RESURGENCE OF PIRACY: THE SOMALIAN PIRATES

Hello There!

With the advent of trade and commerce in the world, there has been a rise in several other activities hampering trade and commerce. Piracy is one of them. Generally, when we hear the word pirate, we think of a personality with hook-hand and eye-patch but the modern-day pirates are much more developed and technology supported. When researched one can easily say that the pirates have a total network of attackers, negotiators and local investors who fund them for the vital resources required for the pirate activities. Today we are going to learn about one of the most famous modern pirates of which many companies are afraid due to losses. We would learn every aspect and at the end comment what do you think about the same. Interested, let's dive in!

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF SOMALIA 

Somalia was colonised by the British and Italian governments when they arrived in the horn of Africa region. In 1940 during World War II, Italian East Africa invaded the British Somalian region to gain control over the area. Eventually, British forces regrouped in Kenya and then again invaded the Somalian region. Consequently, the area was acquired by the British. After the formation of the UN, it gave the British government, total control over the British Somali region and at the same time Italy received trusteeship of the Italian Somali region. But it was mentioned that within 10 years Somalia would be independent. In 1960 after all the wars and changing governments, Somalia became an independent country. The government of Somalia was doing well until the president was shot dead in 1969. Following this, Mohammed Siad Barre, a military person formed the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP). This started the military rule in Somalia. The following events also saw the rise of left ideology due to the interference of foreign left personnel like Nicola Chojesku, Romanian left leader. 

SOMALIA ATTACKS ETHIOPIA

In 1977 Somalia under Barre, invaded Ethiopia. Many powerful countries like the USSR and Cuba supported Ethiopia, resulting in the complete disband of SRSP in 1980. Following this, there were several new parties formed like SNM in northern Somalia, which also invited internal riots and eventually the Somalian Civil war in 1988. 

Wikimedia commons

The political instability also resulted in chaos everywhere in Somalia and finally in 1991 the barre government was deposed. The northern Somalian region declared itself independent (although it is not accepted yet) and the southern region was war-stricken.

RISE OF PIRACY IN SOMALIA 

Somalia lies in the Gulf of Aden region which is an important route for several fishes like Tuna. In the absence of any government, there were no Navy and coastal guard. This absence of administration invited a lot of foreign fishermen to catch fish illegally from the region and also big ships to dump harmful chemicals overboard. This caused huge economic drawbacks for the Somalian fishermen as the Fishes were killed by the chemicals. To revive their livelihood they opened their own association called Badaadinta badah which when translated in English is Saviours of the Sea. They started attacking the foreign fishermen to stop the illegal fishing in their region.

NRDC

In early 2000, they also realized that the Gulf of Aden is also one of the busiest routes for Cargo ships and Oil tankers. They found that huge international attention can be taken by boarding up these ships and taking them as a hostage to receive ransom from the shipping companies. This eventually turned the militia coast guards of Somalia into Pirates. The business of piracy, for these people, was much more profitable. Therefore many criminals and young people (mostly from Southern Somalia) also started earning profits from piracy. 

INCREASING THE LIMITS

Le Figaro

The earned profits can be understood by the fact that when they boarded a ship in 2005 they received a ransom of $315,000. Which exponentially increased in the upcoming years. In 2007 they boarded and ransomed a ship for $1,500,000 and In 2011 a ship for $6,000,000. A study shows that the total ransom till 2009 was $58,000,000 which increased to $238,000,000 in 2010. Such a large sum of money for a War-torn, Famine-stricken country was not less than a boon. Every year many ships were now attacked and the crew was taken hostage and the ransom was asked to deliver. Soon the Somalian Pirates increased their range to 1000 kilometres from the Somalian coast as they saw the whole Indian Ocean as their battleground.

ATTACK METHODOLOGY  

Usually, there is always a mother ship and two or three smaller ferry boats that are used to attack the huge cargo ships or oil tankers. For the Somalian Pirates, the cargo is not important they only take the crew as a hostage for ransom.

