Strategies for preventing piracy in Somalia

A research project in progress by

Tore Bjørgoand

Ingvild Magnæs Gjelsvik

Piracy in Somalia

Mainly off the coast off PuntlandLarge increase in incidents from 2008About half of the reported piracy attacksworldwide in 2011 were done by Somali piratesDecrease in incidents in 2012-13

Causes of Piracy

Pro-longed civil warWeak state structuresInadequate coast guard, police, juidicial systemInternational illegal fishingDumping of toxic wasteEconomic crises, lack of work

How are the pirates organized?

Groups of fishermen transforming intopiracy groups

Loosely organized, based on familyand friendship ties

No prey, no pay system

Reinvesting surplus in new attacks

Short-time engagement

Few

Women are usually not directly involved as pirates but many women areactive in the network around the pirate groups as service providers. This woman is now in the reintegration program «Alternative livelihood to piracy», learning to run a small business.

Motives for joining piracy

Economical gain

“The job market closed in our faces and we didn’t get any jobs. So it was a new door for us to get an income”

Recruitment through existing social networks

“The people know one another because we go to the same schools and live in the same areas. So I had an idea about them (the pirates), and I met them in places like the coffee shops where everyone goes”

Agriculture in Somalia has been heavily affected by draught. This was once a river.

1. Reduce recruitment to piracyMechanism:

Reduce the economic and social causes for piracy Reduce push and push factors into piracy at the levels of society, group and individuals

Measures: Prevent and act against illegal fishingDevelop infrastructure for a local fish market (roads, freezing facilities)Provide viable economic alternatives to piracy

Actors: Many! Local businesses and authorities, international aid efforts, NGOs, foreign investors, …

Reduce recruitment to piracy (continued II)

Target group: Groups at risk of getting involved in piracy, in particular young unemployed males and fishermen

Strength and benefits:Positive effects for society in general

Limitations, costs and side-effects: Takes time, money and efforts to build up a local labour market and develop infrastructure and society in generalOnly indirect impact on the piracy problem

2. Moral barriers against participation in piracy

Background: According to local religious leaders,

piracy is considered Haram (forbidden) by Islam,

piracy money are dirty money and haram as well,

Piracy brings with it other immoral activities.

Such activities brings shame and stigma

Moral barriers (continued, II)

Mechanism: Maintain and reinforce the notion that piracy is haram, which means forbidden by Islam

Measures: Formal and informal social sanctions. Support the local religious campaigns against piracyCapacity building Remove excuses, such as the claims that piracy is a legitimate defence against illegal fishing and polluters

Actors:Local religious leaders and elders Families

Bilde KN

From the «Alternative Livelihood to piracy project», run by the Norwegian Church Aid and local Muslim religious leaders.

Moral barriers (continued, III)

Target group: Groups at risk of being recruited into piracyActive pirates

Strength and benefits of building moral barriers:Positive effects for society in generalGrounded in local values and community structures

Limitations, costs and side-effects:Takes time to make an impactLarger development project, costly Indirect impact

Moral barriers (continued, IV)

“The religious sermons reached our ears from the radio. They talked about piracy, what our religion says about it, and how we are considered by the other Muslims. We were hearing these sermons while we were working at sea or on shore. This affected our decision to go back and quit piracy”

Local elders and religious leaders have played a key role in building moral barriers against piracy, declaring piracy as «haram», forbidden in Islam.

3. Deterrence

Mechanism: Make potential pirates abstain from involvement in piracy due to threat of punishment, exposure to mortal danger and other negative consequences.Increase risk to influence their cost/benefit calculations

Measures: Armed guard on shipsMilitary protection and interventionArrest and imprisonment

Actors: Private security companies, military forces, criminal justice systems (police, courts and prisons)

Deterrence (continued, II)

Target group:Active pirates and potential recruits

Strength and benefits:Has caused a significant drop in piracy attacks and hijackingsReduces motivation

Limitations, costs and side-effects:High economic costs of military measuresArmed guards on board may cause an escalation in violence Legal issues, militarization, loss of life. Effects may disappear if protective measures are reduced.

“After being in piracy for eight years, I have decided to renounce and quit, and from today on I will not be involved in this gang activity. We have tasted the bitterness og theaweful consequences, and from today I will no longer be involved in this dirty gang activity”.(Former pirate leader, Mohamed «Big Mouth»Abdi Hassan, who for many years terrorised shipfarers around the horn of Africa)

4. Disruption

Mechanism: Discover and stop attacks before they manage to hijack and get control over vessels

Measures: Armed guards show presence, warning shots, hot waterMilitary interventionShip manoeuvres to avoid boarding Intelligence and surveillance (satellites, Orion, drones, etc.)Alarms about approaching pirates

Actors:Crew, security guards, military forces, family of pirates

Disruption (continued, II)

Target group: Pirates who prepare and attempt attacks

Strength and benefits:High legitimacyPrevents hostage taking and human sufferingSaves money

Limitations, costs and side-effects:Some measures are expensiveSome measures may cost lives

The coast guard in Puntland has insufficient equipment, training and resources.

