To beat piracy on the high seas, the EU and India should recognise Somaliland

[Jacaylbaro]

Last week the EU’s Head of Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, arrived in India to ask for Delhi’s help in the fight against Somali piracy. While the visit was ostensibly to bolster ties between the EU and India – two “key strategic powers” – it was also a desperate attempt to cajole India’s growing naval power into protecting important shipping lanes in the Indian ocean.

 

Somali pirates are now operating far from NATO, EU and other naval forces’ bases. India’s merchant navy has been frequently attacked delivering goods to the ports of Djibouti City and Somaliland’s Berbera – goods that are then transported all over Eastern Africa and up the Red Sea to the Suez canal.

 

Two years ago India belatedly sent a warship into the Gulf of Aden to protect its own shipping in response to angry protests from the families of 18 Indians who had been held prisoner for several months. The captives were finally freed, but the government’s much-criticised delay lead to a complete change of tack. A month later the Indian navy sank a suspected pirate vessel when its frigate came under attack in the Gulf of Aden.

 

This approach was widely praised by other countries that have been repeatedly held to ransom by Somali pirates since the country became a failed and ungovernable state in 1991 when, after years of civil war, neighbouring Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia and drew its borders along those previously marked by British Somaliland.

 

I am writing this piece in Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, and from where I am sitting I can see a MIG bomber that was shot down during that war, which now serves as a monument and landmark (left). Locals have told me the Somali jets would take off from the airport and strafe the city only two kilometres away.

 

Somaliland is yet to be recognised internationally as a separate state, but since its quasi-independence it has been peaceful, has had a very free press and has fostered a thriving free market economy. Even this week’s presidential elections were widely regarded as free and fair.

 

So perhaps the Indian Government should be working with the EU on land as well as sea. India’s policy of simply blowing up these Somali pirates may be more effective than “monitoring” them, but perhaps recognising Somaliland would increase diplomatic pressure on Somalia.

 

The 11th EU-India summit will take place later this year. This may be a propitious time to bring up the subject of Somaliland and prevent the Horn of Africa sinking further into anarchy. Journalists and other influential figures here believe that Somaliland could solve the whole piracy problem with investment of a couple of million quid. Catherine Ashton please take note.

[Che -Guevara]

What could Somaliland possibly do about pirates operating from Eyl and Xaradheere and what diplomatic pressure can the entity in Hargeysa exert on Somali proper?

 

Source?

[Jacaylbaro]

SOURCE

[Che -Guevara]

Monty is either ignorant about Somalia or simply lack any sense.

[Thankful]

Journalists and other influential figures here believe that Somaliland could solve the whole piracy problem with investment of a couple of million quid

They man is probably having a reaction to Khat which is in abundance there.

 

He believes them when they say that a couple million pounds can solve the whole piracy issue?. Is this guy mad?? Dozens of navies spending 100's of millions are incapable of doing it.

 

For him to even quote these guys makes him look like a complete fool, anyone reading this will realize any person who says a couple million pounds can solve the piracy issue is insane.

[Che -Guevara]

Maybe he thinks the pirates base is in Berbera

[NGONGE]

The comments below the article are much more fun. Arr maxa been la bartay.

[Che -Guevara]

^Half of them were written by Libaan and Libaahe but of the two, who do you think is lying

[NGONGE]

^^ Is it not clear that both are? It's so rubbish it is almost comical.

[Hales]

Is Somaliland gonna invade Puntland when that happens. lol.

The article writer does not understand the implications on the ground in Somalia, considering his call for a complicated case such as recognition and how it can be linked to piracy are completely ignorant off the situation in Somalia.

[NGONGE]

^^ Ilaa guurmaan idiin sheegayna dee. Siyaasada barta.

 

The man is in Hargeisa and has been presented with the facts (and prospects) from a Somaliland point of view. He was impressed with the elections (obviously) and was seduced into believing that recognition is the natural next step for SL (which it is). Now, what positives can the recognition of SL bring (in the eyes of the world)? Oh, LOOK, there is a big piracy problem in that part of the world that we can make use of (it's not a farfetched assumption to think that those in SL told him about the harsh sentences this country applies to piracy). Therefore, a reasonable hypothesis any seasoned commentator could make would be to link the positive elections in SL to a future solution for the piracy problem. In other words, 1+1= xisaabta barta.

[AYOUB]

Originally posted by Hales:

Is Somaliland gonna invade Puntland when that happens. lol.

I kill a pirate for fun, but for aqoonsi, I gonna carve him up real nice.

[Dhubad.]

^lol Booto.com

[NGONGE]

Originally posted by AYOUB:

quote:Originally posted by Hales:

Is Somaliland gonna invade Puntland when that happens. lol.

I kill a pirate for fun, but for aqoonsi, I gonna carve him up real nice.

A morally acceptable trade off miya?