Seanews turkey

The funding and weapon arrangement is done by the local investors who buy a share and earn millions alongside these Pirates to facilitate this. There is also some debate over the Association of this pirate community with the Islamic Association of Al-Shabab, residing in the southern region of Somalia. One of the primary founders, with the increase of this Piracy the local fishermen of Somalia, are now facing peril. They are now driven out of the picture by the rich and powerful Somalian Pirates. 

THE WORLD RESPONDS

2010 was the Heyday period for the Pirates, in which they earned a lot of money as ransom and also attacked every second ship for ransoms. But this also started the downfall of the Somalian piracy as several Naval Associations across the world, formed a task force specially designed for handling the Somalian Pirates. 

Deccan Chronicle 

There is also the construction of a naval base in North Somalia and also a Coast Guard at the Puntland. These steps essentially have lowered the speed of piracy considerably in the Somalian coastal region, but hasn’t yet stopped it. In 2013, the total piracy activities were decreased by 90% in total. But in recent years, it is again regaining international concern. In 2017, they held a crew hostage for ransom but soon released them. In 2020, they have attacked several ships (largely unsuccessful) for ransom.

The Task Force has to follow the Somalian laws and can not enter the coastal region thus when kept hostage it is really difficult to infiltrate and save the hostages. Also, the pirates caught can not be interrogated and executed anywhere. The caught pirates are safely taken by the naval boats to the Somalian coast. Therefore the total control can never be achieved over the Somalian pirates.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

After looking into the total account of Somalia we can understand how badly the social, political and economic instability affects the nation. The steps taken by the companies and the naval organisations can have a check but can never stop this from happening. There is only one thing which can be done. Providing better education, better skillsets and most importantly employment to the youth of Somalia.

What we see in Somalia is just an outcome of what is going on there. The opposite can also be done all that we really require is basically better education, better professions and better central government. No weapons or threats can stop these pirate activities from happening, only the proper education and a strong central government can establish peace in the country of Somalia.

It is truly said by Nelson Mandela that -

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world..."

THANK YOU FOR READING !

THE ISLAND FROM THE PAST: North Sentinel Island

Hello there!

The North Sentinel island is located in the archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. The place has got its fame from the fact that the people here are still living in the Stone Age. Not far than 50 kilometres from the same place is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Port Blair, which is a developing city. It seems very interesting that under the range of 50 kilometres, there can be two places one being a major city and another being at a Stone Age. The same interest is the reason for the article today. 

Vajiramias.com

The island is home to the Sentinelese tribe which moved from Africa to the North Sentinel Island nearly 60,000 years ago and were among the first African people to migrate from Africa. The fact that these people were among the first to migrate, is established upon the basis of two facts:

• Turtles are afraid of the island and don't visit there. It has been approved from studies that it takes 10s and 1000s of years for turtles to develop this awareness of hostility from a place. This supports the fact that North Sentinel island is the home to the tribe for a very long time.

worldwildlife.org

• During the British rule, the British administration tried to develop communication between Jarawa, Onge tribes and the Sentinelese tribe. They all had similar painting styles and had been there for years. But due to the long period of time elapsed the language gap was developed and both the languages of tribes had nothing in common. This also depicts that they have stayed there on the island for many years. 

REMARKS AND VISITS TO THE ISLAND

The island has a lot of remarks from the past. In his own words, the 13th century Explorer Marco Polo said that “They are very cruel and kill and eat every foreigner whom they can land their hands upon.” There have been several attempts intended or accidental to establish contact with the Sentinel people. The first of the contacts include the 1867 shipwreck of Nineveh, an Indian Merchant ship that ran aground on Sentinel island and was attacked by the Sentinelese. They were eventually saved by the British patrol forces. Following this event in 1880, a British administrator, Morris Vidal Portman, brought 4 natives from the Sentinel island to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to study end communication. Soon the elder ones (among the brought people), died due to the exposure to germs and pathogens. Fearful of this, Morris returned the children back to the island. And that was the last time one could do it because after that everything which approached the island was attacked from the Island. After a century passed, in 1977, a ship MV Presely, ran aground and just after four years in 1981 a freight and passenger ferry and operated by Transeuropa Ferries, MV Primrose Struck the island. 

