Justin Ackerman

Dr. Ian Chambers

History 421: Pirates Caribbean and Beyond
Research aer
Ari! 24
th
2"14
#oma!ian Pirates: $he cost o% humanitarian ne&!i&ence
Ima&es o% irates today are more o%ten than not sensationa!i'ed reresentations o% the ast. I% !ookin& at
(orks such as $reasure Is!and and the ou!ar Pirates o% the Caribbean sa&a are any indication)
iratica! acti*ity romt!y ended at the turn o% the 1+
th
century. Ho(e*er one &rou o% irates ha*e
escaed this romantici'ed *ie() the #oma!ian irates. #oma!ia is the er%ect storm o% &eo&rahic)
socia!) and economic %actors (hich ha*e created the modern day irate ha*en. It,s !ocation is rime)
!ocated on the -u!% o% Aden one o% the (or!ds busiest shiin& !anes) !eadin& to the sue' cana!.
Cu!tura!!y #oma!ians ha*e a!(ays been deendent on the sea %rom tradin& to %ishin& #oma!ians used
the sea %or sustenance. It,s !ocation on the horn o% A%rica made ancient #oma!ia a rich center o% trade)
and in the modern day it,s ro.imity to the #ue' cana! made it strate&ica!!y imortant throu&hout the
2"
th
century. It has &one throu&h co!oni'ation) it became a a(n durin& the Co!d /ar) and has been
sub0ect to a coo,) re*o!ution) and a nasty ci*i! (ar. #oma!ia,s con%!ict ridd!ed history has created a
modern day set o% city states) !ea*in& the 1orth re!ati*e!y eace%u! and the south in a eretua! state o%
(ar. $he state e*entua!!y disso!*ed com!ete!y destroyin& most o% the de*e!oin& institutions in the
country. $he !ack o% &o*ernment has hu&e!y ne&ati*e!y imacted the economy !eadin& to an increase in
iratica! acti*ity. $his iratica! acti*ity (as resonded to incredib!y 2uick!y by the internationa!
community and countries %rom around the (or!d ha*e de!oyed na*a! %orces in the re&ion to curb
iracy. It,s (orked and irate acti*ity seems to be on dec!ine) but many o% the rob!ems (hich created it
are sti!! a!i*e and (e!! so the %uture o% #oma!i iracy is sti!! incredib!y unredictab!e. $he er%ect
&eo&rahic !ocation) a cu!ture c!ose to the sea) and a (ar torn history (hich ried the country aart
ha*e created the conditions necessary to %aci!itate modern day iracy. $he internationa! resonse to this
has a!so been a uni2ue!y modern one) a!thou&h s!i&ht!y e.a&&erated it has been e%%ecti*e.
#oma!ia has a rich history o% trade and as a resu!t sea%arin& has been imortant in the country %or
centuries. In Rahae! 10oku,s $he History o% #oma!ia) he discusses the rominence o% ancient #oma!ian
trade) (hich had incredib!e reach %or the time. As ear!y as 3""" BC4 #oma!ian &oods sur%aced in
4&yt) -reece) and as %ar a(ay as China 510oku 2672+8. $his sea%arin& a!so !ed to hea*y emhasis on
%ishin& (hich can be sti!! be seen in the modern day 510oku 4"8. #oma!ian trade acti*ity e*entua!!y
brou&ht the re&ion into c!ose contact (ith 4uroean o(ers) and at the turn o% the 2"
th
century the
British 4mire attemted to e.and their co!onia! ho!din&s into #oma!ia) (hich resu!ted in a b!oody
dra(n out con%!ict endin& in a broken #oma!ia. $he !on& dra(n out nature o% the con%!ict (ith the
British a!!o(ed %ascist Ita!ian %orces to sei'e contro! o% the re&ion. $his !ed to %urther con%!ict durin&
/or!d /ar II and a%ter the (ar #oma!ia and arts o% 4thioia (ere s!it into mu!ti!e 4uroean
rotectorates (ith the three bi&&est under 9rench) British) and Ita!ian contro!. 4*entua!!y #oma!ia (as
united as the #tate o% #oma!i!and and used it,s in%!uence in the Co!d /ar to !ay the :nited #tates and
the then :##R o%% o% each other %or arms and o(er) a!!o(in& them to amass one o% the !ar&est
mi!itaries in A%rica 5Ramsbotham 2228. #oma!i!and,s history (as brie% and in 1+;+ a mi!itary cou !ed
by -enera! <ohamed #iad Barre created the #oma!i Democratic Reub!ic. $he many !ayers in
#oma!ia,s turbu!ent history remained a %actor in the ne(!y %ormed Democratic Reub!ic and the eo!e
and &o*ernment (ere s!intered into many di%%erent &rous. 4*entua!!y the tension bet(een the &rous
ro*ed too much and the #oma!ian Ci*i! /ar kicked o%% in 1++1. $he ci*i! (ar be&an and the countries
&o*ernment and economy essentia!!y disso!*ed. $he !ack o% &o*ernment has e.acerbated many o% the
rob!ems %aced by #oma!ia,s eo!e) but esecia!!y the terrib!e o*erty. Accordin& to numbers &athered
by the Internationa! <onetary 9und #oma!ia,s er caita income is =>"") makin& it the second oorest
country in the (or!d %a!!in& behind on!y ?imbab(ae 5Internationa! <onetary 9und8. $he !ack o% %orma!