5. Incapacitation

Mechanism: Reduce the capacity to carry out (new) piracy attack

Measures:Imprisoning (or killing) piratesDestroying pirate boats (with crew?)Confiscating weapons and equipmentDestroying fuel storage tanks and other supplies Cut off funding

Actors:Criminal justice system, military forces, police, various authorities

Incapacitation (continued, II)

Target group: Groups and individuals involved in piracy

Strength and benefits: May have tangible effects of taking pirates out of actionDeterrence effect

Limitations, costs and side-effects: The criminal justice system does not workWho will receive arrested pirates?Practical problemsA policy of extra-judicial killing of pirates is morally and legally unacceptable

6. Protecting vulnerable vessels and crews

Mechanism:Making it so difficult to take over the control of vessels that the pirates abandon their plans or attempts Reduce opportunities and vulnerabilities

Measures:Sailing speed and routesPassive and active protective measures (including citadels, barbed wire, electric fences)Armed guards on board“Best Management Practices”

Actors:Shipowners and crew, security companies, military forces, IMO, political authorities.

Protecting vulnerable vessels and crews II

Target group: Active or potential pirates, to make them abstain or fail

Strength and benefits: Some protective measures do reduce rate of successful attacks and attempts significantly

Limitations, costs and side-effects:Some measures are very expensive (speed, routes, guards)Sustainable over time? May attack less protected targets instead (displacement effect)

7. Reduce profits from piracy

Mechanism: Reduce the profit from piracy, making it a less attractive business

Measures:Not pay ransomConfiscate profits, stop white-washing, “no prey, no pay”Refuse pirate money (haram)

Actors:Ship-owners, financial institutions, regulatory authorities, local population, police

Shop in Puntland built with money from piracy.

Reduce profits from piracy II

Target groups: Active and potential piratesInvestors in piracy projects

Strength and benefits: Demotivates future piratesFailure to make money causes defectionReduce funding for new raids

Limitations, costs and side-effects: This far, not a single ship has been released without ransom paidProlonged captivity will cause increased harm on hostages High costs for ships and cargo in captivity

8. Reduce harmful consequences

Mechanism: Reduce the harmful effects of attacks and high jacking for the crew, shipping companies and the shipping industry in general

Measures:Make hijack attempts fail. Alternatively, pay ransom, negotiationsRescue operationsInfluence pirates to minimise harm

Actors:Ship-owners, hostage negotiators, psychiatric and medical personnel, social network

Reduce harmful consequences (continued, II)

Target group: The victims of piracy (hijacked crews)Their familiesShip owners

Strength and benefits: A quick resolution may reduce harm to hostages

Limitations, costs and side-effects: Paying ransom will perpetuate piracy, fund new raids.“Crime pays”.

9. Disengagement and reintegration

Economical disillusionment

“They did not pay me. They were expecting to get profit from hijacking. But since they had no successful raids I did not get anything. Not even a dollar”

Hardship and risks

Family members intervened

Disengagement and reintegration (II)

Mechanism: Make individuals and groups stop their involvement in piracyand turn to a licit life style

Measures: Convince pirates that their activity is morally wrong, dangerous and not easy moneyOffer acceptable exitJob training

Actors:Family, religious leaders, local/national authorities, reintegration programmes

Disengagement and reintegration III

Target groups: People involved in piracy/ex-pirates

Strength and benefits:Reduce the size of pirate groupsMake entire pirate groups quitReduce recruitment

Limitations, costs and side-effects: Risk of recidivismAmnesty to pirates or the rule of law?

The Alternative Livelihood to Piracy project

Grass-root intitiative by local religious leaders

Pilot project run by the Norwegian Church Aid

Funded by the norwegian Ministry of foreignAffairs and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association

Targets young ex-pirates

Two main components:Awarness-raisingSkills training

Tool-box providedin the training of ex-pirates and young men at risk of becomingpirates.Training programs as electricians, carpenters and in masonry, as well as in running a smallbussiness.

Researcher Ingvild M. Gjelsvik and a former pirate, now a participant at the «Alternative Livelihood to piracy» project in Somalia.