START 2012 BY SAVING 14 STRANDED SAILORS

Normally near the horizon the ARENA as it sits presently after Cyclone Thane
hit Chennai yesterday. 14 sailors have been stranded onboard for nearly 15 months.
Had the Arena grounded, the sailors on board would have undoubtedly been hurt of killed.

For over 15 months the 14 member crew of the cargo vessel Arena have been virtual prisoners aboard their vessel just off the coast of Chennai (Madras), India in the Bay of Bengal. Due to a law that forbids sailors from coming ashore, the sailors are literally stuck aboard the vessel. Their disable ship has left them in perpetual limbo, unable to receive permission to enter India and unable to return to their Korean homeland. Reports have emerged of their deplorable condition on board and India Coast Guard keeps the crew supplied with food and water. Otherwise they would all perish.

The ship suffered mechanical problems for which the owner of the vessel refuses to repair so the ship has for over a year been anchored just inside the horizon of the Port of Madras. Yesterday's storm Cyclone Thane has moved the ship dangerously close to shore. The crew has literally escaped death and the lack of humanity of this situation has crossed the line of tolerance. Law must bend with logic and reality. These sailors are subsisting and at grave risk. The grounding of the vessel could result in serious injury or death. Their imprisonment on board is due to the enforcement of a law clearly designed to protect national security by preventing sailors ashore under normal circumstances. But this is a critical situation that has gone on too long and demands critical attention.

This matter came to the attention of PGI based on the observation of our daily commute to the PGI offices in Parrys Corner, Chennai which takes us along the beach drive. The vessel-OSM Arena- has always been a staple of the view, it sitting near the horizon for well over a year. The situation of the vessel has just come to our attention and we cannot sit idly by and advance an agenda of CSR of our own company and others if we can allow something so obviously inhumane exist any longer.

I'd ask that you copy this blog article to Amnesty International to demand the freedom of the crew of OSM Arena. AI has no presence in India so TWEET the Amnesty International Secretariat  @Amnestyonline

or email:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/contact



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