hoist the colours – pirates are on the horizon…

The image of a pirate has been one of freedom. Not bound by an occupation or loyalty to a particular country, the pirate could sail the seven seas safe in the knowledge that he is the master of his own destiny. This is of course a fictitious notion, romanticised by Hollywood and the loveable swagger of Johnny Depp. In truth, the life of a pirate has always been a tough one and contrary to popular belief, piracy has not faded into the horizon. Instead, modern day pirates still roam the seas, not because of freedom, but desperation.

Piracy has made international news this month, after a Ukrainian vessel, carrying 33 Russian-made tanks and heavey weapons was hijacked off the coast of Somalia near the town of Hobyo. There has been over 60 reported cases of pirate attacks within the Somali region this year, leading to the UN Security Council unanimously passing a declaration in May which authorises nations to enter the territorial waters of Somalia to apprehend pirates.

The recent hijacking of The Faina on the 25th September sparked a great deal of international response. Under the UN’s latest declaration, the EU assembled an anti-piracy security operation starting in November. According to French Defence Minister, Herve Morin, at least eight countries will be involved, claiming, ‘There is very broad European willingness’.

International interference seems to be part of the problem. Piracy has festered in the Somali region since its Civil War in the early 1990s. Large areas of Somalia are now autonomous regions, ruled by warlords. Commercial fishing has impacted the lively-hood of many of Somalia’s small fishing villages. Unable to compete with larger business, these fishing ports soon become pirate havens where attacks can be coordinated. The bandits
themselves have claimed that they are ‘pirates out of desperation… first by hunger and lack of government,’ and call for other countries to help put a  government in place.

The hijacked Faina was quickly surrounded by US warships, ensuring that no weapons were taken off the ship. The modern age of piracy is a scary concept. The pirates will often launch speedboats from a mothership attacking vessels with heavy weaponry, including grenades and explosives.

The pirates had claimed that they would retaliate if attacked demanding a $20 million (about £11 million) ransom for the safe return of the vessel, its cargo and crew. This is not unusual, as ransoms range between $500,000 (£283,000) to $30 million (just under £17 million). Senior UN officials have estimated that pirates can earn up to $100 million (£54 million) each year from hijackings. Somali warlords have been known to hire pirates to hijack ships, splitting the ransom money. This means that powerful political figures are showing supoort for piracy, encouraging hijackings, which makes it more difficult to defeat.

The pirates of Somalia are clearly products of a developing country rife with civil war and without an authentic leadership. But why request so much ransom money? Why not request a halt in shipping? Perhaps greed and piracy are bedfellows and inseparable. It is unlikely that shipping will decrease
in the region, and about 2.4 million people in the region depend on food aid, 19 per cent of which arrives by sea. It is vital that this does not come under attack by the pirates, but the latest measures taken by Europe, the US and Russia should prevent this.

Aaron Maughan

Tags: Pirates, Somalia