few miles away.

The pirates spend more time on these hijacked ships than in their cities. They guard hostages, who become their friends for the time being, like this Indonesian sailor. They bring with them on board these ships all they need to spend weeks and months there, until ransom is paid. When they leave the ships, they take with them things to remind them of their hostages.

But the people and the houses of Eyl – known as the capital for Somali pirates – bear no sign of the millions of dollars collected by the pirates, who are not respected at all by most of the locals. It is not surprising that the women in Eyl demonstrate whenever they see the media, demanding that the pirates leave their poor city, which lies on the richest coast in the Horn of Africa.

From Eyl, this is Wael 'Issam, Al-Arabiya TV.