A pirate plague
23/10/08 21:39 Filed in: Piracy
They look healthy, they look like they’re okay,” Lt. Nathan Christensen, deputy spokesman at the Middle East headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, told The Associated Press.
The U.S. Navy has remained on the scene to ensure no arms fall into the hands of Al Qaeda, or other Islamist insurgents.
The deadline for the Somali pirates’ initial threat to blow up the Faina passed without incident. But tensions remain high, and are likely to escalate with several NATO warships headed to the region, reported AP. One of the pirates told AP if NATO attacks the Faina, the crew will be killed.
"Either we get the money or hold onto the ship. And if attacked, we will fight back to the bitter end," Ali Sugule, a spokesman for the pirates, told AP via satellite telephone.
"The important thing, though, is if we die they will die too," Ali said, referring to Faina’s crew.
Interestingly, nine other vessels are also being held hostage in the region, reported the BBC.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, the French Navy intercepted near the Gulf of Aden two small armed vessels operated by Somali pirates, reported AP. The nine captured pirates are now in the custody of Somali officials, who gave assurances that the prisoners would not be mistreated.
The International Maritime Bureau told AP pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have increased by roughly 75 percent. The organization is urging the world’s navies to step up their protection of this frequently navigated waterway.
The U.S. Navy is flexing its muscle. The U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain has created a maritime security patrol area in the waters between Somalia and Yemen, reported Sail magazine. They are targeting piracy, of course, but they are also concerned with the trafficking of humans, drugs and weapons.
And NATO is launching its own pirate patrol, the BBC reported on Oct. 22. But Admiral Mark Fitzgerald told the BBC their anti-piracy initiative faces significant obstacles. It is difficult to decipher who are pirates in these heavily navigated waters until they attack, he told BBC.
NATO’s primary mission will be to ensure UN aid reaches Somalia’s starving citizens, Fitzgerald said. But NATO also hopes to lend a hand in protecting the tens of thousands of ships passing though the waters each year.
The rules of engagement with the pirates has yet to be determined, reported the British news agency.
The BBC also reported that India and several European nations plan to police the perilous waters as well.
But for now piracy business is booming, with ransoms averaging $1 to $2 million dollars, according to The New York Times. Just look at the port of Eyl, in the Somali region Puntland. A safe haven for hijacked vessels, Eyl’s, and the Puntland’s, economy centers around piracy, reported the BBC.
Given all the other people involved in the piracy industry, including those who feed the hostages, it has become a mainstay of the Puntland economy. Eyl has become a town tailor-made for pirates--and their hostages.
Special restaurants have even been set up to prepare food for the crews of the hijacked ships.
While nearly millions of war-torn Somalia’s people are starving--some reports estimate as many as 3.5 million people will be in need of aid by the end of 2008--in Puntland, “fancy houses are being built, fancy cars are being bought,” reported BBC. Faster speedboats and more modern arms are being purchased as well.
On Oct. 28, BBC published a story on the lifestyle of today’s pirates. They spoke with residents of Puntland. Here is what one man said:
"They have money; they have power and they are getting stronger by the day," says Abdi Farah Juha who lives in the regional capital, Garowe.
"They wed the most beautiful girls; they are building big houses; they have new cars; new guns," he says.
"Piracy in many ways is socially acceptable. They have become fashionable."
Piracy, legalized and otherwise, has long been a political tool. Today it infrequently catches the eye of mainstream media. But the scale of the Faina hijacking makes it hard to ignore. With hopes for a peaceful resolution, perhaps the incident may act as a catalyst to implement a strategy for long-term protection of the Gulf of Aden and other waters where piracy is an issue.
Perhaps it might also bring Somalia’s plight--it’s desperate need for the restoration of order--back onto the world’s stage. According to Human Rights Watch, Somalia is the world’s “most ignored tragedy.” The abject distress of a nation is not confined within its borders, but seeps out to affect us all. So if we can’t act altruistically, we might be well-served to consider our own interests.
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