CIVIL - MILITARY FUSION CENTRE ANTI PIRACY

November 2011 Comprehensive Information on Complex Crises

Alternative Approaches Land-based Strategies to Countering Piracy off the Coast of

Amber Ramsey Knowledge Manager [email protected]

This report outlines some recommended alternative land-based strategies that could be utilised to develop greater resistance to pirate activities by Somali communities and reinforce existing grassroots efforts to highlight its negative effects. Related information is available at www.cimicweb.org. Hyperlinks to source material are highlighted in blue and underlined in the text.

he United Nations recently adopted Resolution 2015, which calls for tougher international measures in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia. As stated by (VOA), while international T patrols have played a major role in preventing successful pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, various other methods have also proven to be effective, including the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and on board deterrents such as armed guards. However, according to Dr. Martin Murphy, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Ansari Africa Center, deterring piracy also requires a land-based solution with grassroots support. He explains, “[i]t’s the kingpins that are driving this and the economic circumstances that are driving it that we really need to tackle”. The International Expert Group on piracy off the Somali coast, commissioned by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to Somalia in 2008, noted that “piracy off the Somali coast is only one manifestation of the tragic events the country has experienced for almost 20 years.” The Expert Group was created as part of initial efforts to help guide a coordinated international response to Somali piracy. The final report released by the International Expert Group indicated that the international community should propose solutions that could be “locally driven and supported”, as the piracy issue must be addressed within Somalia. The experts further explained that “piracy [off the coast of Somalia] will not be suppressed without providing coastal populations with alternative occupation and revenue”, adding that “[i]n order to eradicate [piracy] and prevent it from arising again, we need the reconstruction of Somalia as a fully respected member of the community of Nations.”

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Both the International Expert Group final report and the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) Working Group 4 Concept Paper suggested during the initial stages of the international response to Somali piracy that information campaigns educating the public on the hazards of piracy and its effects on the local economy could be a successful means of deterring piracy on land. Additionally, Dr. Murphy suggests that a national development policy directed towards the community and clan level would also be a successful deterrent. He advocates a bottom-up strategy, guided by the communities themselves, in areas where local governance and security allow for effective development work. These efforts have already been undertaken by a number of local organisations and Somali communities, but require sustained international support to create a more comprehensive strategy that will reach a larger portion of the population.

Roots of Modern-Day Somali Piracy According to the International Expert Group’s initial findings, piracy in Somalia is rooted in a number of socio- economic factors; mainly poverty, hunger and civil insecurity along the coastline. While Somali piracy gained international attention in 2008 it is widely believed to have developed in response to the illegal and unregulated exploitation of Somalia’s fishery resources by foreign vessels, which became prevalent after the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991. According to Somali fisherman, these actions severely constrained the ability of coastal communities to make a living and caused many former fishermen to turn to piracy. Captain Faisal Azim, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association (BMMOA), in his article entitled ‘The Growth of Somali Piracy’ claims that many pirates sought to protect their territorial waters in the absence of an effective national coastguard and the disintegration of the nation’s armed forces.

Abdi Ismail Samatar, Professor of Geography at the , in an article he wrote for al Jazeera in September 2011, categorised Somali pirates into four main groups based on their objectives and motivations. The groups he identified included political pirates, resource pirates, defensive pirates and ransom pirates. Political pirates, he says, were members of the Somali National Movement, which was active from 1981 until the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. They warned ships to avoid Somali ports1 and seized three ships2 transporting goods to the country in 1989/91. Stig Jarle Hansen of the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) suggests that these attacks could be defined as the first piracy incidents in modern Somali history. However, according to Professor Samatar, the SNM sought to weaken the Siad Barre regime rather than to achieve personal gain and were no longer a threat to shipping after Barre’s downfall.

