While the world ponders how to combat sea piracy in Somalia’s territorial waters, no one searches the root-cause of this chaos on the high seas. Worse yet, the International community deliberately turns a blind eye to the current foreign-imposed Somali regime—the linchpin for piracy. Ironic, isn’t it? Or is this claim just another cycle of Somali regime bashing? You’d be the judge.

Before the International community parachuted the “Transitional Federal Government” TFG into power, warlords ruled Somalia. And some of them invited fleets of foreign fishing vessels to scoop out Somalia’s unprotected rich marine resources. Others dumped toxic waste into Somalia’s waters for exchange of millions of dollars from European companies. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article418665.ece

Some of these warmongers include the current Somali “President”, Colonel Abdullahi Yussuf. Not only did he signed lucrative deals with Asian fishing companies, but he also forced many local fishers to buy fishing license from his enclave—Puntland. Similarly, many Southern warlords looted Somalia’s natural resources and turned its crystal clear sea water and sand white beaches into a wasteland.

Meanwhile, local Somali fishers watched in dismay while their natural resources were looted, and their coast polluted with radioactive materials and cancerous chemicals. Then the warlords and foreign fishing companies got little too greedy. To minimize fishing competitions, they forced local Somali fishing communities out of sea, once and for all. Hundreds of fishers were kept at bay with guns by illegal foreign fishing vessels and ruthless worlds. Gradually, Somali fishers—outgunned and outnumbered—quit fishing. Forced to abandon their lifeline, many of them wondered how to feed their families. For these locals—a new struggle in a country that was already doomed has begun.

As usual, when people lose hope they take desperate measures to alleviate their pains. So the unexpected and unforeseen tragedy—the birth of piracy suddenly rages in the Indian Ocean as well as in the Red Sea of Somalia. The local fishers not only decided to protect their marine resources but also started to hijack fishing vessels and demanded ransom money. Payback time!

However, in 2004 as soon the current Somali regime was imposed on Somali people, the International community hoped that finally piracy would end in Somalia’s territorial sea. But did it end? To the contrary, piracy has became epidemic. In fact, the so-called Somali government consists of the same warlords who created piracy, in the first place. That is, the same vicious warlords who forced the Somali fishing communities to sink deeper into despair are now running the show in Somalia with the help of the U.S. and its allies.

Additionally, Abdullahi Yussuf—a notorious warlord power based in Puntland before he became “President”—currently receives much of his support from Puntland. And much of Puntland’s revenue comes from millions of dollars generated by lucrative businesses, such as: piracy, human-trafficking, and illegal fishing contracts. Even Gen. Adde the current leader of Puntland admits losing control of some of his Ministers who are deeply engaged in piracy as well as human trafficking. Also, hundreds of Puntland soldiers who haven’t received their salaries for months joined with pirates. http://allafrica.com/stories/200806051097.html And don’t forget Puntland is the financial backer of Col. Abdullahi Yussuf.

Evidently, three groups of pirates roam the Somali waters with little opposition: the former local fishers who have been forced out from sea, criminal gangs who simply make living from hijacking ships and the TFG group—former warlords who cannot rule Somalia without the millions of dollars generated by piracy. And what is the world doing about this?

So far, the U.S., Canadian and European Navy warships have had very little impact on curbing piracy in Somalia’s coast. And the French-sponsored U.N. resolution against piracy remains a mere symbolic. In the meantime, the plea from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) grows louder than ever before.

To summarize, here are indisputable facts: the illegal incursions of foreign fishing vessels into Somalia’s territorial sea, and warlords led by Col. Abdullahi Yussuf a.k.a the TFG faction were the root-cause of piracy. And doubtlessly, Puntland authority and its forces are engaged in piracy. Moreover, the bulk of the TFG force comes from Puntland. Puntland is also the financial backer of Col. Abudullahi Yussuf. So then a mind-boggling question is: why bother searching an answer to piracy in somewhere else when the solution lies in the problem itself—the TFG?

Dalmar Kaahin

dalmar_k@yahoo.com
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