Fellowprimo

The crew members of both the Ships were eventually saved. Furthermore, Contacts include the visit of Belgian King leopard III in 1975, who was also attacked by one native resulting him, in fleeing away from the island.

FRIENDLY- INTERACTIONS

thetimes.co.uk

After all these events there has been a proper friendly encounter with the Sentinelese people. In 1991, the Indian government sent many anthropologists and researchers along with doctors and other enthusiasts to the island. They went alongside some people of the Onga tribe. They gifted several coconuts to the Sentinelese people. This was the only friendly interaction that has been done with the Sentinelese people.

THE 2004 TSUNAMI AND THE ISLAND

In 2004, A Tsunami broke out in the treacherous waters of the Indian Ocean. This tsunami caused a series of devastations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A lot of cities were affected causing the loss of properties and assets. The Indian government sent helicopters and drones to the North Sentinel island, to review the conditions and the loss that happened at the Island. It was believed that the tsunami would have wiped out the Sentinelese people. When the helicopter reached above North Sentinel Island, it was attacked by arrows and sticks from the natives revealing the fact that they were alive and active.

Survival International 

One of very intriguing discovery that was made in this 2004 helicopter visit came from the arrow which got stuck in the helicopter. the arrow was studied and it was found that The tips of the arrows were now made of iron rather than stone. This depicts the fact that the Sentinelese people have moved towards the Iron Age and have started using Iron as weapons. There was a good deep study and a fact was released that the ships MV Presely and MV Primrose have accidentally provided the Iron to the people which has started the Iron age at the Island. This is actually very interesting.

RECENT INTERACTIONS

Recent interactions have not been good and friendly with these Sentinelese people. In 2006, two drunk fishermen came nearer to Sentinel Island and were attacked and killed by the Sentinelese people. Their bodies were buried by the Sentinelese people which were retrieved by the Indian Government later. But this established the fact that these people are not cannibals.

The New York Times

Recently in 2018, an American missionary John Allen Chau was on an illegal mission to preach Christianity to the Sentinelese who got attacked and most probably killed by the Sentinelese people.  

CAN WE GO THERE ?

The answer is very simple and straight forward, No we can’t. The Indian Government has banned all sort of visits and tours to the island. There are several reasons for the same: 

•The hostile behaviour of the Sentinelese tribe. The past experience shows how much possessive they are towards any kind of visits. In these kinds of situations, it is better to just leave them alone. 

•Disease. It is an established fact that when European went to America more than 90% of American natives were diseased and several were killed by the European germs and pathogens. Since these Sentinelese people haven't been in touch with the world for 10s and 1000s of years, they have not developed the immunity for the germs in the world. Consequently, any pathogen attack due to foreign interactions may result in a total wipeout of the community of Sentinelese people.

•Right to be alone. The Indian Government also have stated that if the Sentinelese people want to live differently and away from this modern world then they must be given the right to do so. For this Indian Naval forces patrol the area for any foreign activities that can disturb the inhabitants of the North Sentinel Island.

It is truly said that the world is full of amazing things. Nobody knows when and where we can spot or find anything. We are very rapidly moving towards a new era every day, and with the new era comes new responsibilities. One of them is taking care of these faraway places. 

One must remember what Cheif Seattle said, 

" The Earth doesn't belong to us. We belong to the Earth."

Thank you for reading !

IMPACT OF COVID ON LOGISTICS

Hi there everybody! 