Professor Samatar further categorises the illegal activities of foreign vessels during years of unrest in Somalia3 as resource piracy. He then claims that defensive pirates developed in response to these illegal activities, or the belief that foreign fishing fleets were taking advantage of the situation on land to exploit the country’s vast fishing resources and to dump unwanted (toxic) materials in Somali waters at a low cost (USD 2.5/tonne vs. USD 1000/tonne in Europe4). Al Jazeera reported in 2008 that after the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, allegations emerged that nearly 10 million tonnes of nuclear and toxic waste had been dumped in Somali waters,5 causing an array of cases of respiratory infections, ulcers, abdominal hemorrhages and unusual skin infections among the inhabitants of the northeastern coastal areas of Somalia.6 Nick Nuttall, a United Nations Environmental

1 Stig Jarle Hansen of the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) indicates that the SNM hijacked ships and took their goods to prevent them from reaching government-controlled areas. 2 Anti-Shipping Activity Messages (ASAM) lists a total of three ships hijacked by the SNM from 1989-1991. 3 Mainly from 1991-2004 4 Nick Nuttall, a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Spokesman. 5 The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) planned to do a proper, in-depth scientific assessment on the magnitude of the problem, but high levels of insecurity prevented an accurate assessment. 6 While this issue is still hotly debated a recent UN Report indicates all statistics dealing with Somali fisheries and related activities have restricted utility based on the difficulty in gathering current data.

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Programme (UNEP) spokesman told reporters, “Somalia has been used as a dumping ground for hazardous waste starting in the early 1990s, and continuing through the civil war”.

Today’s ransom pirates are believed to have developed in Pirates who hijaked the Ukranian vessel MV Faina the wake of the struggle of Somali fisherman to extract in 2008 told al Jazeera that the ransom would “go some form of payment from foreign vessels for the towards cleaning up the waste”. A pirate exploitation of Somalia’s resources. Criminals took spokeman for the group also indicated that the advantage of the support from Somali communities for ransom was a means of “reacting to the toxic their own financial gain and a highly lucrative industry waste that has been continually dumped on the developed. Unfortunately, according to Professor Abdi shores of our country for nearly 20 years”. Ismail Samatar, actions and statements made by Somali pirates have made it incredibly difficult for experts to categorise pirates motivated by personal gain and those motivated by historical factors such as overfishing. Moreover, he says this has helped ransom pirates garner a certain level of support from local communities that still hold strong greivances over years of perceived foreign exploitation.

Local Contributing Factors A 2009 Assessment Report commissioned by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) on piracy in Puntland identified several factors that affect Somali perceptions of piracy. In particular, respondents noted the negative consequences that piracy had on their communities, including drug abuse, pre-marital sex, theft, and inflation (caused by the influx of ransom money). Nevertheless, the survey also found that piracy proceeds led to a construction boom in some parts of Puntland, creating much-needed income for local .

As stated by Patrick Lennox, Ph. D., author of the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute (CDFAI) report entitled, “Contemporary Piracy off the ”, the most crucial enabling factor for piracy is sanctuary. “Without sympathizers, protectors, financiers, and indeed customers, pirates would not be able to function”, he argues. Lennox adds that Somali piracy is sustained by the existence of safe havens on shore, from where pirates can launch attacks and seek refuge. One major factor that is believed to influence many Somali communities continuing to condone piracy is the adherence to pirate policies and guidelines, which reportedly stipulate that 20% of ransom proceeds are to be given to the poor and others on shore that have assisted the pirates in their efforts, says Mohammed Adow, the author of an article in al Jazeera from June 2009.7

The same article also noted the draw for Somali youth to participate in pirate activities. According to Mohammed Adow, “[t]he pirates ranks have been swollen by many of the regions youths – drawn by the potentially huge profits of one of Somalia’s most successful, if unconventional, business enterprises.” The International Expert Group on Somali piracy also discussed the high rate of unemployment among young people in Somalia in 2008. They suggested that it had forced many of the country’s youth to join militias and other armed groups, including pirates, in order to earn a basic income.

In her Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) special report entitled, “Somalia: A New Approach”, Bronwyn E. Bruton claims that public tolerance of pirate activities could also be affected by the overwhelming use of force by foreign navies. Pirates are believed to already hold some local support based on grievances over Somali fisherman being harassed by foreign fishing vessels. One local fisherman interviewed by the Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) argued that these vessels are now being protected by the navies of their countries. He further claimed that foreign navies often mistake Somali fisherman for pirates and occasionally open fire on them, adding that the international community is only “talking about the piracy problem in Somalia, but not about the destruction of our coast and our lives by these foreign ships.” Meanwhile, the German magazine Der Spiegel

7 Somalia Report also suggests a “strict set of rules and regulations”.

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spoke with several individuals imprisoned for piracy in Hargeisa, , many of whom insisted that they were merely fisherman who had been wrongly accused. The article notes that Somalis who do not return from fishing trips are often believed to have been killed by foreign warships. This belief creates a desire for vindication among the fisherman’s family members and enforces the belief that Somali pirates are in a legitimate fight against foreign vessels.

