Somaliland Navy: The Only Way To Stop Somali Piracy

[Jacaylbaro]

Piracy is most lucrative business in many parts of Somalia including "Puntland" and Central Regions. Piracy attracted many jobless and poor Somalis, because piracy is very big and easy money. Millions of dollars were paid to the Somali pirates from "Puntland", which is much more than national budget.

 

In general, Somali Pirates focus on lawless areas of Somali water including busy shipping lanes near the "Puntland" and Indian Ocean including Gulf of Aden, where dozens of boats and ships been hijacked this year. According to the International Maritime Bureau, 69 ships have been attacked off Somalia since January; 27 were hijacked and 11 are still being held for ransom including recent Saudi Oil Tanker with ransom money of 25 billion dollars.

 

Somali pirates are holding more than 200 crew members of different hijacked ships and boats. USA and EU have agreed to joint anti-piracy operations off the Indian Ocean and Somali Water amid growing demands for action against the violent Somali pirates. The question is, how do you think Somali piracy should be tackled?

 

Majority of the pirates off "Puntland" Coast are former Police Officers turned Pirates, after "Puntland" administration failed to pay handsome salaries. Also, the high-ranking officials of both "Puntland" and Transitional Government of Somalia (TGS) in Mogadishu take loin´s share in the ransom money. "Puntland" President Adde Moose and TGS President Abdullah Yusuf are major players and architect of piracy business in Somalia. Yusuf served as "Puntland" leader at the beginning of piracy.

 

In other hand, Republic of Somaliland established well-trained Navy to protect its water from the piracy. Berbera Marine College is famous producer of highly-qualified Navy Officers, who follow International Maritime Bureau standards and regulations including those against piracy. Moreover, Somaliland formed Military, Police, Jails Authority, and carried out elections. Somaliland achieved all these accomplishments by its own.

 

Somaliland Navy has technology and military capabilities to eliminate the piracies and to blow up their bases inside Somalia including "Puntland". But unfortunately, the international community is wasting their precious time searching the solution of the piracy at the wrong place. The Solution is recognizing Somaliland, than Somaliland will establish as regional economic power and caretaker of world interest in the region. Somaliland has elected president and parliament, and furthermore, there is biometric voter registration taking place. This is the first time in African history.

 

Berbera Marine College is functioning almost in last five years with more than 100 Officers graduating from the college each year. Somaliland Government established the colleges after the need of Navy arise in the region, due to illegal fishing and human trafficking.

 

Today, neither human trafficking nor piracy persists within Somaliland water after the creation of Somaliland Navy Forces. Somaliland Navy Forces cooperate with International counterparts stationed in nearby Djibouti in tackling the pirates, and even Somaliland arrested many pirates, who later claimed to be "Puntland" former Police Officers.

 

The International community should support Somaliland diplomatically in order to end the piracy and violence inside Somalia, because Somaliland has all possible mechanisms to fight terrorists and pirates inside Somalia. Somaliland will play active role in war on terror and fight against piracy, in which Somaliland will be leading factor.

 

Somaliland is registering citizens using biometric technology. The national budget increased 27% in 2008 compare to 2007. All these progress was result of Somaliland’s commitment towards developing country and people. Also, Somaliland is managing steady increase in revenue and which is leading the rise in the national domestic production

 

In 1991 Somaliland reclaimed its lost independent status and ever since it’s peaceful and without piracy. Why? Because of there is real functioning institutions and elected government unlike Somalia with no central government and warlords and committing crimes against humanity. AU and IGAD isolated Somaliland enough, and it is time that AU and IGAD accept the reality inside Somaliland.

 

 

Illegal Activities in Somali Water

 

Somalia remained without central government for decades, leading the country to be an example of failed state and center of lawlessness, which attracted many criminals and terrorists to use as hidey-hole.

 

Al-Qaeda fugitives from Iraq and Afghanistan settled in southern Somalia and formed religious fundamentalist groups like Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya and Al-Shabab armed groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden visited Somalia in mid 1996 along with number of his children. Large number of Arab and Somali fighters in Afghanistan against the Russian occupation entered Somalia after collapse of Somali government 1991.

 

These terrorists created terror network across the region, and carried out bombing of US Embassies in Nairobi and Darussalam, in addition to recent suicide bombing in Hargiesa, Capital of Somaliland. These groups conducted explosives training to their colleagues. Many intelligence sources believe that Al-Qaeda used Somalia as center of carrying out operations against neighboring countries.

 

Furthermore, Mafia signed off many business deals to dump toxic nuclear waste in the Somali water, from Italia, German and many European Countries. In 1992, a contract to secure the dumping of toxic waste was made by Swiss and Italian shipping firms a chair Partners and Progresso, with Nur Elmi Osman, a former official appointed to the government of Ali Mahdi Mohamed, one of many militia leaders involved in the ousting of Mohamed Siad Barre, Somalia’s former president.

