Piracy is a concept that, as kids, we thought was fictional and limited to books or movies until we realized how it has been around for quite a while and still exists today. Pirates have always existed for as long as there has been trade at sea. They are defined as thieves of the ocean because they look for money. Some may do it for fame or power, but in most circumstances, it is done for monetary gain.
If we dig a little deeper into instances of piracy, Southeast Asia can be said to be the hub of the majority of pirate attacks. It accounted for almost 41 percent of the total incidents around the globe between 1995 and 2013, followed by the West Indian Ocean (28 percent) and the West African coast (18 percent). Furthermore, a study by the One Earth Future Foundation in 2010 showed that around 7 billion to 12 billion dollars were being drained annually from the international trade economy due to piracy.
Origins of Somali Piracy
Piracy has a vast history, and its revival in 2023 in the areas around the Red Sea and West Indian Ocean has once again raised multiple concerns about maritime safety. The history of piracy in Somalia dates back to the early 1990s, when the government of Somalia collapsed, leaving the longest coastline in Africa exposed to foreign invaders. The foreign fishermen took advantage of this opportunity and started sweeping away seafood worth hundreds of millions of dollars from the waters of Somalia.
Moreover, the nets that the foreign boats used were dragged roughly up the sea floor, causing damage to the ecosystem. Eventually, this illegal fishing by foreign vessels outsized the catch of local fishermen, who could not compete with them using their small boats. Concurrently, Swiss and Italian companies started paying the corrupt government factions in Somalia to dump their toxic waste there. As a result, tons of waste ended up on Somali land and water, affecting the health of the locals.
Tired of the unlawful conduct of foreign governments, the Somalis decided to fight back and formed an ocean militia. This militia would chase the foreign fishing vessels off the Somali coast – the Horn of Africa – and claim fines to defend their livelihood from foreign predators. For a long time, their piracy was relatively basic and harmless, as the militia or coast guards (as they referred to themselves), would request fines or informal license fees for fishing in their area.
For a long time, the world was unaware of such incidents. However, by 2005, piracy in Somalia had matured; the so-called coast guards leveled up and started using motherships equipped with GPS and radar to locate and track more commercial shipping vessels. The early 2000s marked the beginning of the ransom era, where Somali pirates hijacked ships and kidnapped people to hold them hostage for years, demanding millions of dollars as ransom in return. This evolved into a profitable business.
Piracy in Somalia started becoming deadly, and in 2011, 35 out of the 1,200 hostages died during captivity. All of these instances depicted a change in the interests of local Somalis, from protecting their interests to taking over foreign vessels for money. This is when the situation called for serious intervention. To deal with the situation, governments and businesses introduced the concept of an internationally recognized corridor, where ships traveled together in a caravan. These foreign ships were allowed to have security guards on board. These anti-piracy strategies worked, and piracy started declining in Somalia after reaching its peak in 2011.
Yemen’s Houthi Piracy
Yemen, yet another hotspot in the history of maritime insecurity, has come into the spotlight recently. The history of Yemeni piracy is quite different from that of Somalia. It dates back to 2004, when a clash between the government and a rebel group known as the Houthis started following the targeted killing of a prominent Houthi leader. Post-2004, the Houthis received limited military, financial, and political support from Iran.
By 2011, the entire Houthi conflict had turned into a full-fledged civil war against an attempt to restore the regime of the then-US-backed president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced out of Yemen. By 2015, the Houthis had taken control over the capital of Yemen, Sanaa, and another major city, Aden. In response to this, the Yemeni government sought help from a group of countries led by Saudi Arabia to fight the Houthis.
On one hand, the Houthis received support from Iran, and on the other hand, the Saudi-led coalition received support from the United States. This is exactly when maritime insecurity in the Red Sea began, as the Houthis started attacking all vessels related to Saudi-led groups, and Saudi Arabia, in return, would block vessels containing weapons being transported to Yemen from Iran. As a result, this war turned into the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
What Makes the Two Piracies Different?
Piracy in Somalia and Yemen has always been different, although both involve attacks on ships in the ocean. However, the motives behind these attacks are not the same. The driving force behind Somali pirates was initially to protect their livelihood, but it eventually converted into a ransom business. Piracy in Yemen, on the other hand, was more about politics, as the Houthis were not happy with their governance and attacked vessels linked to their government.
Red Sea under Threat from Yemeni & Somali Pirates
Both piracy situations were somewhat controlled until recently, in November 2023, when a rise in these incidents could be seen. This time, it was the Houthis who started causing trouble in the Red Sea, supporting the Palestinians in the ongoing genocide by Israel in Gaza. The Houthis have been attacking all ships that they believe are linked to Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom in support of the people of Gaza.
However, this protest by the Houthis indirectly paved the way for the Somali pirates. Somali pirates have returned to their businesses since the end of 2023. Recently, in March 2024, they held a Bangladeshi ship hostage with 23 crew members onboard and released the vessel after a ransom was paid. Moreover, this situation has caused a lot of problems for international trade, as countries and businesses are now taking longer routes for their safety, which is hurting their economies.
To conclude the above, it can be said that the return of Somali and Yemeni pirates has raised alarms regarding maritime security. Multiple attempts have been made in the past to control this situation, and those have been successful too. However, the recent rise in these cases requires a more planned solution, which involves resolving socio-economic and political conflicts. Without addressing the aforementioned issues, it is hard to bring maritime stability to the region around Somalia and Yemen.
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Ms. Mahira Saeed is a lawyer based in Quetta.