Another contributing factor that may support the positive perception of Somali pirates among their communities is the perception that they have helped promote the resurgence of Somalia’s fishing resources. The head of a local consortium of 500 fisherman in Berbera, Somaliland, Yussuf Muhammed Ahmed, told Der Spiegel that pirates have supported the economic potential of Somali fisherman by pushing foreign fishing fleets further from shore and allowing Somalia’s fishing resources to rebound. He insists that catches are much higher now than they were five years ago and believes that this is a direct correlation to the fact that fewer vessels are operating in Somali waters.

Changing Perceptions Today, Somali pirates have successfully invoked long-standing local grievances over illegal fishing and waste dumping in Somalia’s territorial waters to create an enabling environment for attacks on foreign vessels, claims CFR democracy and governance specialist, Bronwyn E. Bruton. However, this atmosphere seems to be changing, with more Somalis turning away from pirates and condemning their acts. According to Mohammed Adow, in the town of Eyl in northwestern Puntland, widely considered the pirate capital of Somalia, local religious leaders have united in the fight against piracy. Adow Bargal Volunteer Anti-Piracy Defence Force. Source: Somalia Report claims that they hold meetings in the town square condemning the negative impacts that piracy has on Somali communities.

Somalia Report also identifies the town of Bargal8 as another example of effective grassroots efforts to counter piracy.9 The article claims that local elders and religious leaders are beginning to build resistance to piracy among community members. One method being utilised in Bargal involves signs being posted that say “STOP” with an explanation that pirate money is considered haram (forbidden) and against Islam. Similar to the efforts in Eyl, Bargal leaders have attempted to create a unified front against pirates. According to Somalia Report, the alliance started when a group of local townspeople decided that they were fed up with thefts, drinking, rowdy behaviour and the unwanted attention pirates were bringing to the area. The group created a list of demands and presented them to the pirates, later establishing a local police force to keep pirates out of town with 80 volunteers.10

Recent actions taken by Somali elders in response to the kidnapping of two Danish Demining Group (DDG) workers in Puntland have also shown increasing attempts by local leaders to negotiate the release of hostages being held in their regions. According to a press release from the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the organisation that runs DDG, efforts to secure the release of the two hostages have been supported by Somali traditional leaders,

8 Bargal is known as a piracy safe haven and most of the local men are fishermen. 9 Somalia Report notes that almost all main coastal towns along the eastern coast of Puntland and Galgudug are known as pirate havens. 10 The authors noted that pirates have similarly been turned away from towns up and down the coast of Puntland.

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influential clan members and elders who condemn the act as “contradictory to Somali values where honor is obliging Somali people to treat guests with respect and dignity”. A statement released by DRC in the name of local leaders called on “elders, youth, women’s groups, religious groups, the local administration and whoever can make a positive contribution to stand up for the release of these humanitarian staff.” Approaches to Countering Piracy The United Nations, research groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in Somalia have identified several strategies for undermining local support for pirate activities. Several specific areas have been identified for such efforts, particularly the coastal regions of Puntland, but also other areas known to harbour pirate groups. Various actions have been suggested by these groups to develop greater resistance against pirates throughout Somalia. These include providing support for existing efforts by clan elders and religious leaders to inform their communities of the negative impacts of piracy; utilising media outlets in Somalia and abroad to promote the message that piracy is being dealt with strongly and is against Islamic teachings; improving alternative livelihood options for those most vulnerable to being recruited by pirates; and building trust in coastal communities by showing that efforts are being made to rebuild Somalia’s fishing industry and prevent the exploitation of its fishery resources.

A speech given by Puntland’s President H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Farole in October 2011 at Chatham House in London noted efforts being made by the semi-autonomous state of Puntland to launch community engagement programmes to rehabilitate pirates and to prevent piracy recruitment. President Farole requested international assistance in continuing and expanding such efforts throughout Puntland. He also highlighted the need to “explore alternative livelihoods for coastal communities affected by piracy and illegal fishing, such as vocational training schools, job opportunities for youth, and reviving fishing industry activities disrupted by piracy and illegal fishing”. According to President Farole, a successful framework for countering piracy would combine community engagement programmes, economic development, and military might.

