Land Of Pirates: Somalia is called the land of pirates. For decades, Somali pirates have made headlines around the world. They have disrupted international trade and forced navies around the world to patrol their waters. But Somalia’s notoriety as a pirate did not happen overnight. Let us know how this country got involved with pirates.

How did Somalia become connected to pirates?

The country’s long coastline along the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden places it on one of the busiest maritime trade routes in the world. When law and order on land ended, the sea became the next frontier of anarchy and opportunity.

From Civil War to Undefended Coast

The roots of Somali piracy began with the fall of Somalia’s central government in 1991. As soon as the country fell into civil war, the National Institute with the Navy stopped working. Due to there being no coast guard and no maritime surveillance, the maritime area of ​​this country became completely unsafe. This was the reason why the sea was captured by pirates.

Illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste

Foreign fishing vessels soon took advantage of this situation. They began illegally fishing in Somali waters as well as dumping toxic waste along the coast. Local fishing communities had lost their livelihoods and the marine ecosystem had been poisoned. Due to lack of security in the country, the fishermen had to defend themselves.

Initially, Somali fishermen formed small armed groups to ward off foreign trawlers. They called themselves the Somali Coast Guard. They claimed that they were enforcing the maritime rights given up by the country. However, when some of these groups discovered that captured ships could yield ransom, the line between rescue and crime began to blur.

became a profitable business

With time, pirates moved towards an organized criminal industry. Pirates began hijacking large cargo ships, taking crew hostage and demanding ransom worth millions of dollars. At its peak around 2011, Somali piracy was estimated to be causing losses to the global economy of approximately $7 billion annually.

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