pirates in the gulf of aden

Pirates in the Gulf of Aden

Daniele Archibugi21 March 2010

Lecture:

The Sirius Star

The hostages on the deck of the Faina ship with a cargo of T-72 tanks

Andrew Mwangura & Samuel L. Jackson

Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse

Captain Richard Philips

President Barack Obama &Captain Richard Philips

Pirates show the fragility of global governance

• Not more than 1,000 often illiterate men manage to put in crisis the most important maritime route of the world

• A New Holy Alliance putting together the West and emerging countries, governments and business organizations is not able to provide security

Is it possible to compare costs of action and inaction?

• New and old pirates need an harbour. If Somalia would not be a failed state, there would not be these pirates. But for two decades the “International Community” has failed to provide such “public good”• No accounts of the costs (for the business sector? For military expenses? For insurance companies?)

What is being done?Ship-owners

• Increased security, private military contractors, new routes)

Dangers:

- Weapons on board are often incompatible with the existing legal norms

- Risk of creating new (and more competent) pirates

What is being done?Governments

• Patrolling the sea

Problems:

- Very high costs

- Low efficacy

- Danger of human rights violations

EU Atalanta Operation

What is being done?Repression

Enforcing Jurisdiction for Piracy

Problems:

- Selectivity compared to other international crimes

-High costs

- Danger of human rights violations

Legal Channels to Prosecute Pirates

1) International Criminal Court

2) Ad hoc Tribunal

3) National courts associated to the flag of the capturing ship

4) Agreements with third countries (Kenya, Seychelles)

18 Pirate Suspects Face Life in Prison Kenya - April 2009

What should be done?

Stop civil war in Somalia

Re-create a Somali federal state

Create job opportunities

Contact

For any further question, contact Dott.ssa Marina Chiarugi at marina.chiarugi@irpps.cnr.it