THE SOMALIA SEA PIRACY
Kanini Evans Kariuki
May 07, 2009
SOMALIA´S sea piracy started by the vacuum of authority after the collapse of the Somalia government in January 1991. Somalia entered a civil war cycle that culminated in the loss of hundreds of lives and internal displacement of millions, and exodus of refugees to neighboring nations, Europe, North America, Australia , New Zealand and the Middle East .
This civil strife had caused man-made salvation in the South West regions of Somalia , and this had warranted the intervention of the American – led forces called Store hope mission,ordered by then President Senior Bush .
The mission landed at Mogadishu sea port composed of 28,000 forces of 28 nations, under the command of the Americans. The Somalis were expecting complete disarmament and they prepared themselves to surrender voluntarily. This has been encouraged by the Western Europeans headed by the French and the Italians. But the Americans out rightly rejected the disarming of the Somali militia and public individuals.
It was a golden opportunity for the Somalia peace, reconciliation and state stabilization. Then subsequently emerged the confrontation between General Aideed and UNSOM and it ultimately made the whole mission to fail.
It is apparent that the Americans were not ready to pacify Somalia . This has been demonstrated by the support of the warlords, as the latter were holding cabinet positions in the Transitional Federal government.
The argument among the administration of the President junior Bush caused the first secretary of the American Embassy at Nairobi , Mr. Michael Zurich , to be transferred from Nairobi to Chad , after he obstructed the idea of supporting the warlords!
This indicates that the American administration was not having a clear policy to deal with Somalia .
At present, it still seems the Americans have not changed their positions even with President Barrack Obama at the helm. But Somali's are expecting that after the capture of the American captain by the sea pirates, the American public pressure and the danger the sea piracy is imposing on the world trade, and the vessels carrying goods, are threatened by the sea piracy coupled with the current world economic dilemma that may force the current American administration place a plan to fight the sea piracy.
In order to solve the Somali problem, the international community should establish the law enforcing bodies in the land, and assist the regional administrations, particularly in Puntland to enable its authority put in place capable security agencies, courts, rehabilitation centres and a package for training the unemployed youth who are engaged in sea piracy operations.
To succeed in defeating the sea pirates, the youngsters who are involved in the vice must be rehabilitated and trained in skills and trades such as electricians, carpentry, masonry, plumbing and etcetera to mould them into useful and responsible citizens.
Moreover, the current Transitional Somali institutions need to be supported financially and human resource wise so that they can operate in a fashion of transparency and accountability. This calls for formulating a plan for the qualified Somali Diaspora to return to Somalia instead of the foreigners who are presently working for Somalia in outside centres. To encourage these qualified Somalis to return, the government has to provide incentives for free land.
Reinstating a legitimate authority which is capable of delivering services and securing the safety of the public, will prevent a spillover over of the extremist activities to the neighboring countries of Somalia . Hence, the security and stability of Somalia is fatally important for the whole world. Unless otherwise, Somalia will be a safe haven for the extremists.
The Somali pirates claim that they were forced to organize themselves to defend their sea waters after foreign nations commenced to fish illegally in Somalia territorial water of and marines. These foreigners had destroyed and over ran the fishing nets of Somali fisheries as well as killing some Somali fishermen and sinking their fishing boats,according to sources.
As a result of this,Somali fishermen organized themselves and started to confront these illegal fishing foreigners and later on,the Somali fishermen opted to form an organization called "The Guards of Somali Marine Resources". Some of the Somalis sympathize with the pirates as they denied that their organization was aimed at protecting the marine resources,after some foreigners took the opportunity of looting the resources.
Even in the last Heads of States meeting in Addis Ababa, Libyan strongman Muamar Gadaffi, praised the role of the pirates saying they were defending their resources.
This civil strife had caused man-made salvation in the South West regions of Somalia , and this had warranted the intervention of the American – led forces called Store hope mission,ordered by then President Senior Bush .
The mission landed at Mogadishu sea port composed of 28,000 forces of 28 nations, under the command of the Americans. The Somalis were expecting complete disarmament and they prepared themselves to surrender voluntarily. This has been encouraged by the Western Europeans headed by the French and the Italians. But the Americans out rightly rejected the disarming of the Somali militia and public individuals.
It was a golden opportunity for the Somalia peace, reconciliation and state stabilization. Then subsequently emerged the confrontation between General Aideed and UNSOM and it ultimately made the whole mission to fail.
It is apparent that the Americans were not ready to pacify Somalia . This has been demonstrated by the support of the warlords, as the latter were holding cabinet positions in the Transitional Federal government.
The argument among the administration of the President junior Bush caused the first secretary of the American Embassy at Nairobi , Mr. Michael Zurich , to be transferred from Nairobi to Chad , after he obstructed the idea of supporting the warlords!
This indicates that the American administration was not having a clear policy to deal with Somalia .
At present, it still seems the Americans have not changed their positions even with President Barrack Obama at the helm. But Somali's are expecting that after the capture of the American captain by the sea pirates, the American public pressure and the danger the sea piracy is imposing on the world trade, and the vessels carrying goods, are threatened by the sea piracy coupled with the current world economic dilemma that may force the current American administration place a plan to fight the sea piracy.
In order to solve the Somali problem, the international community should establish the law enforcing bodies in the land, and assist the regional administrations, particularly in Puntland to enable its authority put in place capable security agencies, courts, rehabilitation centres and a package for training the unemployed youth who are engaged in sea piracy operations.
To succeed in defeating the sea pirates, the youngsters who are involved in the vice must be rehabilitated and trained in skills and trades such as electricians, carpentry, masonry, plumbing and etcetera to mould them into useful and responsible citizens.
Moreover, the current Transitional Somali institutions need to be supported financially and human resource wise so that they can operate in a fashion of transparency and accountability. This calls for formulating a plan for the qualified Somali Diaspora to return to Somalia instead of the foreigners who are presently working for Somalia in outside centres. To encourage these qualified Somalis to return, the government has to provide incentives for free land.
Reinstating a legitimate authority which is capable of delivering services and securing the safety of the public, will prevent a spillover over of the extremist activities to the neighboring countries of Somalia . Hence, the security and stability of Somalia is fatally important for the whole world. Unless otherwise, Somalia will be a safe haven for the extremists.
The Somali pirates claim that they were forced to organize themselves to defend their sea waters after foreign nations commenced to fish illegally in Somalia territorial water of and marines. These foreigners had destroyed and over ran the fishing nets of Somali fisheries as well as killing some Somali fishermen and sinking their fishing boats,according to sources.
As a result of this,Somali fishermen organized themselves and started to confront these illegal fishing foreigners and later on,the Somali fishermen opted to form an organization called "The Guards of Somali Marine Resources". Some of the Somalis sympathize with the pirates as they denied that their organization was aimed at protecting the marine resources,after some foreigners took the opportunity of looting the resources.
Even in the last Heads of States meeting in Addis Ababa, Libyan strongman Muamar Gadaffi, praised the role of the pirates saying they were defending their resources.
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