FEATURED TOPIC: PIRACY IN SOMALIA
Overview
The Puntland area of Somalia is considered the epicenter of piracy in the region
- Maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia has risen to alarming levels recently
- Piracy has contributed to an increase in shipping costs and impeded the delivery of food aid shipments. Over 90% of food aid shipments arrive by sea
- Piracy is especially concerning to India because most of its shipping routes pass through the troubled area in the Gulf of Aden
- It is estimated that more than USD 150 million has been paid as ransom to the pirates
- In Oct 2008, the United Nations passed Resolution 1838 calling on nations to apply military force to repel the pirate threat
- The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia has allowed the US, France and India to deploy military vessels inside Somalian territorial waters to combat piracy
- Maritime piracy is a serious shipping threat in the Strait of Malacca as well (between Indonesia and Malaysia/Singapore)
Background to piracy in Somalia
- There has not been an effective government in Somalia since the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991
- Somalia is one of the poorest countries in the world, causing many young men to look towards piracy as a lucrative professions
- The internationally recognised Transitional Federal Government is weak and controls little territory outside the capital Mogadishu
- Due to the absence of an effective government in Somalia in decades, there has been much illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping going on in somalian waters. The UN envoy for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah, has attested to this fact
International response
- Military operations are conducted by the Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), Russia, China and India
- The CTF-150 is a multinational naval task force established to pursue the war on terrorism in the Horn of Africa region. It is based in Djibouti. Countries contributing CTF-150 include Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Pakistan, Britain and the US
- In Aug 2008, the CTF-150 established a Martime Security Patrol Area (MSPA), a specified patrol zone, between Somalia and Yemen
- European naval vessels operate against the piracy independently, through CTF-150 or through the European Union Naval Force Somalia
- The EU has established Operation Atalanta to combat the piracy threat. Countries contributing to the mission include Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Greece and Sweden. Non-EU members Norway and Ukraine are participating as well
- The UN has adopted resolutions 1814, 1816, 1838, 1846 and 1851 in relation to fighting piracy off Somalia
India’s response
- India has received permission from the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia to deploy vessels inside Somalian territorial waters to combat piracy
- India first deployed warships in the region in Oct 2008 (INS Tabar)
- India has until now deployed two warships to the region and is considering deploying more
- INS Tabar – a Talwar class frigate. The other ships of this class include the INS Talwar and the INS Trishul
- INS Mysore – a Delhi class destroyer. The other ships of this class include the INS Delhi and the INS Mumbai
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