Ciaran’s Peculier [sic] Blog

Mystery still surrounds the eventual destination of those tanks seized by pirates off Somalia. They originated in the Ukraine, and initial theories that they were meant for some of the battling war-lords of that country were dispelled when the Kenyan government put its hands up.

However, the ship’s manifest has been acquired by the BBC and the buyer was listed thereon simply as GOSS, an acronym widely used and understood as meaning the Government of Southern Sudan. The authorities in Juba might want such hardware if they eventually go solo as an independent republic and break away from Khartoum. They’d find the tanks especially useful if such a divorce was not amicable.The Southern Sudanese deny having any involvement, claiming emphatically that the ship was not heading for Southern Sudan, a plausible enough contention given that Southern Sudan must be 1,500 miles at least from the nearest stretch of coast.  The Kenyans aren’t changing their story either. They insist that GOSS stands for General Ordinance Supplies and Security – yeah!

Confused? I think Planet Parker can shed some light on this tortured situation. Not far from Butlersbridge, Co. Cavan, lies the quiet townland of Derrygoss. One of its residents saw what were advertised as cheap Ukrainian septic tanks dating from the Soviet Era for sale in Buy & Sell.  He sent his cheque to a post office box but never heard anything more, causing him to became, well, worried. It seems that the Ukrainians never had septic tanks to sell in the first place but seeing his order they thought he wantted military tanks. They couldn’t undertsand his handwriting except for the last four letters, which they stuck on the ship’s manifest. The tanks found their way onto a ship sailing along the Somali coast and the rest is, as they say, history.