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somalia

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54 non-duplicate results found.

Author: Basciano, Tiffany

Title: Contemporary Piracy: Consequences and Cures: A Post-Workshop Report

Summary: This report presents the findings of a discussion that explored the critical issue of armed piracy off the coast of Somalia. The discussion focused on the underlying causes of Somali piracy and on the policy options for eradicating or mitigating this criminal activity.

Details: Washington, DC: American Bar Association, Standing Committee on Law and National Security

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 0

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Hijacking of Ships

Shelf Number: 117766


Author: International Expert Group on Piracy off the Somali Coast

Title: Piracy Off the Somali Coast: Workshop Commissioned by the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN to Somalia Ambassador Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah

Summary: In order to develop a coordinated response to the challenge of maritime piracy along the Somali coast, the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) commissioned an international expert consultation on the issue. The consultation took place in Nairobi from the 10th to the 21st of November. It was supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Somalia and hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nairobi. The international group consisted of private experts, national officials and representatives of international organizations covering expertise in organized crime, maritime law, Navy operations, risk management, migration management, marine contingency management, state of law, development and livelihoods, humanitarian relief, peace keeping and security sector reform. Many of the experts possess expertise and experience in Somalia as well as in neighboring countries and seas. The assessment aimed at providing a practical interdisciplinary overview on piracy rather than a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of piracy in Somalia. The report starts off with a short history on Somalia (chapter 1) and a general chapter on piracy in international waters (chapter 2). This is followed by an assessment on the piracy situation off the Somali coast (chapter 3), its legal framework (chapter 4), and the costs associated with the phenomenon (chapter 5). Chapter 6 lists the additional costs to Somalia, the region and the international community, of allowing the situation to escalate without international intervention, on land and sea. Chapter 7 summarizes what is currently being done to address the problem and the final chapter (chapter 8) provides a summary of recommendations for short-, medium- and long-term impact. The detailed recommendations are listed in an Appendix.

Details: Nairobi: International Expert Group on Piracy off the Somali Coast, 2008. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2010 at: http://www.imcsnet.org/imcs/docs/somalia_piracy_intl_experts_report_consolidated.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 119847


Author: Middleton, Roger

Title: Piracy in Somalia: Threatening Global Trade, Feeding Local Wars

Summary: Piracy off the coast of Somalia has more than doubled in 2008; so far over 60 ships have been attacked. Pirates are regularly demanding and receiving million-dollar ransom payments and are becoming more aggressive and assertive. The international community must be aware of the danger that Somali pirates could become agents of international terrorist networks. Already money from ransoms is helping to pay for the war in Somalia, including funds to the US terror-listed Al-Shabaab. The high level of piracy is making aid deliveries to drought-stricken Somalia ever more difficult and costly. The World Food Programme has already been forced to temporarily suspend food deliveries. Canada is now escorting WFP deliveries but there are no plans in place to replace their escort when it finishes later this year. The danger and cost of piracy (insurance premiums for the Gulf of Aden have increased tenfold) mean that shipping could be forced to avoid the Gulf of Aden/Suez Canal and divert around the Cape of Good Hope. This would add considerably to the costs of manufactured goods and oil from Asia and the Middle East. At a time of high inflationary pressures, this should be of grave concern. Piracy could cause a major environmental disaster in the Gulf of Aden if a tanker is sunk or run aground or set on fire. The use of ever more powerful weaponry makes this increasingly likely. There are a number of options for the international community but ignoring the problem is not one of them. It must ensure that WFP deliveries are protected and that gaps in supply do not occur.

Details: London: Chatham House, 2008. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed October 12, 2010 at: http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/files/12203_1008piracysomalia.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Piracy/Pirates

Shelf Number: 119933


Author: Hughes, Ed

Title: Community Safety and Small Arms in Somaliland

Summary: Between August 2008 and August 2009, data was collected and analysed across Somaliland in order to improve understanding of community safety and small arms and light weapons in Somaliland. Data has been collected from 157 communities in 32 districts and the data set includes a total of 2846 household questionnaires and 281 focus group and key informant interviews with key players in the field of community safety, such as the police, civil society organisations, the UN and traditional and religious leaders. The publication is a joint effort by DDG and the Small Arms Survey. The findings of the survey are presented in this report along with contextual interpretations of the results and information that may be of use to practitioners. For the purposes of this summary and because of the representativeness of the data sample, the results from the household survey have been generalised for the whole population and percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number to facilitate reading.

