The Pirates Who Rule the Somalian Seas

Pirateland (2009): Why have so many Somalian fishermen turned to piracy, and what can be done to stop them?

For similar stories, see:
Why Is There Piracy In Somalia?
Sharia Law Imposed On Anarchic Somalia
Somalia's Incredible Pirate Free-for-All

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Foreign fishing fleets stole their lobsters, which drove them to desperation. This is the reason given by poor Somali fishermen who turned into gun-toting pirates mugging giant ships for millions of dollars.

Driving to Puntland requires an armed escort to avoid kidnap. It's a lawless pocket of trouble on the Somali coast. The country'’s notorious instability provided an opportunity used shamelessly by the world’s fishing fleets. For years, Ali witnessed foreign trawlers stealing the lobsters. ‘They brought ships that stole even stones from the seabed.’ "‘Before we were catching about ten tonnes per day but now we are catching three or four hundred kilos per day"’ says one factory owner.

"Our jobs, our profession as fishermen was stolen from us by these foreign ships."’ And so Ali and hundreds of others turned to piracy. Over the last twelve months there have been hundreds of attacks, including the hijacking of French yacht Le Ponant. In a much-publicised operation, the French navy freed the hostages and captured the pirates. But a long-term solution to piracy must come from the inside. "‘An effective anti-piracy force has to be based inside Somalia and come from Somalia,’" insists Africa specialist R.Middleton. Only the return of law and order could make that possible.

ABC Australia – Ref. 4412

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[patswayze]

Steal their resources, call them criminals, ...opposite world

[kevinmccorkle]

As a former sailor in the U.S. Navy, I understand the need to stop piracy...as a human, I see the need to fix what the western powers have caused.

[basheybsb]

"The foreign ships used force (using explosives and guns). They were illegally fishing in our waters. Then we decided to attack anyone who came into our seas".
That is enough for the wise and the just.

[CrookCountySoftwear]

Its nice to see another side of the story and not the lies we been told from main stream media.

[DoseofReality]

Stealing their resources and you have the audacity to call them pirates

[donovan]

I use to enjoy these videos until I discovered that the Somali's were originally fishermen who had their waters commercially fished out by European and Asian countries, as well as poisoned their waters by illegally dumping toxic waste into their waters to save money. Leaving these impoverished people with fewer choices to survive.

[rockypat]

My advice
Always afraid of the person who doesn't have to loose anything.

[poffassholes]

maybe the rest of the world shouldn't be stealing from other countries livelihoods

[zubeirali]

They aren’t pirates the are simply trying to get back what these ships stole from them

[jamisa]

Some countries call them pirates but we call them coast guards. So we get to name our boys not vise-versa.

[boy]

Why are the comments acting like the pirates are the villains
if go to a country borders illegally don't expect hugs and
anywhere else the word "pirates" will turn to heroes

[DallasHVac]

If Mexico or Canada try doing this to America’s coast, there would be war! So can you blamed the pirates?

[sunshine]

It is interesting that after many years no big foreign fishing ships were operating in the water of Somalia, fish population came back in this water. There is a great lesson learned from all this. There got to be rules to protect the ocean especially along the coast. The poorest nation suffer most.

[kwamehaze]

rob them and starve them...when you're hungry u gotta do what you got to do...cant blame them

[biplavchakraverty]

I worked for a reputed merchant liner operating between Europe to South East Asia and Australia. What you missed here is pirates don't attack every ship, they attack only specific ships. So my question is how come they know which ships is loaded with what goods unless they get the info from shipping office itself and the shipping companies in return of the ransom claim three to four time more insurance. So in short there are no pirates they are paid staffs working for shipping companies who helps earn these companies millions. Hope you are getting me.

[kutisbayag]

You westerners ! Somalian people did not step on your soil but you do, they're thousand miles away from your land but you came to their region and steal their resources including their sanity, then you call them pirates for reclaiming what is belongs to them? Question, who provokes that chaos? They got jailed for defending their homeland? Where is justice? This is heart breaking. 🤧😫😥 I am a Filipino.

[angelahall]

Have foreign countries come to our shores and see how we react to other countries taking our lively hood. We'd fight back to.

[FavJam]

So you steal their jobs and food and call them pirates if they try to defend themselves and survive some how?

[thembutton]

Damn.... like my dad always taught me... there are always 2 sides to the story.
Kinda feel bad for the Samalis

[virginiasophianykolettedum]

I felt sad about them, in the first place they are the victims, yet the foreign ships who stole their livelihood have the audacity to call them criminals.