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December 2, 2008 at 07:32:21
Promoted to Headline (H2) on 12/2/08: by Jerry West Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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There is a real life pirate story taking place in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, let us call it Pirates of the Somali Coast. Of course it isn't the only pirate problem on the globe at the moment. The waters of South East Asia are noted for the problem as well. And, depending on how one wants to define pirate, there are probably a fair number of so called legitimate enterprises out there that deserve the label.
Pirates, if they are historical or fictional and the subject of Hollywood epics, are often heroes, but contemporary ones, particularly like those off the Somali coast are generally considered villains. Don't expect Walt Disney to build a theme park attraction around them, or Jerry Bruckheimer to produce a series of movies glorifying a jolly band of AK-47 and RPG toting sailors snatching oil tankers and other merchant vessels, and holding them for ransom.
Like so many things in the world that we learn about, what we read and hear often is only one part of the story, the part that suits those who relay it to us. In most cases there is always a story or two behind the story, just waiting to be dug up.
The knee jerk reaction to the pirates of Somalia is to see them as criminals that need to be dealt with. That is what the common story that we are given would imply. But, the question must arise, why are they pirates in the first place. Perhaps the solution to this piracy is to go behind that story to the root of the problem and change the situation that compels people to be pirates, rather than perpetually playing Whac-a-Mole with them off of the Horn of Africa.
The first problem leading to the creation of the piracy problem along the Somali coast is the fact that Somalia is a failed state with little functional national authority to maintain its security, both internal and external. The second problem is the foreigners who took advantage of this weakness to prey upon Somalia.
The waters off of Somalia are rich in Tuna and other fish, a traditional source of support for tens of thousands of people in the relatively primitive fishing communities along its coast. With the disintegration of state power in the country modern foreign fishing fleets were able to swoop in without restraint and using industrial methods mine the sea of its bounty. In addition, foreign interests began using Somali waters for a dumping ground for toxic waste.
Understandably Somali fishermen who depending upon these fish stocks, and clean and productive water, could not compete with the hundreds of more modern foreign vessels that were scooping up the resources. Understandably they were both upset with this, and in need of some new enterprise to feed themselves and their families. Attacking the foreign vessels and holding them for ransom became a replacement for the fishing that they lost.
One may ask what does seizing an oil tanker have to do with redressing grievances about fishing issues. The answer is that once the Somalis became adept at their new profession, grabbing bigger ships for more reward was just normal business expansion that any good capitalist would understand. Still, however, the value earned by the pirates in this enterprise, by some estimates, is only about one third of that of the fishery that is being stolen from them by the foreign fleets.
Looking at it from a Somali point of view, who really are the pirates here, people finding a way to survive in response to their traditional means of support being looted and pillaged? Or is it the unscrupulous foreign fishing fleets that are strip mining the sea around Somalia?
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When Government Corruption Runs Rampant, the Government
loses the support of the people and fails. This inevitably leads to the conditions that exist in many third world countries. The scary thing is that the United States is rapidly going down the same path. Widespread corruption has taken hold in our country because the foundations provided for the people to control our government have been undermined. To learn more about how our rights to control our government have been undermined, see Senate Bailout a.k.a. Bank Robbery Bill and make sure that you read the first comment to it. For more on our rulers' plans, see If I were a Terrorist If you think that we still have the power to control our government through elections, ask yourself whether you would trust anyone to count our votes in secret, and then see what has happened now that our votes are counted in secret by reading Have American Elections Really Been Stolen? Part 1 in the "Democracy" in America Series – The Proof It was a Top Scoop on Scoop for several days. See it at http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0810/S00428.htm and if anyone thinks that our government still follows the rule of law or that it wouldn’t cover up election fraud, see Would Congressional Democrats Cover Up Neo-Con Election Fraud? Part 2 in the "Democracy" in America Series – No Way, Right?!?! This article was also a Top Scoop on Scoop for several days. See it at http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00030.htm Finally, yes, Virginia, secret vote counting is not only inherently dangerous, it's unconstitutional, too! See, Virginia’s Elections Are UNCONSTITUTIONAL?!?! If you want to help stop election fraud, get involved and support Election Defense Alliance or Project Vote Count. If you want to help stop judicial corruption, see POPULAR and help it tear down the wall of poverty by signing its petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/popular4people?e by Mark Adams (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008 at 8:57:22 AM  (0+)
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Fact is
No, but that doesn't have anything to do with the condition of Somalia. No matter what the reason is that it does not have a functioning government, it still does not. Even you seem to agree when you point out that "Somalia had....", the key word being"had." I don't disagree with your point about how Somalia got into this situation, nor about why the story may be spun in some of the main stream media the way that it is, but that was beyond the immediate scope of the editorial. It is another layer deeper. by Jerry West (30 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 17 comments) on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008 at 1:21:34 PM (0+)
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Reply: Another layer deeper
You have to be kidding. It is quite obvious you know not the first thing about what you write. Have you ever heard of Puntland, a self governed autonomy in north east Somalia. It is at the moment what some call a dictatorship under Mohamud Muse Hersi, put his name into the search at (I have no idea why but when you click on the link you will then have to remove the PPhopefully at the end of the URL to reach the front page, sorry I've tried to correct it 4 times) Hopefully you might start wondering how these alleged pirates can get away with it when we know where they are! by sliphoch (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 110 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008 at 6:11:23 PM (0+)
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Outstanding Article
The USA/UK Militery-Industrial complex is spreading death and destruction around the world. Now they intend to bring down the American middleclass, so as to futher the decimation of the Constitution, and bring on a police state and finally One World Government. Will they succeed? Only we Freedom loving Americans, can stop the New World Order. We're mad as h..l and are'nt going to take it anymore. by ronheri (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 256 comments [45 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008 at 3:45:09 PM (0+)
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An Important distinction
I think you are doing Somalia a disservice by implying that local fishermen have transformed into "pirates" out of desperation. by John Bessa (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 94 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Dec 3, 2008 at 9:30:21 AM (0+)
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Say what?
The issue isn't how they get away with it, or even why they have moved on to merchant ships, but how they got started in the first place. The article you cited supports my view that foreign encroachment on the local fishery is a factor in creating the piracy problem: Boyah said that the piracy began because traditional coastal fishing became difficult after foreign fishing trawlers depleted local fish stocks. by Jerry West (30 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 17 comments) on Wednesday, Dec 3, 2008 at 9:53:23 PM (0+)
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