On guard: Naval patrols and other security measures brought piracy under control. Photo: Jason R. Zalasky/AFP
NEWS ANALYSIS
This month’s hijacking of an oil tanker on its way to Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, sparked international attention.
For almost five years, nothing was heard of the Somali pirates. International naval patrols as well as self-defence measures and armed security guards on ships had, it seemed, solved the problem.
Between 2008 and 2012, hundreds of merchant vessels crossing the western Indian Ocean were attacked. The area became the most dangerous waterway in the world. Piracy became a threat not only to international trade, but also for the development of regional countries.
The hijacking of the Aris-13 — the first involving a large commercial vessel since 2012 — raises the question: Have the pirates returned?
When the Aris-13 was boarded by Somali hijackers and steered to the coast of Puntland, many expected a humanitarian tragedy to unfold for the eight Sri Lankan crew on board.
Familiar questions were asked: Who would pay the ransoms? Who would lead the negotiations? Was the vessel adequately insured?
Similar cases in the past have led to ordeals that have lasted months, or even years, for seafarers. Fortunately, the crisis was quickly resolved.
The tanker was destined for Mogadishu and the oil on board was the property of a Somali businessman, who successfully negotiated the release of the vessel and crew directly with the hijackers. No ransom was paid.
But what if the cargo did not belong to a Somali? What if the ship wasn’t destined for a Somali port? What if innocent crew were injured or killed?
For academics, piracy experts and naval practitioners, the hijacking came as no surprise. They have continued to alert the international community and the shipping industry about the risk that Somali pirates will go back to their hostage and ransom routine if the chance presents itself.
In the research project Safe Seas, based at Cardiff University in Wales, we examine maritime security in the western Indian Ocean. Our findings show that the global community has to step up its efforts in the region.
Although several capacity-building projects are underway, these haven’t delivered yet.
Too much emphasis is placed on piracy without considering the links to other maritime insecurities. The focus is on state institutions and too little attention is paid to the concerns of coastal communities.
Somali pirates had not retired from crime. Former pirates had reportedly become involved in other illicit maritime activity, such as contraband smuggling, after 2012.
Yet many came to believe that the situation was under control. Nato ended its Operation Ocean Shield in December, and the two other major naval operations draw on minimum force levels.
Talks are under way to further scale down the international response, to revise the European Union’s naval mandate or to shut down the major global co-ordination mechanism, the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.
Ongoing capacity-building work has led to the confidence that Somalia and countries in the region could take over from the global community soon.
The hijacking of the Aris-13 was a warning that any overconfidence in the international response, complacency in the shipping industry or the belief that Somali piracy is over, is misguided.
The Aris-13 hijackers justified the attack by pointing to continued illegal fishing in Somali waters. This, and other maritime insecurities, offer justification for piracy in disadvantaged coastal communities.
It also damages prospects for the sustainable development of Somalia’s ocean resources and undermines trust in national institutions and global capacity-building efforts.
The Aris-13 will not be an isolated case unless the global community continues to build the ability of regional states to manage their security needs. The hijacking of the
Aris-13 may embolden other pirate groups to attempt fresh attacks. But if current naval and defensive measures remain intact, it’s unlikely to escalate beyond manageable levels.
Ultimately, these activities only provide short-term solutions. The conditions for piracy to thrive still exist in Somalia. Hence, the global community must keep developing innovative and regionally appropriate ways to build the capacity of western Indian Ocean states to take ownership of their own maritime security. The pirates may be down, but they are not out — yet. — The Conversation
Christian Bueger is a reader in international relations and Robert McCabe is a postdoctoral research associate, both at Cardiff University
