IN JUNE, THE UNITED STATES BEGINS A TRIAL AGAINST THREE SOMALIS ACCUSED OF PIRACY AND
THE MURDER OF FOUR AMERICANS AT SEA.
BUT WHILE MORE PIRATES ARE BEING CONVICTED IN COURTS AROUND THE WORLD, THE KINGPINS WHO
PROFIT MORE FROM PIRACY ARE CONTINUING THEIR CRIMES.
VOA REPORTER MARY ALICE SALINAS HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THE HISTORY AND ROOT CAUSES OF PIRACY
COMING OUT OF SOMALIA.
BEFORE WE GET INTO MY INTERVIEW WITH HER, LET'S START WITH SOME OF HER REPORT.
IN THE LAST DECADE, SHIPPING OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA WAS SUBJECTED TO RELENTLESS PIRATE
ATTACKS - THE NUMBERS PEAKING IN 2011 WITH 176 REPORTED CASES.
NOW, THOUGH, INTERNATIONAL NAVAL PATROLS AND ARMED GUARDS ON SHIPS ARE KEEPING THE PIRATES
AT BAY.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO US HOW THE ATTACKS TYPICALLY WORK?
THEY WORK OFF ITS MOTHER SHIP, THEN THEY RELEASE THEM INTO LITTLE SKIFFS AND THESE GUYS AND
THESE WEAPONS, THEY ARE SHOOTING AT IT...YOU KNOW THESE MASSIVE SHIPS CAN'T MOVE THAT FAST.
ALTHOUGH THEY LEARNED SOME TECHNICS, YOU KNOW, ZIG-ZAGGING AND EVADING TO TRY TO PREVENT
SOME OF THIS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK FOR.
THE GOOD AND THE BEST TARGET, AND APPARENTLY THERE ARE LOT OF THEM OUT THERE.
AND ONCE THEY ARE ON THE SHIP, DO THEY KILL THEIR HOSTAGES, IS THAT COMMON?
NO, TYPICALLY THEY RELEASE THEM, BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT THE RANSOM MONEY.
THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE RANSOM MONEY, AND THEY KEEP THEM SOMETIME FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.
MARY ALICE, THIS ISSUE OF PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA, HOW SEVERE IS THIS PROBLEM FOR
THE WORLD?
IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND IT HAS BEEN FOR A FEW YEARS ON MULTIPLE LEVELS: IN GOVERNMENTS,
IN SECURITIES IN SOME COUNTRIES AND ALSO WHAT IS COSTING THE WORLD.
THE WORLD BANK JUST IN APRIL WHEN THEY MET SAID IT'S COSTING 18 BILLION DOLLARS WORLDWIDE.
AND THAT'S YEARLY, RIGHT.
THAT IS EVERY YEAR, THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
SO THIS HAS BROUGHT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
IT AFFECTS EVERYONE.
WHAT IS INTERESTING IT HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER EVEN NON-TRADITIONAL ALLIES.
WE HAVE CHINA WHO'S WORKING ON IT; RUSSIA HAS BEEN AFFECTED ALL THE WAY, TO THE EU....
EUROPEAN NATIONS, TO THE WEST.
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE BEHIND IT BECAUSE I THINK THE MOST STRIKING THING THAT
I NOTICED IN YOUR REPORT WAS THIS ASSESSMENT THAT THERE IS GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN THESE
ATTACKS.
HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS IN MULTIPLE GOVERNMENTS.
AND THAT WAS ACCORDING TO DONNA HOPKINS, WHO IS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP ON
PIRACY OFF THE SOMALIA COAST.
THE U.S. IS CURRENTLY CHAIRING THAT CONTACT GROUP.
WHAT'S THE PROFILE OF A PIRATE?
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE PIRATES ARE THE FOOT SOLDIERS FOR THESE KINGPINS.
THESE ARE TYPICALLY YOUNG MEN FROM SOMALIA, AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS IS A COUNTRY
THAT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES DID NOT HAVE A REAL GOVERNMENT.
CHAOTIC, VIOLENT, A FAMINE ... JUST IN THE LAST THREE YEARS OR SO WITH HUNDRED OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE FLEEING CONFLICT, AL-SHABAB MILITANTS.
IT'S A VERY BAD SCENE THERE SO YOU HAVE THESE YOUNG MEN WHERE THESE NETWORKS, THESE CRIMINAL
ENTERPRISES ARE SAYING HERE'S THE MONEY.
WHAT ABOUT TIES TO EXTREMIST GROUPS, YOU MENTIONED AL-SHABAB BEING SO ACTIVE IN SOMALIA.
ARE THESE PIRATES LINKED TO EXTREMISM?
THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT AL-SHABAB HAS USED THIS AS A WAY TO RAISE SOME FUNDS.
WHAT IS INTERESTING IS WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE MONEY, ACCORDING TO THE CONTACT GROUP,
IS GOING TO OTHER ENTERPRISES FOR THESE CRIMINAL NETWORKS.
WHAT ARE THEY?
I DON'T KNOW.
COULD THEY BE FUNDING ARMED GROUPS OR HOW FAR DOES THIS IS SPAN?
THEN IT RAISES A QUESTION OF SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW THIS IS BEING TREATED AS A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE, NOT TERRORISM.
SO IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF RULES.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL LAWS...MARITIME LAWS.
SO IT IS A VERY COMPLEX SITUATION.
SHE SAYS WE HAVE ON EYES ON THEM AND I THOUGHT WELL IS SOMETHING GOING TO HAPPEN SOON TO
CAPTURE THEM?
AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S GOING BE SOON.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME STILL.
AND THERE ARE SIGNS THAT PIRACY OFF SOMALIA IS SLOWING -- THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME BUREAU
SAYS THAT IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2013, THERE WERE ONLY FIVE REPORTED PIRACY INCIDENTS OFF
THE SOMALI COAST.
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK NOW.
FIRST, WE WANT TO MENTION THAT YOU CAN GET VOA NEWS ANYTIME ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICES THROUGH
GOOGLE CURRENTS.
TO GET THE APP -- GO TO VOANEWS.COM/CURRENTS.
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