Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The complex roots of the piracy epidemic
More piracy thoughts as the Somali piracy events continue to reverberate.
Piracy is not the only illegal activity rampant off the coast of Somalia according to the UN Special envoy on Somalia. Toxic waste dumping and illegal fishing in Somali waters is also happening. These are not matters covered for example in the BBC Q&A on Somali piracy.
This issue is discussed by Christopher Jasparro, an associate professor – lecturer in UK terms – at the US Naval War College in an online article “Somali’s piracy offers lessons in global governance”.
Weakly governed and failed states are themselves often exploited by foreigners, and a resolution of this situation has to go far beyond armed responses and convoys for shipping.
Authorised extracts from another lengthy book dealing with piracy off Somalia and elsewhere are at this point available online on Google Books. Violence at Sea; Piracy in the Age of Global Terrorism edited by Peter Lehr is published by Lloyds Maritime Intelligence Unit.
While discussing the toxic dumping and illegal fishing aspects, the Lehr book also suggests why Somali piracy escalated so hugely in 2005 and after. The Somali coast was devastated by the ‘Boxing Day 2004’ Tsunami. Fifty thousand Somalis are believed to have died and no Somali government our outside aid was available. Poverty stricken fishermen resorted to whatever they could do to snatch at a livelihood. At the same time the unstable clan politics in Mogadishu led to huge increase in the costs of arms needed for the internal wars and the coastal peoples are part of one of those clans and so need to generate income for the clan.
The Lehr book suggest that attention to piracy will increase if it can be presented as a kind of training ground for maritime terrorism within the ‘conceptual framework’ of a global terrorist epidemic rather than as a problem in its own right.
And it is not just off Somalia that problems persist.
There is a problem zone running from the coast of China, past Vietnam and the Philippines, through Malaysian and Indonesian waters, across the Indian Ocean and so to the current news bulletin hotspot off Arabia and east Africa. The complexities include the need for the Indian and Pakistani navies to co-operate if civil maritime security is to be maintained in both their waters, while at the same time both states are in a semi-standoff militarily.
Shooting three pirates is not going to end all this.
Piracy is not the only illegal activity rampant off the coast of Somalia according to the UN Special envoy on Somalia. Toxic waste dumping and illegal fishing in Somali waters is also happening. These are not matters covered for example in the BBC Q&A on Somali piracy.
This issue is discussed by Christopher Jasparro, an associate professor – lecturer in UK terms – at the US Naval War College in an online article “Somali’s piracy offers lessons in global governance”.
The wave of piracy off Somalia began in 1991 following the collapse of the Barre regime. Dumping of toxic and hazardous wastes by international companies (possibly with organized crime involvement) increased. Unlicensed foreign fishing vessels eagerly targeted Somalia’s fish-rich waters. Local fishermen claimed that foreign boats use intimidation tactics such as ramming and hiring local militants to harass them.
In response disaffected fishermen then began attacking foreign vessels in the early 1990s, ultimately leading to full-scale piracy and hostage-taking. In 2005 a UN agency estimated that 700 foreign fishing vessels were operating in Somali waters, many employing illegal and destructive fishing methods.
Weakly governed and failed states are themselves often exploited by foreigners, and a resolution of this situation has to go far beyond armed responses and convoys for shipping.
Authorised extracts from another lengthy book dealing with piracy off Somalia and elsewhere are at this point available online on Google Books. Violence at Sea; Piracy in the Age of Global Terrorism edited by Peter Lehr is published by Lloyds Maritime Intelligence Unit.
While discussing the toxic dumping and illegal fishing aspects, the Lehr book also suggests why Somali piracy escalated so hugely in 2005 and after. The Somali coast was devastated by the ‘Boxing Day 2004’ Tsunami. Fifty thousand Somalis are believed to have died and no Somali government our outside aid was available. Poverty stricken fishermen resorted to whatever they could do to snatch at a livelihood. At the same time the unstable clan politics in Mogadishu led to huge increase in the costs of arms needed for the internal wars and the coastal peoples are part of one of those clans and so need to generate income for the clan.
The Lehr book suggest that attention to piracy will increase if it can be presented as a kind of training ground for maritime terrorism within the ‘conceptual framework’ of a global terrorist epidemic rather than as a problem in its own right.
And it is not just off Somalia that problems persist.
There is a problem zone running from the coast of China, past Vietnam and the Philippines, through Malaysian and Indonesian waters, across the Indian Ocean and so to the current news bulletin hotspot off Arabia and east Africa. The complexities include the need for the Indian and Pakistani navies to co-operate if civil maritime security is to be maintained in both their waters, while at the same time both states are in a semi-standoff militarily.
Shooting three pirates is not going to end all this.
