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HIIRAAN ONLINE
E D I T O R I A L
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
We are approaching the Tenth Anniversary of the creation of the Puntland State of Somalia. For a full decade, compared to the rest of Somalia and particularly South-Central Somalia, Puntland has been a relative success story. This success was not due to a spectacular developmental achievement or scientific breakthrough, but rather a collective effort by the elders, politicians, religious leaders, business people and civil society of Puntland, who charted a peaceful course for the five regions that encompass Puntland.
But of late, another more precarious image is emerging out of Puntland: It’s becoming Somalia’s hub for piracy activities, which is becoming increasingly brazen. With responsibility comes accountability. Puntland can’t be a model of stability and a save haven for notorious pirates at the same time.
It’s time for Puntland to come clean.
Piracy is an epic problem, affecting not only Somalia's already tarnished global image, but the very humanitarian assistance destined for the destitute and the needy. WFP ships, for example, need protection to deliver aid. It's like biting the feeding hand--- a moral shame for our country.
Despite its limited resources, Puntland has, for whatever reason, fallen significantly short of cracking down on pirates. In fact, in some cases, Puntland officials admitted to the media (to the BBC recently) that senior security officials are aiding and abating pirates.
Puntland needs to end this culture of impunity for pirates, and the culture of complicity in among its ranks. It needs to destroy the foundations of piracy in places like Eyl. Failure to do so will reduce Puntland to another amateur start-up.
To tackle this problem effectively, Puntland needs the following:
Public and private citizens should join forces to make piracy a security priority that needs to be destroyed. Before Puntland jumps on the wagon of oil-drilling (which is controversial, given Puntland’s unilateralism on national resources), the administration needs to remake the compromised image of the region, before oil companies can flock there.
The international community needs to get serious about piracy. Although the issue is mostly affecting Somalia, its hampering global trade and humanitarian delivery. The international community needs to (1) devise a strategy to comprehensively address this issue, cognizant that Somalia is incapable of protecting its own territorial waters. (2) Create a task force whose primary job is to protect illegal fishing off the coast Somalia (an alibi used by pirates). (3) Assist local administrations, including Puntland and Somaliland (in the form of training and aid), in combating piracy. (4) Create a special tribunal to try pirates.
Puntland should use its upcoming 10th anniversary to shore up its collective creativity to solve the multifaceted problems hovering over its head, and particularly the epic piracy problem.
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