Understanding Somali Piracy
In recent years, frequency of pirates attack off the cost of Somalia is drastically increased and became a great threat to international commercial shipping industries. According to the International Maritime Bureau (2011) report, more than 60% of the piracy attacks were committed by Somali pirates in the first six months of 2011 and many of the attacks have been east and north-east of the Gulf of Aden where is a passage for 70% of the world’s petroleum traffic and 20% of the world’s commercial
shipping.
Attempting to prevent the piracy in the coast of Somali, many international countries are started to deploying their naval forces and anti-piracy fleets. Also, the United Nations are allowed to use their powers to intervene against pirates on Horn of Africa. However, solving the root of Somali piracy problem is not simple as we think because there are many factors to consider such as regional political instability, corruption in Somali police forces, poor economic situation and pan-Somali nationalism movement.
In order to defeat Somali piracy successfully, the U.S and allies must help Somali government to rebuild strong state and law enforcement institutions and educate the young generations. Also, the international communities should aid them to establish the strong Somali Coast Guard, so they can secure their own ports and coastal area from the piracy and foreign trawler who committing illegal activities in the Somali coastal area (James 2011).
Just listening to recent media report, many of us can assume that Somali piracy is caused by poverty and are there to collect the large sum of ransom moneys and to assault the innocence peoples. However, this is not how it started th...
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...he efforts to combat it, Somali piracy is posing an ever greater threat to the world’s shipping. Retrieved from
http://www.economist.com/node/18061574#footnote1 3rd Feb 2011.
Pottengal Mukundan. (2011) Pirate attacks at sea getting bigger and bolder, says International Maritime Bureau 14 July 2011. Retrieved from
http://www.icc-ccs.org/news/450-pirate-attacks-at-sea-getting-bigger-and-bolder-says-imb-report
Stig Hansen (2009). Piracy in the Greater Gulf of Aden. Retrieved from
http://www.nibr.no/filer/2009-29-ny.pdf
Paul B. Henze. (1991). The Horn of Africa from War to Peace.
Mark Kirk,. (2011) Ending Somali Piracy Against American and Allied Shipping.
http://www.kirk.senate.gov/pdfs/KirkReportfinal2.pdf
John James. (2011). Make Somali a better country. Retrieved from
http://maritimesecurity.asia/free-2/piracy-update/make-somalia-a-better-country/
Since around the 19th century piracy has declined from great tales of grandeur and adventure, Instead turning to small dingys of african pirates holding up cargo ships in trade routes. In conclusion, although the golden age of piracy has come to an end, the legendary stories of famous, ruthless, and cunning pirates still live on in movies and books reminding us of times where you couldnt go out for a swim without being kidnapped or strung up to the yardarm of a ship!
The essay mention the Privy Council members and they are powerful advisors to the crown. They say, “actual robbery is not essential element in the crime of piracy. A frustrated attempt to commit piratical robbery is equally piracy.” The lines of knowing what exactly a pirate is blurry, but if you attempt to commit robbery in the seas, then that’s piracy. The crime was so easy to distinguish that legislators stopped trying to describe
During the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries, piracy was rampant in the Atlantic, specifically in the West Indies. Piracy has existed since the earliest days of ocean travel, for a range of personal and economic reasons. However, one of the major reasons why piracy was wide spread and rampant in the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries was Great Britain’s endorsement and usage of piracy as an asset; in wars fought in the New World. Great Britain with its expanding power and conflicts with other nations would make piracy a lifestyle and lay down the foundation for the Golden Age of Piracy and eventually bring what it created to a screeching halt.
Somalia, located on the East coast of Africa, is in much turmoil. It’s filled with civil unrest and piracy. Although the other countries surrounding Somalia are feeling the impact of the civil unrest, almost the whole world is impacted by the piracy in Somali waters. Piracy Is a major issue in Somalia. Although improving, it still remains a threat to the crews of the ships in the waters off the coast and the prosperity of the surrounding countries and the addition of armed guards to the boats is a necessary solution.
It is first beneficial to know the definition of piracy. Piracy has been characterized multiple ways from multiple disciplines. For the purpose of this paper, I will apply the definition of piracy from the 1982 United ...
The history of piracy dates back more than 3000 years. “It appears that the word pirate (peirato) was first used in about 140 BC by the Roman historian Polybius. The Greek historian Plutarch, writing in about 100 A.D., gave the oldest clear definition of piracy. He described pirates as those who attack without legal authority not only ships, but also maritime cities (http://www.piratesinfo.com/history/history.php).” The most common meaning of the word pirate recognizes them as an outlaw and a thief. Anyone who was caught and tried with the act of piracy would be sentenced to death.
The Golden Age of Piracy began around 1650, and ended around 1730. Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea, but can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the criminal. The term has been used throughout history to refer to raids across land borders by non-state agents. A pirate is one who commits robberies at sea, usually without being allotted to do so by any particular nation. The usual crime for piracy can include being hung, or publically executed. Some of the most famous pirates who were killed either because of piracy, or because of natural causes, are Barbarossa, Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonney, Sir Francis Drake, Captain Greaves, William Kidd, Jean Laffite, Sir Henry Morgan, Mary Read, and Giovanni da Verrazano.
Tharoor, Ishaan. "How Somalia's Fishermen Became Pirates." Time. Time Inc., 18 Apr. 2009. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
Jeremy Firestone & James Corbett, Combating Terrorism in the Environmental Trenches: Responding to Terrorism: Maritime Transportation: A Third Way for Port and Environmental Security.
Although Britain cannot be blamed though for lack of trying, piracy still exists today. Yet, because the act continues at sea often far from land, it gains little media attention, and therefore less action from governments. China, despite being a number one producer of pirates, continues to deny that there is a problem while at the same time often pardoning those who are caught. Countries such as Indonesia and Philippines, which have been hardest hit in the past few years by pirates, are looking for international assistance. The West is, of course, looked to for solutions yet choose seemingly chooses to turn a blind eye, perhaps in the name of diplomacy. When the world is ready to combat the perpetual problem of piracy, it may discover that by intertwining tougher policies aimed at dealing with piracy with current or future trade negotiations, productive steps can be taken to initiate plans to curtail modern day sea wolves who prey on the helpless. The suggestion of ‘Piracy Charters’ will be discussed further as the means of which to add the topic of to multilateral agreements.
...ting the ocean in catching fish leaving almost nome left and selling it to Europe. "Losses estimated due to pirate fishing are estimated between 10 to 23.5 billion U.S.dollars per year, representing 11 and 26 million fish." (Environmental Justice Foundation, 2011). "Fish is a crucial source of protein for millions of people." (Environmental Justice Foundation, 2011). Pirate fishermen use nets they call "curtains of death" to catch hundreds of fish and kill them in the nets, coastal fishermen cannot compete with these.
“Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships,” The International Maritime Organization, Accessed March 26th, 2014. http://www.imo.org/OurWork/Security/PiracyArmedRobbery/Pages/Default.aspx
The report classify the threats into: (1) Piracy and armed robbery, (2) terrorist acts, (3) the illicit trafficking in arms and weapons of mass destruction, (4) the illicit trafficking in narcotics, (5) smuggling and
Maritime security traditionally focuses on maritime disputes, naval competition, Sea lines of communication (SLOCs), War at sea . The modern maritime securities after the cold war and 9/11 have been significantly changing and more complex, which is involving worldwide collaboration and mutual understanding .
Bowermaster, Jon. Oceans: The Threats to Our Seas and What You Can Do to Turn the Tide: A Participant Media Guide. New York: PublicAffairs, 2010. Print.