As we all know, COVID 19 pandemic struck us in 2019 November, starting its spread from the Republic of China and eventually affecting the world's largest economies and leaving behind several parts of our society "lifeless" whether we call it a human, properties and all other assets. Without expanding this, we all know millions have lost homes, money, jobs, and many lost lives. It affected not only the living things around us like of course us, but it also affected several businesses making them again a scratch to think upon. Winding up in a line, it severely affected us and our assets.

Talking about the assets the world depends upon the service industry for all the international trade and commerce. Therefore it can be called the largest asset that the world possesses. So, it will be interesting to take a look at the impact of COVID on it. That is what we are discussing today. We will look only at 'logistics', a mere part of the service industry.

Logistics, a part of the service industry can be called the very backbone of international trade and commerce, in the absence of which whole efforts of anything will visit the corridor of darkness. The importance of the same can be understood as it is the very bridge that links the markets to the firms providing the services, transportation, warehousing, and inventory management. Just for the sake of example, Apple's famous iPhone receives its components from 200 different suppliers spread across 43 different countries. This, in absence of logistics, is nearly impossible. 

So what basically happened that many countries across the world, applied the method of LOCKDOWN to have a check on the COVID cases. And this lockdown situation ramified in the absence of several workers at the ports, at the roads severely affecting the logistic industry. The Lockdown situation pushed many workers out of the Factories, out of the ports, and logistic centres. Thus creating a manpower shortage in the industry. This situation somewhat created a halt in the industry. A halt that eventually leads to recession.

Having well acquainted with the topic, let us move on to analyze the individual effects on the three pillars of logistics, which are viz. ocean freight, Airfreight, Land freight. Alone in china where the pandemic first attacked the data shows a 10.1% decrease in the total freight from the ocean. The ships were stuck at the ports due to slow processes because of less manpower. Another reason for the same was the Container conundrum. For which we will later make an article. 

Moving on to the next, the Airfreight received a massive shock as well. Alone in china, the total volumes received a downfall by 19%. The situations were similarly critical in every part of the world. Similarly, Land Freight received a massive shock and possibly the worst as it was in mid of the people. Several restrictions on the cargo and truck movements posed a serious threat to the land logistics services. Given below are some photos from India where the city blockades during the lockdown left the trucks in several mile-long queues. 

India was not alone, similar queues were seen in the European Union as well. A 37-mile long truck line was formed on the A4 highway after the Poland border was closed. 

HOW WE TACKLED IT 

In most part of the world, the governments reacted to this pandemic and its effect on logistics by declaring the ports, shipping and trucking industry as key workers. Indian government excluded the transportation of essential goods from the Lockdown restrictions. although many airports were closed and were not thus operating any passenger flights but the cargo transportations using airlines were continued in most part of the World. There have been discussions over some of the measures that can be used to increase efficiency and at the same time tackle the logistics. Some of them are listed below:-

• The Companies involved in the Logistics have updated their safety protocols so that it help in overall performance at the logistic centres. Most of these includes the social distancing norms and other medical practices like thermal screening and regular COVID tests.
• These tough times have also encouraged the companies to look up into the alternatives means of transports like using vacant railway tracks and passenger planes for the cargo transfer admist the lockdown periods. This surely a good move which ensure the continuous transfer and employment to the workers as well who were not able to earn their livelihood in the lockdown periods.

GOING DOWN THE HILL

The World has seen a lot in such a small period in the time of COVID. Different nations were affected differently but when it comes to the core, every nation has lost many assets and lives. As the saying goes, Every tunnel has some light in the end, world will eventually find the peace and health again. When it comes to future aspects it can be said that some of the factors are common in each country. Some of them are :-

• Increase in cargo checks and security at each terminals and stages of transfer. There have been many updations in the past and even some are going at the present as well. 
• Use of more Technologies and digitalisation in the field. 

With the technologies and researchers standing up to present their views, we will surely find a way out from the epidemic. 

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence" 

                                                                                                                                              - Helen Keller