Details: Copenhagen: Danish Demining Group; Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2010. 108p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/E-Co-Publications/SAS-DDG-2010-Somaliland.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Community Safety

Shelf Number: 120090


Author: Gilpin, Raymond

Title: Counting the Costs of Somali Piracy

Summary: The upsurge in attacks by Somali pirates between 2005 and mid-2009 reflects decades of political unrest, maritime lawlessness and severe economic decline. Piracy has dire implications for economic development and political stability in Somalia, with economic prospects constrained, business confidence compromised and human security worsening. It could also have a destabilizing effect on global trade and security unless immediate steps are taken to craft a coordinated strategy to address the complex factors that trigger and sustain crime and impunity on the high seas. However, poorly designed and implemented strategies could inadvertently strengthen the hand of extremists in and around Somalia. The Somali authorities and their international partners should plan for a sustained application of “smart power” by all stakeholders. This paper offers practical strategies to mitigate the rising costs of Somali piracy and lay the foundation for lasting peace.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2009. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.usip.org/files/resources/1_0.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Armed Robbery Against Ships

Shelf Number: 120282


Author: Percy, Sarah

Title: The Business of Piracy in Somalia

Summary: This paper argues that contrary to conventional wisdom, Somali piracy is likely to increase if Somalia's domestic stability is improved, and that naval counter-piracy efforts had limited and unpredicted effects. To make this argument we analyze the underlying factors driving piracy off the coast of Somalia and examine the effectiveness of the international naval anti-piracy mission. We show that while the navies perform well with respect to their declared aims, they failed to resolve the piracy problem through 2009: pirates were not deterred from attacking ships in the Gulf of Aden and have expanded their operations in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Evidence from domestic conditions in Somalia suggests that land-based approaches focusing on rebuilding state capabilities may also backfire as economic development and greater stability aid pirates. We examine the incentives of the various interest groups in the Gulf of Aden and conclude that the key players have an interest in the continuation of the piracy off Somalia, as long as violence does not escalate and ransoms remain at their current modest levels.

Details: Berlin: German Institute for Economic Research, 2010. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 1033: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.358500.de/dp1033.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 120283


Author: Hansen, Stig Jarle

Title: Piracy in the Greater Gulf of Aden: Myths, Misconception and Remedies

Summary: This report explores several of the most commonly stated causes of Somali piracy, as well as the history and structure of Somali piracy, showing that piracy is rather a spatiotemporal and geographically constrained phenomenon than a general Somali phenomenon, which started after the collapse of Somalia in 1991. Solutions must take this into consideration, focus on local conditions in the pirate areas and the causes that made piracy explode, first in 2004-2005, and most recently in 2008 and onwards.

Details: Oslo: Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, 2009. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: NIBR Report 2009:29: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.nibr.no/uploads/publications/26b0226ad4177819779c2805e91c670d.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 120285


Author: Sorenson, Karl

Title: State Failure on the High Seas -- Reviewing the Somali Piracy

Summary: This report makes one cardinal claim: Somali piracy will not successfully be fought by only employing naval means. The reason for this is two-fold. First, the inherent structure of any systematic piracy, to which the Somali piracy belongs, makes it difficult to stop the practice by merely focusing on impeding pirate vessels. Piracy has always been in need of at least one safe port, from where it can seek refuge, refit, and, most importantly, unload and trade the loot. Second, the state of Somalia, with its disintegration in the south, uncertainty in Puntland and relative stability in Somaliland, makes it difficult, but not impossible, to successfully target the roots, or incentives, of piracy. The political situation in Somalia is dire, and it is difficult to decipher the connections between the different regions and the complex clan system.

