New Problem in Mabul

[Searcaigh]

Friend of mine from KK, Sabah sent me this link

Shootout in Mabul island - Nation | The Star Online

Anyone in the region have an update?

 

[chillyinCanada]

doggone it!! So frustrating and worrisome. Further, I don't pretend to understand the reasoning of these lunatic fanatics but even so, compelled to question what could they possibly have expected to achieve when attempting to kidnap fishermen?

 

[Wingy]

One of my bloggers was splitting his time between Kapalai and Seaventures oil rig at the time - will copy and paste the relevant parts

Back to the Filipinos terrorists, well, they strike the second night of our stay at the Water Village Mabul resort, 300 meters from the rig...they were 8, they killed a policeman, and kidnapped another one, but took no tourists this time. So you may think twice before you come here...it is a reality...And the rig was somewhere a "castle" more difficult to take than nay other resort. Till, every night, we had three "policemen", in full fighting equipment guarding the rig.

Hes belgian, excuse the english.

 

[chillyinCanada]

terrible. I suppose there will be escalation

 

[Midget]

terrible. I suppose there will be escalation

I think it has already escalated. ESSCOM isn't effective. They are trying to restructure it, but the kidnappings are happening every month now.
Such a shame.

 

[Wingy]

Resort horror as man killed, another kidnapped | News.com.au

 

[Searcaigh]

What is needed is some good old fashioned gunboat diplomacy

 

[victor]

Reading the various news stories and government announcements it looks like they are going to shut down the water villages (not the tourist ones) in Sabah and restrrict the routes that boats can use.
A more worrying option being discussed is a shoot on sight policy.
While I can understand where the police/army are comming from shooting a tourist on there way to bed would be a PR disaster.
Lets keep our fingers crossed that the can sort this out.

 

[Oldbear]

One good "Reactionary Team" and these terrorist would be sh## their fatigues when they see their buddy's head explode next to them.

Violence is is not always the answer, but there is a time for everything.

 

[Wingy]

I dont know that violence is the answer here because violence has been the deal for generations here between malays and filipinos...I dont have any answers. Ive had the conversation with both Filipinos from the Mindanao region and Malaysians and asked them both...what at the guts of it do they want...and both sides say - you know, its our grandfathers grandfathers and ancestors that started it.
I understand the involvement now of outside terrorist groups driving a small number of people to commit these raids. Its a world where we have made the spread of madness just a click of a mouse away and hey, you'd be suprised how many jungles you can get facebook on your Ipad nowdays. Shooting **** out of eachother and lobbing bombs hasnt achieved jack for generations, why would lobbing bigger bombs and shooting lots more make a difference now. Some cultural conflicts are beyond my comprehension of how to solve them. Leave em to it?. Sorry Sipidan you were beautiful but I take being shot at personally. Tourism especially high end purpose driven tourism like diving is highly price sensitive - is the diving really worth the hassle?. I can get shot at in Kings Cross for a lot cheaper. Malaysian ops must be on tenterhooks at the moment.
Since that blog was published there have been 16 posts on our discussion forum asking for alternative last minute dive destinations in or nearby from travelers who would have given mabul/sipidan a go but are steering clear. A small number yes, I mod a travel site, not a dive site, so our percentage of divers is small but there's been an noticeable response to the news.