Nina Karpacheva: Desperation at root of pirate seizures off lawless Somali coast
Becoming a pirate is a way to survive in Somalia, a devastated African country of about 9 million people living on a territory slightly larger than Ukraine yet just below the size of Texas.
Life expectancy there is only about 48 years. The last two generations of youth have not had a school education, and have few other skills apart from those needed for basic survival.
“Piracy is no more than a way to survive — a brutal way, but they don’t have a choice,” said Nina Karpacheva, Ukraine’s ombudsman who has taken part in negotiations to release the Ukrainian sailors held hostage for four months. “There is no money, no food — nothing. They know nothing else besides holding a gun.” She said the youngest pirate who was involved in capturing Faina is just 14.
People involved in piracy consider it a business. Despite the risk of being taken hostage by pirates, vessels cross the Gulf of Aden because it saves ship owners around $100 per ton of cargo. It costs $180 per ton to go the longer way, around the Cape of Good Hope.
“The pirates control each other. Nobody earns more than $2,000. Everyone has a family waiting on the shore,” said Karpacheva. She quoted pirates saying: “These are not ransoms, but a fee for crossing our waters, polluting them and unsanctioned fish catch. These are simple taxes.”
Getting rid of the Somali pirate phenomenon requires addressing the complexities of Somalia as a nation, its deep political and economic challenges.
“You could have all the navies in the world having all their ships out there, you know, it’s not going to ever solve this problem. It requires a holistic approach,” Geoff Morrel, Pentagon press secretary, said about piracy in the XXI century.
Karpacheva said the Germans and French have tried to release their ships by force, killing many of the pirates while doing so, but their effort backfired.
“Later when the United Nations started to build schools on Somali territory, many Europeans were murdered,” she said. “We should protect the people of Somalia and give them an opportunity to develop and create a merchant fleet, as the Gulf of Aden is one of the richest fish reserves on the globe.”