Details: Stockholm: FOI, Swedish Defence Research Agency, 2008. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: FOI Somalia Papers: Report 3: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.foi.se/upload/projects/Africa/FOI-R--2610.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Security

Shelf Number: 120296


Author: Bawumia, Mahamudu

Title: Fisheries, Ecosystems and Piracy: A Case Study of Somalia

Summary: It has been argued that a possible root cause of Somali piracy is the (illegal) overfishing that has been taking place in the country's waters, which has deprived local fishers of their livelihoods, and which may be considered as another form of 'piracy'. In this paper, we explore the origins of this argument using both historical and ecosystem justice frameworks. We demonstrate in this contribution that this claim has some wings to it and that further research is needed to verify if this claim, as we suspect, is empirically valid.

Details: Vancouver, BC: Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, 2010. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper Series; Working Paper # 2010-04: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: ftp://ftp.fisheries.ubc.ca/FCWP/2010/FCWP_2010-04_BawumiaSumaila.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Illegal Fishing

Shelf Number: 120346


Author: Bellamy, Liam

Title: What Can Be Done To Counter Somali Piracy?

Summary: This paper examines the tactical options available to ships that are under threat from piracy off the Somali coast. It argues that we may be witnessing the first asymmetric naval campaign and that vessels should adopt protective tactics to match this reality and the changing tactics of the pirates themselves.

Details: Athens, Greece: Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS), 2009. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 129: Accessed December 17, 2010 at: http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=97573

Year: 2009

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 120539


Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords. European Union Committee

Title: Combating Somali Piracy: the EU’s Naval Operation Atalanta: Report with Evidence

Summary: Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean is a serious and ongoing threat to UK and EU interests. It could spread within the region, which is unstable. The EU’s Operation Atalanta, with its operational headquarters based in Northwood, UK, has made a strong contribution to combating piracy, in particular protecting World Food Programme (WFP) ships and coordinating with other maritime forces in the area. However there are a number of areas that need improvement and require action. Naval vessels and their crews are very expensive resources in short supply. With more surveillance aircraft the Atalanta fleet could be far more effective and efficient. Similarly, the permanent availability of a tanker would prevent Atalanta vessels from having to return to port on a regular basis solely to refuel. The WFP’s use of small, slow ships makes them especially vulnerable to pirate attacks. As a result they require greater military protection and resources. The Government and the EU should insist that the WFP charter faster, larger and more modern vessels. It is even more efficient for military contingents to be placed on these vessels rather than having warships and their crew shadowing each delivery. It should be a condition of the award of a WFP contract that, when requested, the flag state allow these vessels to carry Atalanta military forces on board. Military personnel placed on commercial shipping should be given specialised training. We agree with UK policy that private security guards should not be placed on commercial shipping because of the increased risks to crew and ships. The insurance industry is not taking sufficient responsibility for ensuring that commercial shipping transiting the area complies with readily available, tried and tested procedures to reduce the risk of capture by pirates. At a minimum the industry should impose increased insurance premiums on ship operators who do not comply. We agree with the increasingly robust action taken against pirates by Atalanta forces. There is a need to change the perceived risk/reward ratio for pirate activity. We welcome the EU’s agreements with Kenya and the Seychelles to prosecute pirates, and the negotiations now taking place with other states in the region. We wait to see the number of successful prosecutions that result. There will be no solution to the problem of piracy without a solution to the root causes of the conflict on land in Somalia. We support the EU’s efforts to deal with Somalia’s problems by building up the security sector in line with democratic norms, providing humanitarian assistance and assisting the authorities in Somaliland and Puntland to strengthen their coastguards.

Details: London: The Stationery Office Limited, 2010. 114p.

Source: Internet Resource: 12th Report of Session 2009-10: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld200910/ldselect/ldeucom/103/103.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 121191


Author: Kraska, James

Title: The Report on the U.S. Naval War College Workshop on Somali Piracy: Fresh Thinking for an Old Threat

Summary: On April 7 and 8, the International Law Department of the Center for Naval Warfare Studies at the U.S. Naval War College conducted a Counter-piracy Workshop comprised of 50 legal and policy experts from across the globe. The Workshop was designed to take a fresh look at the threat of maritime piracy off the Horn of Africa, assess the tremendous progress in international law and diplomacy that has transpired to address the problem, and to take a measure of the way forward. By collecting many of the world’s top experts to consider the threat of maritime piracy, and by providing a forum to discuss the issue in a frank and open dialogue, the Workshop revisited some conventional thinking and explored new approaches. The participants brought significant diversity and depth of expertise. Many are involved in day-to-day decision-making on counter-piracy operations, policy and international law in Europe, Asia and the United States.