Labels: piracy, Somalia, terrorism
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To, add to this a posting on the Huffington Post expands on teh toxic waste and tsunami connection:
" In 2004, after a tsunami washed ashore several leaking containers, thousand of locals in the Puntland region of Somalia started to complain of severe and previously unreported ailments, such as abdominal bleeding, skin melting off and a lot of immediate cancer-like symptoms. Nick Nuttall, a spokesman for the United Nations Environmental Program, says that the containers had many different kinds of waste,including "Uranium, radioactive waste, lead, Cadmium, Mercury and chemical waste." But this wasn't just a passing evil from one or two groups taking advantage of our unprotected waters. The UN envoy for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, says that the practice still continues to this day.
It was months after those initial reports that local fishermen mobilized themselves, along with street militias, to go into the waters and deter the Westerners from having a free pass at completely destroying Somalia's aquatic life. Now years later, the deterring has become less noble, and the ex-fishermen with their militias have begun to develop a taste for ransom at sea. This form of piracy is now a major contributor to the Somali economy, especially in the very region that private toxic waste companies first began to burry our nation's death trap. "
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-vazquez/on-pirates_b_186015.html
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" In 2004, after a tsunami washed ashore several leaking containers, thousand of locals in the Puntland region of Somalia started to complain of severe and previously unreported ailments, such as abdominal bleeding, skin melting off and a lot of immediate cancer-like symptoms. Nick Nuttall, a spokesman for the United Nations Environmental Program, says that the containers had many different kinds of waste,including "Uranium, radioactive waste, lead, Cadmium, Mercury and chemical waste." But this wasn't just a passing evil from one or two groups taking advantage of our unprotected waters. The UN envoy for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, says that the practice still continues to this day.
It was months after those initial reports that local fishermen mobilized themselves, along with street militias, to go into the waters and deter the Westerners from having a free pass at completely destroying Somalia's aquatic life. Now years later, the deterring has become less noble, and the ex-fishermen with their militias have begun to develop a taste for ransom at sea. This form of piracy is now a major contributor to the Somali economy, especially in the very region that private toxic waste companies first began to burry our nation's death trap. "
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-vazquez/on-pirates_b_186015.html
Monday, April 13, 2009
Piracy and secure seas
Anyone interested in the piracy situation off Somalia might like to take a look at the work of Combines Task Force 150.
Apart from anything else it illustrates the vast scope of the ocean covered.
It is not just off Somalia that we have pirate problems. I referenced before a book by William Langewiesche "The Outlaw Sea: Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans” which gives the wider context.
Apart from anything else it illustrates the vast scope of the ocean covered.
It is not just off Somalia that we have pirate problems. I referenced before a book by William Langewiesche "The Outlaw Sea: Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans” which gives the wider context.
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Friday, September 26, 2008
Piracy and the reputation of the Royal Navy
So Somali pirates have seized 33 tanks and associated spare parts with the capture of an Ukrainian ship off the Somali coast..
And Russia is apparently considering sending warships to the Arabian and Red seas to carry out anti-Piracy patrols. This would be alongside the existing international ‘Combined Task Force 150’ (which includes Royal Navy vessels) which undertakes anti-piracy operations in the region. Things seem to be hotting up at sea.
Piracy is no joke in today’s world as noted before here and here.. What I do hope is an amusing misunderstanding is this report in Lloyds List
Lewis Page thinks this ‘asylum threat’ is a Royal Navy inspired bit of bullshit to cover up some operational and morale inadequacies of the service. Page’s analysis (he is an ex-Navy man) is rather scathing of the RN. In fact a rather worrying analysis for people who cherish the ‘Nelsonian Aggression’ ethos of RN tradition. In CTF 150 it is apparently the Marin Francais which now shows derring-do and initiative in combating the pirates.
Not the picture Nick Clegg tried to promote in his visit to Portsmouth yesterday. (Clegg praises unsung heroes of the Royal Navy).
And a quick question. What in the name of Cthulu is an Ukrainian ship doing with 33 tanks as cargo off the coast of Africa anyway? One suggestion is that the final destination of the cargo was the south of Sudan. There is a story to dig out here…
And Russia is apparently considering sending warships to the Arabian and Red seas to carry out anti-Piracy patrols. This would be alongside the existing international ‘Combined Task Force 150’ (which includes Royal Navy vessels) which undertakes anti-piracy operations in the region. Things seem to be hotting up at sea.
Piracy is no joke in today’s world as noted before here and here.. What I do hope is an amusing misunderstanding is this report in Lloyds List
“British Foreign Office officials are understood to have advised the Royal Navy not to confront or arrest pirates in the region for fear of transgressing human rights legislation or encouraging their seeking asylum once taken to the UK.”
Lewis Page thinks this ‘asylum threat’ is a Royal Navy inspired bit of bullshit to cover up some operational and morale inadequacies of the service. Page’s analysis (he is an ex-Navy man) is rather scathing of the RN. In fact a rather worrying analysis for people who cherish the ‘Nelsonian Aggression’ ethos of RN tradition. In CTF 150 it is apparently the Marin Francais which now shows derring-do and initiative in combating the pirates.
Not the picture Nick Clegg tried to promote in his visit to Portsmouth yesterday. (Clegg praises unsung heroes of the Royal Navy).
