Toleration to Desperation: The Ongoing Problem of Somali Piracy

Lauren Limbach

World Lit Honors

Ms. Tomkins

March 13, 2015

Toleration to Desperation: The Ongoing Problem of Somali Piracy

You are the captain of a major commercial ship, in charge of safely transporting tons of oil across the Indian Ocean. Partway through your voyage, you notice skiffs beginning to pull up alongside your ship and men beginning to board the vessel. Unfortunately for you, these men do not have a hook for a hand, and there is no flying young boy that is going to come and rescue you. For you are not in the world of Peter Pan, but rather the terrifying world of Somali piracy.

Piracy off the Somali coast has been an issue that has commanded the world’s attention since the late 20th century. With the collapse of the Somali government in 1991, it left in its wake a country with no form of central government whatsoever. Neighboring countries took advantage of this and began to fish in Somalia’s unregulated waters. The Somalis felt that this was extremely unjust, so they took to the water and began policing it themselves. It was these actions that devolved into the hijack-for-ransom piracy that is seen off the coast of Somalia today (World).

In Somalia, the main type of piracy practiced is that in which passing boats are hijacked and then held for ransom. Although in recent years the amount of successful hijackings has decreased, the overall number of attempted hijackings has risen from 145 to 183 per year (GCaptain). As the protection that is currently in place fails, and numerous ships and innocent people are taken in and held for ransom, the international community is desperately trying to find a solution to this ever-growing problem. The Somali government’s apathy for the Somali people and willingness to tolerate criminal activities within the country ultimately leads to a favorable environment for the pirates of Somalia.

First, Somali government officials uphold piracy in the country through their acceptance of bribes and other forms of extortion in return for their turning a blind eye to the actions of the pirates. Many government officials are the recipients of bribes, doled out by the pirates in return for letting them dock their hijacked boats along the Somali coast for long periods of time. (World). The fact that members of the Somali government are so blatantly accepting of the pirates’ bribes demonstrates how the greediness of the politicians themselves plays a major role in keeping the piracy industry alive. The process of keeping the political leaders in check does not come cheap for the pirates either. A large amount of the money made off of a hijacked ship, sometimes up to $300,000, will be given to politicians for the purpose of keeping them out of the way (World). This large amount of money highlights the intricate system of bribery and corruption that has been woven throughout the world of the Somali government and the Somali pirates.

Additionally, because the Somali government is doing little to reduce poverty in the country, the result is a population of people who are complacent to, and even supportive of piracy. In an article by Jay Bahadur, he points out that the poverty-level in Somalia is very conducive to the thriving piracy taking place off the Somali coast. He states, “Given the extreme poverty in Somalia, it is understandable that many young men are lured by the wealth that can be made through piracy” (Interview). With a high level of poverty, comes a high level of desperation. This desperation pushes the Somali people to take drastic actions, such as piracy. The average yearly salary for a Somali worker is $600. Given that pirates can make over $10,000 off of one boat alone, it is not surprising that much of the Somali population finds piracy to be an attractive lifestyle choice (Interveiw). If the Somali government was able to tackle poverty in a more efficient way, then the people would ultimately be less desperate, and in turn, less willing to support the piracy industry. This fact highlights yet another way that the inactions of the Somali government are resulting in the piracy for which their country is so famous.

The piracy industry in Somalia shows no sign of receding anytime soon. The strength of the pirates remains as intact as ever due to the inefficacy of the Somali government to address the problems surrounding them. Their inability to act in a strong, decisive way has far-reaching consequences that can be detrimental to not only the Somali people, but the international community as well.

Works Sited

GCaptain. "The World Is No Closer to Solving the Piracy Problem." Piracy on the High Seas. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. At Issue. Rpt. from "Protecting Ships From Somali Pirates—The Navy vs. Private Security." 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2015.

"Interview with a Somali Pirate." Pirates Through the Ages Reference Library. Vol. 1. Detroit: U*X*L, 2011. 179-190. Global Issues In Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2015.

The World Bank. "Ending Somali Piracy: Go After the System, Not Just the Pirates." 2013. Rpt. in Piracy on the High Seas. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2015.