Details: Newport, RI: United States Naval War College, 2009. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2011 at: http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/521cc632-2c29-4190-97d0-2d3a9dacd2c6/Countering-Maritime-Piracy

Year: 2009

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 121779


Author: Hurlburt, Kaija

Title: The Human Cost of Somali Piracy

Summary: In 2010, thousands of seafarers in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden were subjected to assaults with automatic gunfire and RPGs, beatings, and extended confinement as hostages. In some cases, hostages were used as human shields to protect pirates from navy vessels or were forced to crew “motherships” that were then used to lure and attack other merchant traffic. Some captive seafarers also were abused, both physically and psychologically. There is a genuine fear that abuse and even torture will be used with increasing frequency to provide additional leverage during ransom negotiations. Somali communities are also suffering, and their youth are put at risk by this criminal activity. In spite of the violent nature of these crimes, the human cost of piracy is still underreported and misunderstood by the public. In most communities ashore, the type of violent crime occurring in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean would be reported in a systematic and consistent way, allowing the public to grasp the significance of these crimes. However, the unique challenges of coordinating rule of law operations and public affairs in international waters, and the multinational nature of crews and the shipping industry, have resulted in inconsistent reporting of these violent crimes. The economic cost of piracy is well known. This report illustrates that the human cost of piracy may be less known, yet staggering.

Details: Louisville, CO: Oceans Beyond Piracy, 2011. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://oceansbeyondpiracy.org/sites/default/files/human_cost_of_somali_piracy.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Hijacking of Ships

Shelf Number: 121976


Author: Geopolicity

Title: The Economics of Piracy: Pirate Ransoms and Livelihoods Off the Coast of Somalia

Summary: In 2011, Geopolicity established a global economic model for assessing the costs and benefits of international piracy; adding significantly to the debate on the causes and consequences of piracy. This model provides a comprehensive, independent framework of trend analysis, whilst also highlighting across the ‘Pirate Value Chain’ (PVC) where the greatest rates of return on international counter pirate investment and policy are to be found. The model includes (i) cost-benefit analysis at the individual pirate level, based on existing socioeconomic and market data (ii) the aggregate costs and benefits at the international systems level and (iii) comprehensive data on the resurgence of piracy by functional classification and sovereign jurisdiction; to include trend, comparator and predictive analysis. Further research, based on aggregating all existing secondary data into a common analytical and diagnostic platform, as well as on the ground research in coastal communities is urgently needed, and would provide, for the first time, a strong understanding of the economics of piracy.

Details: Road Town, British Virgin Islands: Geopolicity, 2011. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2011 at: http://www.geopolicity.com/upload/content/pub_1305229189_regular.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis

Shelf Number: 121994


Author: Termansen, Dan B.

Title: Counter Piracy Off Somalia; A Case for Applying the Comprehensive Approach Strategy

Summary: Some argue for a robust military solution inside Somalia to counter the piracy problem while others maintain that the problem is not at all suited for employing military force. Many articles focus on the impact of piracy on the International Shipping. Only very few take a holistic view on the issue, and discuss 2. or 3. order consequences of piracy in the area as a whole. Counter Piracy Operations have been going on for some years but, so far, only military means have been employed by the international community to counter piracy in the region. No unified holistic strategy has been applied, even though there seems to be consensus that the root causes are found in Somalia itself. With a holistic focus on the piracy issue off the coast of Somalia, this paper will analyze the root causes of piracy, the actors to influence, the Push-Pull factors and balance of risk involved. The paper identifies that the international community has so far primarily addressed the Pull factors focusing on naval force, disrupting pirate camps and law enforcement while leaving the Push Factors ashore largely unaddressed. Looking towards Afghanistan, the paper suggests employing elements in NATO's Comprehensive Approach in order to address all factors driving piracy, and recommends a design for how the Comprehensive Approach can be applied to the case of Somalia. The paper combines the current military efforts on Counter Piracy with a local civilian support to the Somali costal population primarily in Northeastern Somalia in a mutually supportive way From the Sea suggesting a naval PRT construction supporting Ink Blots of engagements ashore. In contrast to Afghanistan, the suggested Comprehensive Approach is applied bottom up, because it is focused only to counter piracy leaving the strategic effort to restore governance in Somalia to another time horizon.

