What I learned from the Somali pirates

03 December 2008

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Aidan Hartley says that Somali piracy is very well-organised and efficient and is opposed publicly only by militant Muslims — who may yet seize power in Mogadishu

The ceaseless piracy off Somalia’s shores — another, Singaporean tanker was hijacked last week — is giving rise to a modern, real-life version of the novel Scoop. Evelyn Waugh’s book is set in Africa’s troubled state of Ishmaelia, where one foreign correspondent breaks a big story from a place called Laku. As soon as it is published, Fleet Street editors begin clamouring for copy from Laku, so the press corps rush into the jungle where they become utterly lost. No wonder. It turns out laku means ‘I don’t know’ in Ishmaelite — and the correspondent is writing secretly from his hotel room in the capital.

Somalia today is a bit like Laku. Editors are begging for stories about the pirates’ latest catch; about the Saudi supertanker still being held hostage at anchor off the eastern Somali coast; about the chemical tanker Biscaglia which was nabbed a few days ago in the Gulf of Aden. But if they were honest, instead of rushing out to Somalia to be kidnapped — like the four poor journalists abducted last week — the press corps would simply confess, ‘I don’t know.’ There are too many laptop bombadiers writing acres of colour and analysis from the safety of London and Nairobi about this latter-day Laku. It’s time to sit back and consider the real story.

The first obvious truth is that the pirates are making millions and shipping companies are beginning to avoid the Suez route in favour of the longer, more expensive one around the Cape of Good Hope, because nothing seems to deter the pirates. Patrolling by international navies has formed a kind of blockade, but look at the Biscaglia. At the first sniff of piracy, the British and Irish guards from the important-sounding Anti-Piracy Maritime Security Solutions company simply jumped overboard. All it took was five pirates approaching by daylight in a small speedboat.

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M

December 4th, 2008 6:57pm Report this comment

Just a question. You said that the private security on board jump overboard as soon as pirates are sighted. Is this because they are afraid of the pirates or because International Law ties them down so much that if they were to shoot the pirates then their civilian lives would be interrupted/would be punished?

PDL

December 5th, 2008 4:05pm Report this comment

Mr. Hartley, who has often been critical of "international development" projects, has negected to mention a rare example of success of donor funding. In the 1980's, the Danish government funded a boat-building project in Mogadishu which included setting up a small factory to fabricate fiberglass fishing boats from molds. These are the boats, not very big but virtually unsinkable, that venture far out into the Gulf of Aden to hunt their prey.

S.A.

December 6th, 2008 12:00am Report this comment

I came across your article in VF.COM, i was so stunned to see someone writing about the perils of my country, and the headline being in a major media outlet. Finally, i had no clue there was a reporter covering this. I am going to Somalia inshallah in 2010, that is if 1988 doesn't repeat itself. I attempted to raise funds for relief aid but no one in my community wanted to help, all because of tribal politics. So disheartening, a child is a child, it embarrasses me when Somalis shun each other because they believe one Qabil is better and one is sub- human. I plan to change that.

oliver

December 6th, 2008 5:24am Report this comment

SA good luck for the effort and I pray for you. Adrian, your articles are to the point and very educational to those who have no clue to the Somali misery and state-failure. Al-shabaab was founded by Somalis educated and indoctrinated in Saudi religious schools. Their leaders number not more than 200 active violent men but they got funding from rich Saudis. The west can easily counter that with its educated Somali Diaspora groups. A quarter-million Somalis now hold European, Canadian and America passports. Thousands of them are college graduates with degrees in every field. why not invest in them, repatriate them back to their homeland, promote them as the leaders since they understand democracy and individual freedom. Somalis shun extremism. they love music, sports and poetry. Appeal to the Somali poets in the process of peace too. I am sure if 5000 Somalis with western education went back to Somalia and become the mayors and government officials, anarchy and extremism would be history.

kiffa

December 6th, 2008 4:33pm Report this comment

And the 'harsh punishment' in 2006 which stopped piracy Hartley refers to, was hanging or beheading.

The death penalty deterred crime. Hmmmmnnn. Funny, that

Riaz Ahmad

December 7th, 2008 8:28pm Report this comment

In an age where western journalism has sold itself to corporate media, national vested interest, spin and sensationalism,It is welcome news that Aidan Hartley has risen above pettiness to inform us about the true state of affairs.
THREE CHEERS AIDAN, KEEP IT UP.

Riaz Ahmad

December 7th, 2008 8:43pm Report this comment

Oliver, I can see you have peaceful intentions like all peace loving people and I love to agree with you, Sadly, If I point out the political realities of international affairs, the 5000 or so who will be guiding Somalia to normalcy, any failure in complying with the political regional ambitions of European and American masters, no matter how good they are, will end up in the dust bin of history, just like many others before them. Sadly, this is the reality of westren behaviour in the third world.

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