Topic > Ransom on the High Seas: The Case of Piracy in Somalia The Root Causes of Piracy in Somalia

This paper has identified two main causes of piracy, namely problems with illegals and Somalia's lack of status as a state, as a second problem. To fully understand the genesis of piracy in Somalia, one must go back to the period when Somalia had a functioning government in 1991. At that time, Somalia's coastal waters were heavily used for fishing by both local fishermen and international fisheries. boats from Europe. Osei-Tutu (2011) argued that piracy in Somalia began with local fishermen who were tired of foreign fishing boats taking advantage of the country's instability, dumping toxic waste and fishing illegally in Somali waters. To protect themselves, fishermen took up arms and then increased their protection and then greed took over and fishermen began to hijack other ships for ransom, turning into a real piracy problem (Waldo, 2009). The second root cause is what was highlighted in the case study as the main root cause of current or modern day piracy. The study highlighted political instability resulting from the lack of a stable government with effective authority as the main cause. The absence of a political authority capable of guaranteeing the security of its population and its borders has led to the fragmentation of Somalia (Saferworld, 2011). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Over the years, with the further absence of government institutions and structures, chaos has occurred that has made Somalia a prime target for abuse by Islamic rebel groups as Al Shabab seeks a base to destabilize other states. By extension, the lack of a stable government in Ethiopia led to the deterioration of the economic situation which ultimately resulted in massive poverty. This has culminated in extreme anxiety on the part of Somalis to survive amidst high levels of unemployment. The case highlighted some cultural aspects that perpetrated piracy. For example, the case indicated that some fishermen would allow pirates to use their boats making it difficult for other patrol boats to distinguish pirates from ordinary local fishermen. The case also mentions the protection that Islamic groups have provided to pirates. This is rooted in the collective culture of most East African countries, where communities support other communities within their culture. On the other hand, pirates understood the culture of valuing life by the companies and countries of the captured crew, which provided the guarantee of payment of a ransom. J. Peter Pham's article “Putting Somali Piracy in Context” (2010) states that the historic looting of shipwrecks along the Puntland coast was “apparently induced by locals, representing a significant element in [the local clan], organized by traditional leaders, and may also have contributed to centralized tendencies in the power structures of local sultanates. Osei-Tutu (2011) further stated that, rooted in the pastoral culture of Somalis, which is the antithesis to that of agriculture and fishing, greed is associated with sharaf (respect), especially when ambition is displayed to steal for the benefit of the clan. members. This support from elements of Somali culture appears to have fueled the growth of piracy. The difference between pirates and terrorist groups Pirates comprise mostly unemployed local youth/fishermen who seek private purposes aimed at alleviating.