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Pirates' actions reprehensible but understandable
Ian Bezek
Issue date: 4/21/09 Section: Opinion
Throughout the last week, the media has jubilantly praised the U.S. Navy for beating the Somali pirates in conflict. However, should we really be pleased that the world's biggest military just beat up a bunch of malnourished Somali teenagers?
You see, far from the picture the media has painted, the pirates are merely a force of impoverished youngsters -- not a group of criminal masterminds.
The pirates also didn't just appear out of a vacuum. The pirate movement grew in response to the over-fishing of Somali waters after the collapse of the Somali government in 1991.
Without consistent government authority protecting Somalia's waters, European industrial fishing operations moved in and started hauling away hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Somali fish, according to Greenpeace International.
As the fish population declined, local Somali fishermen lost their livelihood. Somalia already had a dysfunctional economy; the seizure of Somalia's fish destroyed what little was left of Somalia's natural resources.
This industrial theft of the Somalia food supply would be bad enough, but the Europeans proceeded to cause even more environmental devastation.
According to British award-winning foreign correspondent Johann Hari, in addition to the over-fishing, "In another part of Somalia, industrial waste from Europe begun to be dumped just off the coast."
In a column published on the UK Independent's Web site, Hari said that while it is expensive to properly dispose of toxic waste in Europe, connections were found between European firms and the Italian mafia who cheaply disposed of the waste by dumping it in Somalia's bays.
"The most incredible thing that was dumped was literally nuclear waste. So after the tsunami, barrels of all sorts of random s**t started to wash up on the coast of Somalia, including nuclear waste that we now know (as a result of) radiation sickness killed around 300 people," Hari said.
In addition to Hari's statements, the U.N. Environmental Program has discussed the environmental destruction.
You see, far from the picture the media has painted, the pirates are merely a force of impoverished youngsters -- not a group of criminal masterminds.
The pirates also didn't just appear out of a vacuum. The pirate movement grew in response to the over-fishing of Somali waters after the collapse of the Somali government in 1991.
Without consistent government authority protecting Somalia's waters, European industrial fishing operations moved in and started hauling away hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Somali fish, according to Greenpeace International.
As the fish population declined, local Somali fishermen lost their livelihood. Somalia already had a dysfunctional economy; the seizure of Somalia's fish destroyed what little was left of Somalia's natural resources.
This industrial theft of the Somalia food supply would be bad enough, but the Europeans proceeded to cause even more environmental devastation.
According to British award-winning foreign correspondent Johann Hari, in addition to the over-fishing, "In another part of Somalia, industrial waste from Europe begun to be dumped just off the coast."
In a column published on the UK Independent's Web site, Hari said that while it is expensive to properly dispose of toxic waste in Europe, connections were found between European firms and the Italian mafia who cheaply disposed of the waste by dumping it in Somalia's bays.
"The most incredible thing that was dumped was literally nuclear waste. So after the tsunami, barrels of all sorts of random s**t started to wash up on the coast of Somalia, including nuclear waste that we now know (as a result of) radiation sickness killed around 300 people," Hari said.
In addition to Hari's statements, the U.N. Environmental Program has discussed the environmental destruction.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 11
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 4/21/09 @ 2:44 AM MST
I am sick to death at people making excuses for criminals.
Are all Somalis Pirates? Is poverty and bad times an exscuse for armed piracy?
This is juts crap. (Continued…)
R Peare
posted 4/21/09 @ 8:32 AM MST
Regardless, 2 wrongs never make a right. these thugs and all thugs should be hunted down and eliminated if that is the only course to be taken. justifying one wrong to say another is ok never solves anything. (Continued…)
Jonesy
posted 4/21/09 @ 11:25 AM MST
Thank you for showing the other side of the story. Our media portrayed the 'pirates' as selfless greedy beings. When in reality they were just trying to live their lives and make their voices heard. (Continued…)
Registered Independent
posted 4/21/09 @ 1:48 PM MST
This article has got to be kidding.
The pirates are not conducting a "Robin Hood" project for Somalia. They're common criminals with high-powered weapons and grenade launchers. (Continued…)
Bob Taylor
posted 4/21/09 @ 2:41 PM MST
To: Somali Terrorist Pirates, especially those who remember killing 17 people of TF Ranger.
From: Navy Special Warfare
Subj: BANG YOU'RE DEAD!!
End of sob story
Seeking Thinkers
posted 4/21/09 @ 3:39 PM MST
One man's "pirate" is another man's "privateer".
Since we are on a university campus, anyone care to actually study something about history, as well as, political science?
So many "authoritarian" postings with no real facts behind them. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 4/21/09 @ 11:53 PM MST
Well said Reg Indy. Pirates exsist and flourish because of the boo hoo Liberal crowd.
You know someone kills and rapes a six year old girl , and a Liberal tells me they had no choice because someone slapped them when they were kids. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 4/24/09 @ 1:08 AM MST
Navy Seals 3
Pirates 0
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