Haiti Crisis: Attention Somali pirates! Put your money where your mouth is! Call toll-free 1-877-99-HAITI to donate!

Brenda Elliott at RBO linked this morning to an article in Australia's Green Left Weekly, which reports: "Spokespeople for the so-called Somali pirates have expressed willingness to part of their loot captured from transnational boats to Haiti," then goes on to note that the report is translated from its source, an organization called Aporea.

From the above quote my guess would be that English is not the translator's first language. But ever the optimist I refuse to buy into the notion that some hack for Hugo Chavez made up the story from whole cloth. Those who don't have quite my sunny disposition can read Brenda's interesting deconstruction of Aporea.

For my part I put out a challenge to Somalia's pirates, which I base on these quotes from the Aussie rag:

A Somali “pirate” spokesperson said: “The humanitarian aid to Haiti can not be controlled by the United States and European countries; they have no moral authority to do so.

“They are the ones pirating mankind for many years.”

Right on, brothers and sisters! It's about time a few of the world's downtrodden got sick and tired of the real pirates throwing around billions in aid! Best news I've had all year, if you're taking up the burden of donating to the neediest.

People of Somalia, YOU can make a difference NOW! Text, email, or phone your tax-free donation to the relief organizations now working in Haiti to save lives. They also accept checks and money orders. If you can't figure out which of the organizations to give to, go to the Hope for Haiti Now website for insight.

If Somalia's pirates prefer to donate supplies and personally ferry them to ports in Haiti or the Dominican Republic -- blankets, food, bottled water, solar-powered flashlights, medicine and surgical equipment are but a few of the things that are desperately needed.

And if you happen to come across a container ship loaded with rebar, well, I'm not going to tell you to hijack but rebar in large quantities is also on Haiti's 'Must Have' list.

I'll close with a plea to Green Left Weekly staff: Say, do you think you could pitch in and donate five dollars, in the name of your publication, to Haiti's earthquake victims? Thank you very much.