Academic Writings: Excerpts
Introduction
If you think that pirates are fictional characters only read and seen in fiction stories like that of the one-arm Captain Hook from Peter Pan’s Neverland and that rather eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow of the Caribbean, you are totally mistaken.
In our present days now, amidst the vast technological wonders being discovered lately, water vessels from different countries in the world, which were either passing-by on or near the Gulf of Aden, Africa were being hijacked and robbed by modern-day pirates—the pirates of Somalia.
They were poor, uneducated but fierce, cunning and armed with assault rifles, rocket launchers and semi-automatic pistols. They were earning pretty much from the amount of money that they get from the multi-million dollar deals paid in exchange for the freedom of their captives each time they capture a ship and fearlessly threaten the lives of its passengers.
Piracy is a violent crime and the only ones who benefit from piracy are the pirates. It cannot be justified as a crusade for a charitable or earth-saving cause. (Brad Hampton, yatchpals.com)
That is why the clamor for ending piracy and terrorism in Somalia is getting unmistakably louder. However, stopping piracy is not just learning a simple ABC.
It is neither easy nor is something that can be eradicated overnight. It is quite complicated and it involved some factors to be carefully considered and act upon.
But, obviously, the need is very clear: to stop the threat of piracy. How? The answers cannot be completely laid down without going back to where did it all start.
Background
The said pirates hailed from Somalia, a small East African nation seated on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Its capital is Mogadishu.
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They started to drive away from the foreigners’ ships all by their own, “to protect their means of livelihood,” as described by Brad Hampton in his article in Yachtpals.com, “Pirates in Somalia-Is there a Solution?”(2001).
Later on, those fishermen realized that they can gain more from hijacking and demanding ransom. So, piracy on the Somali coasts had begun to defy the international shipping organizations.
The former fishermen have even become daring when allegations arose that they were or have joined by Somali Islamists or “jihads” aiming to fight against “enemies” of Islam.
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Recommendations
So, what is the best way to bring to stop the threat of piracy in Somalia? Karin Von Hippel suggested in her article in the San Francisco Chronicle, “Stopping the Pirates,” that there are three best options to be considered regarding this matter.
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Counter-argument and Refutation
It might seem that the implementation of a PR campaign is either ambitious or just not sufficient. Perhaps, it is simple as this: what plain word can persuade a hungry mouth? What argument can alter the apathy of the Somalis unto a gradual comprehension of the ill-effects of piracy?
What kind of a campaign could provide not only an image of human rights violations to the pirates’ captives but also shows that piracy does not benefit the Somali at all?
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Likewise, admittedly, security escorts and joint patrolling of Somali coasts under United Nations mandate might seem to be the easiest thing to do to ward off pirates from attacking more ships, but if this is so, what about its management and costs?
How many countries can continuously maintain the expenditures of using patrols to protect their ships crossing the said areas? Brad Hampton described it as “costly, may cause ship traffic and some countries cannot acquire enough armed vessels that will cover larger areas.”
Concession
Nevertheless, an aggressive global operation against piracy and terrorism has to be actualized soon, although solutions like public relations campaigns, developmental aid and joint patrols of Somali waters still need careful evaluation.
However, the earlier arguments do not take into account the fact that the above-mentioned recommendations would be “far cheaper and potentially more effective than most military options,” ensures Karin Von Hippel, “it would place Somali people in-charge in stopping the crime of their fellowmen (pirates).
Perhaps, it is more correct to say that the purpose of reeducating the Somali people against piracy goes beyond mere short-lived PR campaigns and forums. The latter must be taken as a single phase of a continual process, and never as a sole endeavor.
Karin Von Hippel has seen this as a part of a bigger goal. It is the political reconstruction in Somalia—one that involves all Somalis, committing themselves and taking each of their individual effort as a single act. Why not hold a forum on how to establish and maintain a good government?
If religious beliefs can distort one’s principles about life and another person, of course, it has its own advantages, too. Church teachings can focus anew on the dignity of being a “morally upright person” at all times.
Self–motivation to remain in-service of other people may be implied as well as abhorrence of any form of terrorism and violence towards another person.
If hunger and malnutrition justified the acts of the Somali pirates, then, minimize hunger by providing food that is readily available for everyone. Why not plant crops and vegetables right in their own backyards or in a neighborhood’s vacant space?
Likewise, development aid can actually help to elevate the impoverished lives of Somali people. That is if it can cover a good education program for their children and youths. That way, these young people are initially given the chance to gain new knowledge and learn new skills that can help them enhance the quality of their own lives and that of their families.
Thus, they would be productive and enable to contribute something to their society little by little. Food resources that are non-costly can be discovered and developed. Livelihood programs could result in self-reliant people, who gradually, stop themselves from asking or receiving money assistance from their Somali pirates.
Additionally, joint patrols, according to Karin Von Hippel, “can disarm all vessels and stop pirates from heading out to the sea. They can also watch out for illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping.” Joint patrols can indeed, provide immediate protection and assure the safety of passing ships.
Conclusion
Accordingly, the three options that Karin von Hippel enumerated above may or may not yield favorable results in the end; can be or cannot be what we actually need but considering that the advantages and disadvantages were already accounted for.
Noting the time, effort and expenses that the implementation of these solutions would cost, people in-charge would eventually find these simple suggestions quite helpful in one way or another.
Perhaps, it is worth trying to work out the most feasible one from these given choices. From then, monitor closely the step-by-step implementation of its procedures, and what exact direction such solution may be heading to.
On the whole, whereas combatting piracy is a serious problem confronting the world trade right now, and all problems challenge us to find its possible solutions, it follows that piracy in Somalia would hopefully find its own solution, too short. Actually, Karin Von Hippel claimed that “Somalia has able to combat piracy on their own in the past, and most probably, they can do it again.”
Meanwhile, whether any of the recommended solutions above or something better is applied to finally resolve the problem of piracy, it is still not complete, unless it treats the problem in a holistic context.
It must dig deep into its root, however complicated or impossible seems the task is. It needs to confront its weakest points, to thoroughly overcome this occurring problem.
Thus, it is significant to always take into consideration the motivation of those Somali fishermen why they instead resort to piracy. Brad Hampton briefly explained this, “that they see much gain and little to lose in this career path.”
Come to think of it, what happened to the Somali fishermen can also happen to ordinary people elsewhere. The problems that plagued them can also rise somewhere and defy another town or city or nation.
Even though those Somali pirates haven’t actually reached our coasts yet, consequently, we are indirectly affected every time a ship is seized and robbed.
We cannot help ourselves but feel fear and threatened, not only about other people but also about our own safety and our own privileges of freedom. Hence, piracy in Somalia must be dealt with accordingly and finally stopped.###