Similarly, the September 2011 meeting of the International Contact Group on Somalia, under the chairmanship of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, stressed the need to address the socio-economic root causes of piracy and to tackle the issue through a comprehensive approach. The report indicated that local institutions are considered by the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) to be the most informed and well placed to address the root causes of piracy.

The CGPCS Working Group 4, in its first meeting in January 2009, also addressed the subject of a communication strategy to reach out to various audiences, including the Somali community. One way of addressing the root causes of piracy identified by the CGPCS was through partnering with international and Somali civil society organisations, particularly in the areas of youth and child protection, and community development. The main strategies identified by various local and international organisations active in land-based strategies to counter piracy are further discussed below.

Religious Leaders and Community Elders Local public awareness campaigns have sought to highlight the social, economic, and political costs of piracy, with many local elders or religious leaders taking the lead in these efforts. According to the International Expert Group 2008 workshop on Somali piracy, religious leaders were among the early opponents of pirates. The Expert Group claimed that religious leaders have repeatedly advised people not to be attracted by the wealth that piracy offers and declared that any marriage to a pirate would be considered against Islamic law. They then recommended that non-political but influential actors in Somali civil society, the Somali Diaspora and the Somali Chambers of Commerce in the UAE and Kenya be enlisted to support the idea that piracy is “unpatriotic and destructive”. Local religious leaders and clan elders were later identified by CGPCS Working Group 4 (WG4), as a

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potential avenue of information dissemination. According to the WG4 Concept Paper, clan chiefs are an important support base that can help highlight the risks associated with piracy in their areas.

Religious leaders and community elders were also identified by NCA as those best positioned to sway public opinion and to draw Somali youth away from piracy. Most noteworthy in the findings of the 2009 NCA assessment survey was that 95% of respondents11 believed piracy is forbidden under Islamic teachings. Religious leaders were recognised by NCA as having spearheaded local efforts against piracy by utilising Quranic teachings to dissuade youth from joining pirate gangs. According to NCA, religious leaders retain strong credibility in Somalia and with a planned and concerted effort they could successfully dissuade a large number of youth from piracy.12 However, despite being identified as powerful players in various grassroots efforts against piracy, a lack of resources has prevented religious leaders from fully implementing these efforts into a comprehensive campaign.

Information Campaigns Radio Broadcasts were also identified by CGPCS WG4 as a highly effective means of disseminating information to the Somali public. The creation of a dedicated radio station, or dedicated time on a local radio station to discuss piracy-related topics was one recommendation offered in initial discussions. However, geographic coverage of Somalia’s major media sources, which are mainly located in big cities, has been identified as one constraint to this method. Therefore, support for local media to expand coverage to largely unexplored areas has been highlighted as a possible intervention in the search for land-based solutions to piracy. Several local radio stations are highly regarded and could be supported in such outreach efforts (see Annex A). One example of this approach is that of Radio Daljir, a Bossaso-based radio station, which was cited by Bronwyn E. Bruton for its effectiveness in highlighting the negative aspects of piracy.

According to WG4, the perspective of the Somali civil society is that outreach activities should specifically target Somali youth. One recommendation offered by NCA was for the collaboration of the media and religious leaders to organise talk shows engaging Somali youth about the Islamic stand on piracy. Meanwhile, WG4 members suggested that a broad understanding of the consequences and action taken against pirates would be an effective deterrent for many vulnerable youth, and therefore efforts should be made to publicise the success of international military intervention as well as alternative options.

Alternative Livelihoods Possible Alternative Livelihood Options

The UN’s International Expert Group additionally 1) Fisheries: provision of fishing gear and better recommended during its 2008 workshop that improved security guarantees from Puntland authorities. employment opportunities be introduced in Puntland and 2) Small Scale Trading: provision of Micro- other coastal communities. To achieve this goal, several Credit and training for those seeking to areas of intervention were recommended, including: engage in petty trade. developing the fishing industry; building up coastal 3) Artisanal Crafts: metal work, mechanical infrastructure through labour-intensive job creation, engineering, electrical work, carpentry and vocational training for youth; support to youth groups; tailoring. engagement with the diaspora; and support to 4) Animal Husbandry: provision of livestock. pastoralists. In support of this recommendation, 87% of the 2009 NCA survey respondents agreed that if Source: Norwegian Church Aid incentives and alternative income opportunities were provided for Somali youth, they would abandon piracy.

