What?
An Indian merchant ship was attacked by Somali pirates on the 11 Nov.2008. The ship called for help from the navy. The INS Tabar, which was about 25 nautical miles away at the time of the distress call, rushed a Chetak helicopter carrying a team of MARCOS (Indian Navy Marine Commandos) personnel to the location of the ship. The team successfully thwarted the hijack attempt. The same day,they also thwarted another attempt on a Saudi based cargo ship. Kudos to the Indian Navy!
Why?
There are a number of reasons for this. Poverty is rampant in Somalia and it has been without an effective central government since 1991. Also, it lies close to the strategically important Gulf of Aden, which is used to ship a significant percentage of the world's oil reserves and,not to forget,many of India's main trade routes.
As you can see from the pic here,most of them are 20 somethings. Tormented by the poverty in their homeland,inability to provide for their families have forced them to take drastic measures. Millions of Somalis depend on food aid and in 2008, according to the World Bank, as much as 73% of the population lived on a daily income below $2.Precise data on the economical situation in Somalia is scarce but with an estimated per capita GDP of $600/year(!), it remains one of the world's poorest countries. With conditions like this,if lucrative offers of piracy lead them on,it is no surprise that they are going about it as if they were campus placements.
Effects?
There has been some change back home for these pirates who have been able to provide for their families and enable them to build houses,get good clothes,food and even spend a little on luxuries. Shops have now installed generators enabling 24 hour power supply,previously a dream in these regions. People are spending more and somehow there is growth in the economy. If nothing else,at least they have enough for subsistence.
Is it right?
People like us,who have nestled into our comfortable,complacent livelihoods cannot judge their actions as right or wrong. When none of the countries try to improve countries like Somalia in their weak economic conditions,communal forces will take over. Islamic forces have been providing for the initial funding for the weapons and ammo. And I'm of the opinion that a chunk of also goes to fund terrorist activities elsewhere as well.
Taking out ships with force and forming alliances for such purposes does not seem to be the ideal solution. Yes,they can be suppressed for some time,but eventually they will surface again with something else. Why are "Big daddy" countries like US not interfering here? Because there are no oil reserves or other attractive sources here?
Hypocrites!
Solutions??
Establishing order has to be tantamount. That can happen when we take power out of the communal,instigative forces and help establish a stable government there. This can happen in about 5-10 years. Meanwhile,economic and food aid has to be provided. This is their bargaining power,Hunger--what has driven youngsters to this. Take it away from the forces and people will have someone to trust. The aid has to be abundant and periodic, and not sporadic efforts as they are being done now.
Unless countries of the world join hands in undoing this mess now,many other forces will rise in other small economies as well. Communal forces will play with their lives using hunger and money as pawns. And if,and when this happens, no sea battles will suffice to restore order again.
As W.B.Yeats once said
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity!
P.S: A new update on this has been that the vessel that INS Tabar sank was actually a Thai trawler,which was kidnapped by the Somali pirates. 14 members of the crew of this trawler are still missing,1 dead,1 still fighting for life. There is a Maritime Force that monitors activities in these seas. They say since India is not a part of the force,they should have at least sought info before making any attacks.
Since our external affairs minister does not have any "solid" info yet,he hasn't said anything. Let's wait and watch...
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