World | Somalia Somalia Seeks Funds to Fight Pirates on Land Somali PM urges West to help his government stop pirates reaching the sea By Rob Quinn Posted Apr 15, 2009 8:18 AM CDT Copied US congressman Donald Payne, left, has discussions with Somalia Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid, Monday, April 13, 2009 in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sheikh Nor) Somalia's transitional government says it's ready to take on the pirates that prey on shipping off its shores, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Somalis say they can tackle the pirates on land more effectively than foreign navies can manage at sea—but they are currently outgunned and will need funding from the West to chase the pirates out of their havens. "We are not being utilized as much as we could be," Somalia's prime minister said. "We need to fight pirates on land. We have information about how they function and who they are." He warned that international assistance will be needed quickly because the pirates' hefty ransoms are making them richer and more powerful than the government. Read These Next North Carolina shooting suspect once walked the red carpet. The gunman who killed 4 at a Michigan church was an ex-marine. 'We heard a big bang,' says churchgoer in Michigan Skydivers leap from plane 2 minutes before fatal crash. Report an error