I think by now we all know about Somali Piracy. We’ve heard about it often enough in the media. And when you hear about all these kidnappings, the huge amounts of money paid as ransom to spare lives, it really stirs up a lot of anger. Imagine your family member being kidnapped and held for ransom in a lawless country. You don’t know what their circumstances are or whether you are ever going to see them alive even if a ransom is paid. More often than not, those being kidnapped are not wealthy and governments often have to step in to try and solve the problem.
It’s been more than half a decade since Somali men started attacking Indian Ocean shipping from small speedboats with AK-47s, grappling hooks and ladders. In a recent article that I read, it said that the attacks have become less frequent, although there still is a problem.
According to media reports, pirates are dangerous thugs that need to be wiped out. But surely there is another side to this story?
For my programme “Pinnacle Perspective” I interviewed a Somali national to try and get a different angle to the piracy debacle. He gave me some interesting insights into what is really going in Somalia and where it all started.
Doing research on the topic, I stumbled on the following information, which might change your perspective about the reality of Piracy in the Somalia.
During the cold war Somalia was a prize to be had at any cost.
1980 – Thousands of Somali’s are slaughtered under Mohammed Siad Barre’s orders, 1986 – Somali revolution against Barre begins. Severe drought and unrest cause hundreds of thousands of nomads to move to the coast line. People develop into communities who depend on fish as a way of life, 1991 – Siad Barre is forced out of power. A counter revolution begins trying to reinstate him. To insulate itself from the war, a region known as Somaliland declares independence. Barre is finally exiled, but civil war between warlords rages on.
Illegal fishing trawlers begin to trespass and fish in Somali waters.
1992 – UN troops land in Somalia led by the United States, 1993 – 1000 to 1500 Somali civilians lost their lives. 18 US soldiers are killed and 84 wounded. All US and UN troops withdraw from Somalia leaving the country in the hands of warlords, 2000 – Somali fishermen document cases of trawlers attacking them. Several Somali fishermen are killed. The fishermen arm themselves to defend their livelihoods. So do the illegal fishing trawlers, 2005 – UN estimates 700 foreign-owned vessels are illegally fishing in the Somali waters at any one time.
After the 2004 tsunami, hundreds of leaking toxic waste disposal barrels are mysteriously washed up on Somali shores. People begin to suffer from radiation sickness, many die.
Although I do not condone the kidnappings and killings, but maybe now you have a better understanding of why all this spiraled so out of control.