11 The survey targeted 250 individuals in the coastal towns of Eyl, Qarhis and Garowe over a 20-day period. 12 As noted in the NCA survey, a campaign undertaken by religious leaders in Eyl in May 2009 saw at least 200 pirates renounce their activities.

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Trustbuilding The development of the Somali fishing and pastoral industries is an additional approach suggested by Bronwyn E. Bruton as a means to overcome concerns over illegal fishing in Somali waters. According to Bruton, the Somali government and international fishing companies must cooperate to achieve the most effective development of Somalia’s fisheries and the Somali fishing industry as a whole. Moreover, greater emphasis needs to be placed on the policing of foreign trawlers in Somali waters alongside efforts to support fisherman in rebuilding their livelihoods.

What’s Next?

The UK Government, during a speech delivered by Foreign Office Minister, Henry Bellingham, to the British Chamber of Shipping in October 2011, announced that it will commit GBP 2 million (approx. USD 2.8 million) towards community engagement and economic development projects in the coastal regions of Somalia. The funds are part of an attempt by the UK to create long-term solutions to current socio-economic gaps within Somalia. Projects will include media messaging focused on the dangers of piracy including the fact that one third of pirates never come home. According to Bellingham, this message will be coupled with UK-supported programmes to create viable alternative livelihood options for those most vulnerable to being recruited. Moreover, the UK government indicates that a new push will be made to involve international partners in the efforts being made on land alongside the semi-autonomous state of Puntland and the United Nations.

The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Four Critical Anti-Piracy Messages also announced the development of a new anti-piracy advocacy campaign, as part of the organisations’ on-going 1) Piracy is haram, or against religious teachings counter-piracy initiatives in Somalia and the Horn of 2) Piracy has eroded Somalia’s cultural and Africa region. The campaign was recently presented by traditional values Wayne Miller of UNODC at an international conference 3) Piracy has destroyed Somalia’s international on piracy in London. According to the presentation, the reputation and standing goal of the campaign is “[t]o make piracy unappealing”. 4) Piracy increases the chance of death or Partners will include authorities in Puntland, top-level imprisonment clerics, clan and traditional elders, members of the Somali diaspora and media outlets. The three-prong advocacy Source: UNODC strategy seeks to (i) highlight the negative aspects of a career in piracy, (ii) highlight the positive career alternatives, and (iii) use a multimedia communications strategy to change public perceptions on piracy.

Conclusion

As shown above, it is evident that more is being done on the ground in Somalia to focus on the underlying issues that affect piracy off the coast. Many international governments, Somali officials, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society groups are attempting to come together to create a viable strategy that will offer alternatives to the dangerous and demanding life of a pirate. As further discussed, Somali civil society is considered to be in the best position to address the issue of piracy and to help break down support among Somali communities. Yet, as identified by Norwegian Church Aid, resources for such efforts have been scarce and many attempts have failed to come together towards a comprehensive strategy. Most recommendations for alternative approaches to piracy suggest that international efforts to fight piracy should be further aligned with on-going efforts by religious clerics, village elders, civil society groups and the media within Somalia. As suggested by NCA, a comprehensive strategy is the only way that land-based approaches will be truly effective in creating an environment where pirates are no longer accepted and Somali youth begin to see viable and appealing opportunities elsewhere in their communities.

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Annex A. Somalia Radio Stations

Radio Station Area of Operation SBC-Somali Broadcasting Corporation Garowe, Qardho, Bosasso (Puntland) Radio Garowe Garowe (Puntland) BBC World Service Mogadishu (Somalia) Radio Free Somalia Somalia Tusmo Radio Mogadishu (Somalia) Horn Afrik Mogadishu (Somalia) Shabelle Media Network Mogadishu (Somalia) Radio Daljir Galkayo (Puntland) Radio Badbaado Abudwak (Galgudug) Dalmar Media Somalia Radio Hargeisa Hargeisa (Somaliland) Radio Nugaal Garowe (Puntland) Radio Somaliland Somaliland Radio Banadir Broadcasting Mogadishu (Somalia)

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