And a quick question. What in the name of Cthulu is an Ukrainian ship doing with 33 tanks as cargo off the coast of Africa anyway? One suggestion is that the final destination of the cargo was the south of Sudan. There is a story to dig out here…
Labels: piracy, Royal Navy, Somalia
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Sunday, February 26, 2006
The Ports are wide open actually...
The immense row in the USA over the sale of several major ports to a Dubai management company raises several issues. Opponents of the President see it as a free gift in a continuing political fight. In Libdem Blogger links Colin Ross see it as a somewhat racist reaction as this report (subscription required for full text) from Rupert Cornwell in the Independent on Sunday also suggests.
Actually Ports Ownership is the least of the security worries. And it extends to European ports as well. Cornwell’s re-assuring note says that (for example) the US Coastguards have the right to intercept ships way out at sea to check them over. But this is a real needle in a haystack facility.
This was one of the themes discussed in the book on marine piracy I mentioned in an earlier post. By William Langewiesche "The Outlaw Sea: Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans”.
The actual practice of the law of the sea means that ships get renamed, change identity, get new crews, turn up unexpectedly in port with unknown cargos. Literally ships pop up over the horizon many times a day making for major ports and nobody can be quite sure they are who they say they are. It is impossible to screen them all out at sea. If a terrorist group wanted to set of a ship-borne bomb it could very easily deliver this virtually anywhere, the ports ownership being what it may. London, Liverpool, Rotterdam… all vulnerable at this minute. Maybe we in Europe should look at this US uproar and make some better decisions on our own security…
Actually Ports Ownership is the least of the security worries. And it extends to European ports as well. Cornwell’s re-assuring note says that (for example) the US Coastguards have the right to intercept ships way out at sea to check them over. But this is a real needle in a haystack facility.
This was one of the themes discussed in the book on marine piracy I mentioned in an earlier post. By William Langewiesche "The Outlaw Sea: Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans”.
The actual practice of the law of the sea means that ships get renamed, change identity, get new crews, turn up unexpectedly in port with unknown cargos. Literally ships pop up over the horizon many times a day making for major ports and nobody can be quite sure they are who they say they are. It is impossible to screen them all out at sea. If a terrorist group wanted to set of a ship-borne bomb it could very easily deliver this virtually anywhere, the ports ownership being what it may. London, Liverpool, Rotterdam… all vulnerable at this minute. Maybe we in Europe should look at this US uproar and make some better decisions on our own security…
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Sunday, November 06, 2005
Piracy no joke or small thing
Oh yes piracy is alive and even killing today. And the solutions are not obvious.
A good overview of the situation (IMHO) is in the new book by William Langewiesche "The Outlaw Sea: Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans”. (Published in the USA with subtitle " A World of Freedom, Chaos and Crime").
Chunks of this will be familiar from Langewiesche's articles in the Atlantic Monthly on this theme but there is some new material.
Despite the BBC indexing this as an 'African' story it is not just a localised problem near a failed state.
There are hundreds of pirate attacks every year worldwide. With cargoes worth $20 million or so in even a smallish freeighter there is money to be made. And despite lots and lots of paperwork the sea is a world that avoids regulation and policing.
The National Security issues for maratime states are another theme.
It is a journalistic book ( any competent web version would have a lot of links and references) so not to easy to follow up. But do have a look before going overboard on rogue states and on lack of international action. Most Flags of Convenience for example are in the hands of private companies not national governments. (The Bahamian registration of the cruise ship 'Seaborn Spirit' is an example of this).
And there are lots and lots of regulations supervised by the International Maratime Organisation which modern pirates can actually use as smokescreen. Ships simply disappear, crews dispers and cannot be traced, pirates come aboard with complete bills of lading for the cargo...
A good overview of the situation (IMHO) is in the new book by William Langewiesche "The Outlaw Sea: Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans”. (Published in the USA with subtitle " A World of Freedom, Chaos and Crime").
Chunks of this will be familiar from Langewiesche's articles in the Atlantic Monthly on this theme but there is some new material.
Despite the BBC indexing this as an 'African' story it is not just a localised problem near a failed state.
There are hundreds of pirate attacks every year worldwide. With cargoes worth $20 million or so in even a smallish freeighter there is money to be made. And despite lots and lots of paperwork the sea is a world that avoids regulation and policing.
The National Security issues for maratime states are another theme.
It is a journalistic book ( any competent web version would have a lot of links and references) so not to easy to follow up. But do have a look before going overboard on rogue states and on lack of international action. Most Flags of Convenience for example are in the hands of private companies not national governments. (The Bahamian registration of the cruise ship 'Seaborn Spirit' is an example of this).
And there are lots and lots of regulations supervised by the International Maratime Organisation which modern pirates can actually use as smokescreen. Ships simply disappear, crews dispers and cannot be traced, pirates come aboard with complete bills of lading for the cargo...
Labels: piracy
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