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AlterNet condoning pirates in Somalia?
AlterNet.org, a human rights advocacy site, has a new article posted: "Why We Don't Condemn Our Pirates in Somalia."First of all, I want to know who gave them the pirates in Somalia. Well, turns out the article is from a Somali perspective, and that "Karma" is the reason they feel they are "biting a perpetrator in the butt."
Everyone knows that piracy in Somalia is serious business. And like most serious businesses, it's complicated. Consider our Aaron Hotfelder's article "Somali pirate talks: 'We consider ourselves heroes running away from poverty,'" in which pirate Asad Abdulahi told his story, saying "we will not stop until we have a central government that can control our sea."
AlterNet goes even further. In the words of K'naan, AlterNet's Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, and musician:
"It is time that the world gave the Somali people some assurance that these Western illegal activities will end, if our pirates are to seize their operations. We do not want the EU and NATO serving as a shield for these nuclear waste-dumping hoodlums. It seems to me that this new modern crisis is a question of justice, but also a question of whose justice. As is apparent these days, one man's pirate is another man's coast guard."
Read more here before you judge. Thanks, Michael S., for the tip.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shawn Apr 16th 2009 9:59AM
I would wager that the vast majority of folks watching these stories on TV don't understand the situation. I half agree with this article, because the situation is complicated. Or maybe instead of complicated it would be more accurate to say that it's a bloody mess.
In short - somalian govt is non-existant/corrupt/busy/a mess, so countries around the world jump in to help by dumping their toxic waste off the unguarded coast. And law abiding big fishing trawlers that are tired of regulated fishing limits in their waters come to Somalia and fish the hell out of it. Somalia's fishing industry collapses. Some fisherman decide to take up arms and try to chase off some of the illegal fishing boats... the lightbulb goes off and they realize they're on to a good thing here. Through a rapid escalation from fishing boats to freighters over a couple years and here we are.
Of course we only get to hear about it on mainstream news because Americans were involved this week. It's terrible to think about all the staycation, obama's dog, and affordable spring fashions news stories the pirates may have bumped.
Alberto Vázquez Apr 18th 2009 11:05AM
The problem of Somalia not only fixes up with military operations. It´s necessary to take actions orientated to the stabilization of the country.
I recommend http://blogdealbertovazquez.blogspot.com
Regards