institutions and %ai!in& economy %orced many #oma!ians to %o!!o( in their ancestors %oot stes and
return to the sea and %ishin& %or sustenance. $he #oma!i Democratic Reub!ic a!so ushed to(ards a
%ishin& and a&ricu!ture based economy suortin& !oca! %isherman by be&innin& %isherman coos 599D
1+628. 9ish such as tuna and sardines are abundant o% #oma!ia,s coast and e*entua!!y o*er%ishin& in
other areas brou&ht %orei&n %isherman to the re&ion. Accordin& to the :1 these %orei&n intruders ha*e
&reat!y imacted the %ish ou!ations in the area and i!!e&a! %ishin& boats %rom as %ar a(ay as #outh
@orea and #ain ha*e been %ishin& the (aters %or decades 5:1 #ecurity Counci!8. #oma!ian %isherman
are a!so e%%ected by the dumin& o% to.ic and sometimes radioacti*e (aste into their coasta! (aters.
Combine these t(o %actors and you ha*e the makin&s o% a dyin& %ishin& industry. /hat became one o%
#oma!ia,s on!y ost &o*ernmenta! co!!ase industries (as e*entua!!y s2uee'ed dry by %orei&n intruders
%orcin& many #oma!ians to !ook e!se(here %or income.
A!thou&h the a*era&e #oma!ian has not turned to iracy to make a !i*in&) enou&h ha*e to make
#oma!ia one o% the %e( modern day bastions o% iracy. #oma!ia,s !ocation on the Horn o% A%rica !ea*e it
ri&ht in the (ake o% the #ue' Cana!) one o% the (or!ds most imortant !ocations as %ar as sea trade is
concerned. Accordin& to the /or!d #hiin& Counci! the #ue' Cana! %aci!itates assa&e %or tri!!ions o%
do!!ars in &oods) earns o*er A bi!!ion a year in %ees) and sees o*er 3")""" *esse!s ass throu&h each year
5/or!d #hiin& Counci!8. -oods comin& %rom a!most e*ery country on 4arth ass ri&ht throu&h
#oma!ian (aters e*ery day. $his enormous amount o% trade ro*ides a stark contrast to the in%orma!
barter based economy o% #oma!ia) and &oes to sho( the economic disarity bet(een the de*e!oin&
A%rican nation and the (ea!thy de*e!oed nations (here most o% these &oods (i!! end u. 4*entua!!y
the %isherman must turn e!se(here %or their money and their un&uarded car&o became too tanta!i'in&
and in the mid 2""",s irate attacks o%% the #oma!ian coast became increasin&!y common. Piracy (as
incredib!y rare rior to the ear!y 1++"s but it ramed u and in 2""6 it eaked at 111 attacks and 42
success%u! hi0ackin&s 5:1#C8. $his number makes u an incredib!y sma!! ercenta&e o% the sea tra%%ic
assin& #oma!ia) but it &a*e irates the abi!ity to !e*y their catured &oods and eo!e %or ransom. $his
ractice rose to rominence a%ter one o% the %irst &rou o% modern #oma!ian irates hi0acked a %ue! shi
and used it to &et a =31A)""" ransom. 5<ckni&ht 428. $he nature o% the economy makes se!!in& any
catured &oods some(hat di%%icu!t so irates ha*e turned to hosta&e takin& and ransoms as their
rimary source o% income. It,s estimated that these tactics ha*e netted the irates hundreds o% mi!!ions
o% do!!ars and in 2"1" a!one they earned o*er =1>" mi!!ion in ransoms 5<ckni&ht A>8. $hese irate
attacks cost a !ot o% money but there is a!so a si&ni%icant human cost) hosta&es are o%ten traumati'ed
and there ha*e e*en been a hand%u! o% deaths. #ince 2""A at !east 1)"+" eo!e ha*e been taken hosta&e
and an estimated >2 eo!e ha*e died at the hands o% the #oma!ian irates 5Hur!burt 38. $hese numbers
are retty si&ni%icant and it,s %air!y surrisin& ho( #oma!ian irates ha*e become the rominent
internationa! issue they are today. $he irates ha*e *ery !itt!e to (ork (ith in terms o% resources and
(eaons) but they ha*e ma.imi'ed the e%%ecti*eness o% (hats a*ai!ab!e and ha*e become the terror o%
many modern day sea%arers.
