Pirates or protectors?

[imperfect.la]

You are being lied to about pirates

In 1991, the government of Somalia collapsed. Its nine million people have been teetering on starvation ever since – and the ugliest forces in the Western world have seen this as a great opportunity to steal the country's food supply and dump our nuclear waste in their seas.

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy to Somalia, tells me: "Somebody is dumping nuclear material here. There is also lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury – you name it." Much of it can be traced back to European hospitals and factories, who seem to be passing it on to the Italian mafia to "dispose" of cheaply. When I asked Mr Ould-Abdallah what European governments were doing about it, he said with a sigh: "Nothing. There has been no clean-up, no compensation, and no prevention."

Somalian fishermen took speedboats to try to dissuade the dumpers and trawlers, or at least levy a "tax" on them. They call themselves the Volunteer Coastguard of Somalia – and ordinary Somalis agree. The independent Somalian news site WardheerNews found 70 per cent "strongly supported the piracy as a form of national defense".

Seems like the media was not giving the whole story with regards to the Somalian pirates.

 

[Berzerker]

hmm...I heard they were angry because foreign nations were fishing their waters

 

[Rashiminos]

In before Ecofarm's comparison to storm front. Oh wait, that article is crossposted...

Here we go: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/you-are-being-lied-to-abo_b_155147.html

 

[Sharwood]

I think the real problem is that Hare Krishnas have been mischaracterising our lovable pirate protectors for years.

But you have to understand that the 'pirates' who are hijacking oil tankers are not necessarily the same as those attempting to stop toxic waste dumping, and even if they are it does not excuse their theft and hijacking.

 

[emzie]

Protecting Somalia from illegal dumping != hijacking oil tankers.

 

[Sharwood]

Protecting Somalia from illegal dumping != hijacking oil tankers.

Maybe that's their idea of taxation. If it is, it's a pretty damn good one. They also get tanks from taxing.

 

[JtheJackal]

Well this is really good news, now in a hundred years or so we can have romantic stories about the Somali pirates like we do with European pirates. The swashbuckling pirates protecting poor Africans from other, "bad" pirates and corrupt foreign powers.

 

[Sharwood]

Well this is really good news, now in a hundred years or so we can have romantic stories about the Somali pirates like we do with European pirates. The swashbuckling pirates protecting poor Africans from other, "bad" pirates and corrupt foreign powers.

Pirates of the Red Sea: Dead Man's Tank.

 

[Perfection]

I can't wait until we get into space and have space pirates. Space pirate is my dream job.

 

[amadeus]

And so it all comes back to whitey.

 

[Arwon]

Interesting how you jump straight to a racial angle.

 

[Souron]

if they are it does not excuse their theft and hijacking.

The Samali have to earn a living somehow.

It doesn't do any good labeling them as immoral and pretending thats a reason for them to stop. Especially when feeding their families is at stake.

 

[amadeus]

Interesting how you jump straight to a racial angle.

I just find it interesting that this conspiracy theory leads straight to the Western world dumping nuclear waste in Somali waters, rather than the Somali pirates being a bunch of... well, pirates.

 

[Arwon]

Yeah, no. That's stupid. The big issue is fishing.

 

[Spitefire]

amadeus you should know better then to utter the word conspiracy in polite company how dare any one suggest any powerful goverments/corpirations should ever be anything other then the sweetest kindest most gentle persons in all of the universe and would never dream of dumping there garbage anywhere but the most safe of safe and the media lie, what poppy cock its not like the corrupt would every use media corps to tell us how good death and disease is, now be good and never mention the C word ever again.


(The Above has been sarcaism and douse in no way represent or counter represent my opinions thoughts or feelings)

 

[aelf]

Probably true to a certain extent. In the free market, if you can find a low-cost method you take it. As long as there's no "market forces" acting against it, it's only smart to do so. Considering how popular the free market is in the world today, it isn't difficult to believe that this is happening. In this light, if piracy becomes a deterrent, that's just a market force acting against it. It does makes some sense.

If the Somalis who do take action to try and stop or alleviate this in some way are pirates and have no excuse, then what are the dumpers? Corporate terrorists? Any excuse for them?

 

[Gooblah]

Yeah, because 'protecting Somalia' requires one to seize tanks and oil.

 

[Arwon]

I don't think it's so much "protecting Somalia" (I'd be willing to bet very very very few Somalians are patriotic about their state) as "we have literally no other livelihood options".

 

[EquinoxOmega]

I wonder why the trading ships don't form conveys in this dangerous area. I think about 10-25 ship escorted by a military vessel. No navy can control the whole area and protect every ship around Somalia from pirate attacs, but with this classic solution it would be much easier. They just have to agree on a meeting point on the edge of the "pirate zone" where a military ship is waiting until all trading ships have been assembled and then they are escorted across the dangerous area.

 

[Arwon]

Some are. But the pirates are ranging very widely and it's one of the busiest shipping areas in the world.