 

UNEP Executive Director, told Al-Jazeera TV Channel, that he unveiled firms was set up as fictitious companies by larger industrial firms to dispose of hazardous waste. These companies with Mafia signed contracts with firms, using Somali Warlords in Mogadishu. Even Somali fishermen reported large containers at the Mogadishu coast washed out by the Tsunami.

 

"At the time, it felt like we were dealing with the Mafia, or some sort of organized crime group, possibly working with these industrial firms," he said.

 

The International Community organized 14 Peace Conferences between the fighting Somali groups to settle their difference but all failed, which means these groups are not willing to live in peace. Hence, the International Community, AU and IGAD should review their policy towards Somaliland and not consider the old version of respecting the unity of Somalia: Somaliland is free and constructive nation and should be accepted by the regional and international communities.

 

 

By Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi

[Jacaylbaro]

Somaliland Can Protect Against Piracy In The Redsea

 

 

Despite the fact that there are numerous opportunities where Somaliland can protect the interest of the international community better than anyone else, the International Community has acted as an ostrich that buried its head.

 

in the sand about the acknowledgment and the recognition of the Republic of Somaliland. Clearly Piracy is another case where Somaliland can protect the interest of the International Community in the redsea waters to eliminate piracy. The map below shows that Somaliland successfully eliminated piracy in its waters, but the area close to Yemen and Puntland state of Somalia are the areas where all the piracy incidents have taken place in 2008. This unacceptable levels of piracy off of the coast of Somalia is presented challenges for the International Community where some nations are completely routing their ships out of the redsea at great cost. It is time that the international Community pays attention to Somaliland to bring normalcy back into the red sea waters.

 

 

Somaliland American Council

http://www.somalilandamerican.com/

[Chimera]

The answer to all our problems is Somaliland's recognition? Cure against aids -> recognise Somaliland?, eradication of world Poverty -> recognise Somaliland?. The writers of your articles clearly have no understanding of the piracy problem and how it cannot be solved by a 'navy' especially a third world one( seriously do you really think Somaliland can succeed where giant warships failed?). The problem originates from land not sea.

[Abwaan]

lol...JB are you telling us that Gobollada Waqooyi can do what 16 nations with military power can't?

 

You think that Faysal Cali Waraabe can come to Xarardheere with his hangool?

[Jacaylbaro]

Try me bal ??

 

Adeer 20+ countries didn't do anything in Mogadishu during the UNISOM time ,,, we did it our own without any of them.

 

Now say after me:

 

YES WE CAN .........

[Abwaan]

lol..adeer...plz don't compare Mogadishu and Hargeysa if aan u hadlayno si degenaasho ku jirto oo aysan qiiro.com naga ahayn.

 

WAAYO isku interest ma ahayn...isku population ma ahan...isku baaxad ma ahan...

 

Dee ninyahow JB bahasha indhaha haka xirin. Hargeysa was half empty and most of its people qax bay ku maqnaayeen, xeryaha ciidammada hubka shacabku kama uruursan. It wasn't the last battleground, Soomaali oo dhani isha kuma hayn. Marka dee adna hadda naga daa.

 

Waxaa la yiri waayeel waa innagoon is carruurayneen.

[Jacaylbaro]

Adeer ciddii gurigeeda hagaajisata uun baa guryaha kelena hagaajin karta ....

 

I still say:

 

TRY ME .....

[Abwaan]

Maxaad hagaag u taqaan guri awalba iska hagaagsanaa miyaa la hagaajiyey...laami laga dhiso goormaa ugu dambeysey...? Iskuul dowladeed oo la dhiso goormaa u dambeysey?

[nuune]

War Abwaan ka har odeyga JB go'e

[Abwaan]

ok nuune waan ka haray...lol....

[Jacaylbaro]

Originally posted by Abwaan:

Maxaad hagaag u taqaan guri awalba iska hagaagsanaa miyaa la hagaajiyey...laami laga dhiso goormaa ugu dambeysey...? Iskuul dowladeed oo la dhiso goormaa u dambeysey?

Waan ogaa inaanad fahansanaynba waxa laga hadlayo ...... haka dhicin salaamada qaar lagu siibtaa jira.

[Abwaan]

Originally posted by nuune:

War

Abwaan

ka har odeyga JB go'e

JB I listened to nuune's suggestion.

[Jacaylbaro]

Good for you ........

[xiinfaniin]

Somaliland recognition month.

[Ibtisam]

Somaliland would be stupi*d to get involved in something that is none of their business. Why pick a fight when you are trying to distance yourself from the said country.

 

I think a possible option will be to move the Pirate monitoring position from DJ to Berbera (due to the proximity and strategic location)rather than a Somaliland navy to police/ attack anyone.

 

We have more immediate things to worry about then fighting the worlds battles.