Durin& anti2uity irates and their oonents (ere more or !ess on an e*en %ootin& as %ar as techno!o&y
is concerned. 1umber o% cannons and muskets on board and shi si'e *aried %rom cre( to cre() but as
a (ho!e irates (ere &enera!!y ab!e to match their oonents) at !east on aer. #oma!ian iracy
ho(e*er is a (ho!e other beast entire!y. $he ousted %isherman take to the (ater in their %ishin& boats)
sma!! seed boats) and occasiona!!y !ar&er catured *esse!s in hoes o% u!!in& o%% a heist and ho!din&
the cature %or ransom. $he irates use these i!! e2uied shis in con0unction (ith co!d (ar era
(eaons and the e!ement o% surrise to brin& do(n some o% the most techno!o&ica!!y ad*anced car&o
shis the (o!d has e*er seen. $he irates o%ten use their shis seed to their ad*anta&e and 2uick!y run
u on the o%ten times s!o( and s!u&&ish tankers) once in ran&e the irates use &ra!in& hooks and
!adders to board the shis then usin& their suerior %ire o(er they take contro! o% the shi 5BBC 2"1"8.
<any irates are armed (ith #o*iet Co!d /ar era (eaons such as rocket roe!!ed &renades and
A@4;s. $hese (eaons (ere once art o% the #oma!ian mi!itary (hich thanks to stocki!in& e%%orts on
both sides (as the !ar&est in A%rica at the end o% the Co!d /ar 510oku ;;8. Bnce the &o*ernment
disso!*ed these (eaons (ere u %or &rabs) &i*in& soma!ians access to other(ise di%%icu!t to obtain
(eaonry. <ost shis in the re&ion are unarmed makin& assau!t ri%!es and e.!osi*es more than enou&h
to success%u!!y hi0ack a *esse!) this risk has %orced shiin& comanies to chan&e their modus oerandi)
increasin& both security and insurance remiums 5Danie!!e 1>8. <any shis ha*e taken their o(n
re*enti*e measures such as barbed (ire on the sides o% their shis) irate a!arms) and sa%ety tactics
used in the e*ent o% a boardin&. A!thou&h many stes ha*e been taken to increase cre( sa%ety) it hasn,t
a!(ays been enou&h so the shiin& industry turned to ri*ate security %irms %or sa%ety. :nder maritime
!a( most shis are rohibited %rom carryin& %irearms) but to combat iracy e.cetions ha*e been made
%or authori'ed comanies such as the security %irm C#B# 5Hunter 2""+8. $hese security %irms oerate
indeendent!y (ith !a. re&u!ation and ro*ide shiin& comanies (ith an e.tra !ayer o% security they
are other(ise unab!e to ro*ide themse!*es. Bonents o% this added security resence c!aim its an
ine%%ecti*e deterrent ointin& to e*ents such as a 2"12 e*ent (hen an Ita!ian shi mistakin& a #oma!i
%ishin& *esse! %or irates oenin& %ire and ki!!in& t(o on an Indian *esse! 5BBC 2"128. Bn the other
hand #usan Rice) the :nited #tates ambassador to the :1) c!aimed durin& a meetin& o% the :1
#ecurity Counci! that no *esse! (ith armed security has e*er been success%u!!y hi0acked by #oma!ian
irates 5#ei!mann 2"128. Desite the aarent success ri*ate %irms ha*e had (ardin& o%% attacks the
internationa! community has increased their mi!itary resence in the re&ion si&ni%icant!y.
Desite ri*ate attemts to ree! in the irate rob!em many countries and internationa! or&ani'ations
ha*e deemed increased na*a! resence o%% the coast o% #oma!ia an abso!ute necessity.
1a*a! resence in the -u!% o% Aden has increased si&ni%icant!y since irate attacks increased in the
ear!y 2""",s. 1A$B) the :1) and many indeendent countries ha*e de!oyed a mi!itary resence in the
re&ion in an attemt to rotect their &oods. $he bu!k o% these shis come %rom 1A$B Combined $ask
9orce 1A") a continuin& e%%ort o% the (ar on terror) and Combined $ask 9orce 1A1 a shoot o%% o% the
%ormer dedicated so!e!y to e!iminatin& #oma!i iracy. $hese &rous are rimari!y comrised o%
4uroean *esse!s (ith 14 o% the 2" cooeratin& countries be!on&in& to the 4:) these seci%ic shis %a!!
under the Beration At!anta umbre!!a a 4uroean cooerati*e e%%ort to re*ent iracy 5Commander
2"118. $he :nited #tates resence is !imited to the na*a! and coast &uard *esse!s articiatin& in the
1A$B task %orce) but iracy has &i*en many other countries a rare chance to sho( their mi!itary
stren&th and has %orced cooeration %rom countries (hich may ha*e not (orked to&ether other(ise.
Countries such as China) Jaan) and -ermany (ho ha*e had !itt!e to kno( mi!itary resence since
/or!d /ar $(o a!! ha*e na*a! %orces de!oyed in the area) &i*in& them a rare oortunity to sho( o%%
their mi!itary ro(ess 5BBC 2"118. Probab!y the most insirin& art o% the (ho!e #oma!ian irate
eidemic is the cooeration it has insired. Bitter ri*a!s such as India and Pakistan ha*e both o%%ered
their *esse!s in order to curb iracy (hich dee!y imacts the trade o% both o% these de*e!oin&
countries 5Commander 2"118.