Pirates of the Indian Ocean

In the last several years we have read reports of Somali pirates that raid ships that sail in the waters along the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean. Somalia is a small country on the eastern coast of Africa. For many years the country had strong ties to Soviet Russia. Its leadership declared the country communist and tailored its socio-economic order accordingly. For years she enjoyed Russian favor. For her loyalty Somalia got all its aid (including arms) and political support from her mentor. Nonetheless, the West tried to woo her over the years and like a woman aware of her charms yet unfaithful to her benefactor, she used Russia's favor to gain from the west. She oscillated between the two singing "What have you done for me lately"! After the end of the cold war she found herself a political orphan, unwanted by the west who already had Kenya as a model adopted child.

Kenya is not only uniquely and strategically positioned to serve the west, she is a willing and loving ally. The US has, for a long time, had a military base at the coastal town of Mombasa; the British left her with great education, healthcare and judicial systems in place. These translated into a good economy, a healthy nation and perhaps, most important, a political leadership, educated in England, that was grateful and identified with the west. Geographically, Kenya is a quick hop away from the Middle East and this became even more critical during Desert Storm. The US Air Force jets refueled in Mombasa and were away and over the Arabian desert, literary, in minutes. Kenya made for a powerful and dependable ally. The west did not need another and certainly not an adulterous one that could not be relied upon from one political leader to the next.

Somalia is a land of Islamic fundamentalists. Unable to court the West it turned to its Islamic brothers. In its willingness to accept favor from anyone, she found herself entangled with strange bedfellows. Soon she became a refuge for those who were unaccepted, much as she was, by the West. She accepted weapons and paid the price with militant groups mushrooming all over the land. The result is evident today in the string of military coups, take-overs or whatever name one might put to describe one group taking power from the other with no regard for the rule of law or any accepted form of transfer of power.

The world has tried to intervene via the United Nations under the gallant name of UNOSOM (United Nations for Somalia) with tragic results. We lost several US marines there in a horrific escapade and since then there has been very cautious intervention by the international community.

Somalia has no government despite efforts by the African Union (formerly Organization of African Unity) to facilitate a power brokerage between the various Somali warlords. With no government there follows that there is no rule of law, no court system and no law enforcement agencies at all. The place is therefore a paradise for criminals. With no government there is no legitimate economy. A black market thrives in Somalia with arms being one of the more popular commodities. With no government, Somalia is not, in it's thinking, bound by International law nor just the conscience of good world order.

With arms so easily accessible it only follows that there is crime not only in the country but it overflows to the surrounding areas. To the east of Somalia is the Indian Ocean. With ships sailing up and down the African coastline, be they merchant ships or luxury yachts, the area is a gold mine for pirates.

On several occasions these pirates have kidnapped tourists on luxury yachts and been paid the high ransom they have demanded. These funds are used to buy arms that are then used in the on-going internal wars between the various clans and war lords. As long as this goes on there is no hope of ever reinstating law and order to Somalia. The results include millions of refugees from Somalia living in refugee camps in Kenya, crime and guns spilling over into Kenya (like they need the additional problem to add to their own tribal clashes) and continued rampage by even more emboldened pirates scouring the Indian Ocean.

Yet to not give in to the demands of the pirates is akin to signing a death warrant for the kidnapped. For these pirates the kidnapped victims are not viewed as human beings but simply as a dispensable negotiating tool. If they cannot get money for them then they dispose of them and sell the yacht or ship for whatever they can get.

How can we end the catch-22 situation? Hey, I am just a Hubber, not the UN Secretary General :) Having said that though, let me put on my thinking cap and I will hub my suggestions at a later hub! In the meantime, should you go sailing in the Indian Ocean, stay far off the Somali coast. Once you are a hundred miles out you are in international waters and if you run into trouble any culprits can be tried at the International Court of Justice at the Hague.