Click to play videoNew Delhi: The families of six Indians kidnapped by Somali pirates seven months ago will be meeting External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in New Delhi to demand that the Central Government ensure their safe release.
The families of some of those kidnapped by the Somali pirates and belonging to Haryana have been protesting outside state Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's home in Chandigarh. They are also threatening to commit suicide in front of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence if their relatives are not rescued or released. The Egyptian cargo ship MV Suez was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on August 2, 2010.
The ship's crew includes six Indians, four Pakistanis, four Sri Lankans and 11 Egyptians. The pirates are reportedly demanding Rs 10 crore in ransom for their safe release.
However, Krishna has said that the Ministry of External Affairs cannot negotiate for the safe release of the Indian sailors.
"I have spoken to the Shipping Ministry to help. I have also asked Ambassador R. R Swaminathan in Cairo and the Consul General in Dubai to work with respective governments and ship owners to get sailors released. But we need to be cautious and patient and persevere. It is not for the Ministry of External Affairs to negotiate. We can only facilitate the identity of the ships and then it is for the others to talk to the ship owners and the property belongs to them, the ship belongs to them," said Krishna.
The wife of one of the sailors in captivity appealed to the Government for help.
"I am searching for him. I am looking for him and if the government is really unable to do something then send me there because I just want to touch him once before he dies," she said
Another sailor's relative claimed that the pirates were torturing them
"It's a terrible condition in which they are right now. From last one week they are torturing them because the owner has refused to pay the ransom. The Indian government can put pressure to force the owner of the ship to pay ransom, so that the ship can be released. The pirates have stopped the crew's food and water from past four to five days," he said.
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