[dehai-news] (SPR) The Somali regime is epicenter of sea piracy


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From: Yemane Natnael (yemane_natnael@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Sep 21 2008 - 10:21:07 EDT


                                
                                Somalia: The Somali regime is epicenter of sea piracy

Dalmar Kaahin

              
                          
                

              
                            
                

                
                 
                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.

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.

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.

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

http://www.somalipressreview.com/view.php?articleid=892

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