Piracy in Somalia leads to hostage situation
Maria Kupper
Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: World
In the past week, the piracy in the Indian Ocean created international chaos after four pirates hijacked an American cargo ship and held the captain, Robert Phillips, hostage after releasing the rest of the crew on April 8.
The pirates demanded $2 million in exchange for the captain. On April 10, President Obama permitted the Navy SEALs to shoot the pirates in the event of any visible threat to the captain.
By April 11, American officials continued to negotiate with the elders who represented the pirates from Gara'ad, Somalia. The officials requested that the Puntland authorities arrest the pirates and demand a safe return for the captain, but the elders refused to arrest the pirates.
After one pirate in need of medical aid surrendered to the authorities, the other three stayed with Phillips. The news reports now identify the pirate in custody as Abduhl Wal-i-Musi, a youth in his late teens.
A senior Navy advisor claimed that the pirates pointed an AK-47 at captain Phillips. This action led to three Navy SEAL snipers firing one bullet each, killing all three pirates.
"It's amazing to think of the success of the snipers, but I am looking at the public response with query eyes," said Director of the Friends Center and Campus Ministry Coordinator Max Carter. "Our country is celebrating the killing of three nameless teenage pirates."
According to The New York Times, after the release of the captain, President Obama promised to "halt the rise of piracy."
According to The New York Times, many government officials are wary of committing to attacking pirate bases in Somalia. The memory of the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia that resulted in the loss of 18 American soldiers still lingers as a warning for the United States.
Instead, experts suggest tactics that will not involve military attacks, such as deploying more ships to patrol the region. They want to ask commercial shipping companies to refuse to pay ransoms and to do more to protect their ships. They also plan to encourage other nations to police piracy and bring them to justice. Finally, they want to help build a stronger transitional government in Somalia.
The pirates demanded $2 million in exchange for the captain. On April 10, President Obama permitted the Navy SEALs to shoot the pirates in the event of any visible threat to the captain.
By April 11, American officials continued to negotiate with the elders who represented the pirates from Gara'ad, Somalia. The officials requested that the Puntland authorities arrest the pirates and demand a safe return for the captain, but the elders refused to arrest the pirates.
After one pirate in need of medical aid surrendered to the authorities, the other three stayed with Phillips. The news reports now identify the pirate in custody as Abduhl Wal-i-Musi, a youth in his late teens.
A senior Navy advisor claimed that the pirates pointed an AK-47 at captain Phillips. This action led to three Navy SEAL snipers firing one bullet each, killing all three pirates.
"It's amazing to think of the success of the snipers, but I am looking at the public response with query eyes," said Director of the Friends Center and Campus Ministry Coordinator Max Carter. "Our country is celebrating the killing of three nameless teenage pirates."
According to The New York Times, after the release of the captain, President Obama promised to "halt the rise of piracy."
According to The New York Times, many government officials are wary of committing to attacking pirate bases in Somalia. The memory of the Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia that resulted in the loss of 18 American soldiers still lingers as a warning for the United States.
Instead, experts suggest tactics that will not involve military attacks, such as deploying more ships to patrol the region. They want to ask commercial shipping companies to refuse to pay ransoms and to do more to protect their ships. They also plan to encourage other nations to police piracy and bring them to justice. Finally, they want to help build a stronger transitional government in Somalia.
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