Details: Newport, RI: Joint Military Operations Department, Naval War College, 2011. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA536267&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 122437


Author: Kilpatrick, Richard L., Jr.

Title: Borrowing from Civil Aviation Security: Does International Law Governing Airline Hijacking Offer Solutions to the Modern Maritime Piracy Epidemic Off the Coast of Somalia?

Summary: Maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia continues to spiral into an increasingly threatening international crisis, with attacks in the Gulf of Aden increasing during the first half of 2011. While more states have been prosecuting pirates in their national courts during the last year, United Nations officials have indicated that as many as 90 percent of pirates captured by national navies are subsequently released due to complicated legal and financial burdens associated with prosecution. In the search for solutions to the current maritime piracy problem, international legal initiatives addressing civil aviation security may offer insight. A global trend of airline hijackings beginning in the late 1960s and culminating in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, catalyzed various initiatives that have improved the efficacy of aviation security. The international legal regime governing civil aviation security developed through various international treaties, conventions, agreements, declarations, and resolutions from important international institutions. Likewise, the United States, as the world’s largest aviation market, has also contributed to the international civil aviation regime through its domestic legislation. Taken together, this broad international legal regime offers a valuable example of cooperation and collaboration between various international stakeholders to address a trend in international crime. While there are limitations that must be considered in drawing an analogy between airline hijackings and maritime piracy due to contextual and legal distinctions, there are significant similarities that foster effective comparison of approaches. In particular, the civil aviation security regime may inform the following initiatives relevant to maritime piracy: the elimination of safe havens through the enforcement of international agreements obliging states to prosecute piracy crimes; increased port security to ensure the use of Best Management Practices to avoid piratical acts; economic sanctions targeting financers of piracy crimes; and enhanced communication and coordination among stakeholders affected by the piracy crises.

Details: Louisvilla, CO: One Earth Future Foundation, 2011. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: OBP Working Paper: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://oceansbeyondpiracy.org/sites/default/files/kilpatrick_borrowing_from_civil_aviation.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 122446


Author: de Bont, Saoirse

Title: Prosecuting Pirates and Upholding Human Rights Law: Taking Perspective

Summary: Incidents of piracy off the coast of Somalia have increased in recent years, rising by 47% between 2005 and 2009. With a growing number of states involved in the determent and disruption of attacks, there is a need to outline their human rights obligations when engaging in counter-piracy operations, so that suspected pirates are treated in accordance with international law. In addition, providing clarity to states regarding their responsibilities enables them to make informed decisions about whether, and how, to prosecute suspected pirates. Focusing on Somalia, this paper examines the piracy as situated within international law, while addressing the application of human rights treaties, and issues such as detention, right to asylum, non-refoulement, and the transfer of pirates to third parties. While ambiguity remains regarding the obligations of states dealing with suspected pirates, existing case law does provide some guidelines. However, other factors, such as political processes and expediency, have sometimes taken precedence over the protection and fulfilment of human rights.

Details: Louisville, CO: One Earth Future Foundation, 2010. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://oneearthfuture.org/images/imagefiles/Human%20Rights%20Law%20-%20Saoirse%20de%20Bont.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Human Rights

Shelf Number: 122508


Author: Liss, Carolin

Title: Privatising the Fight Against Somali Pirates

Summary: The recent audacious pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off the horn of Africa have fuelled the debate about the privatisation of maritime security. Ship owners and maritime security experts, as well as representatives of industry organisations, have stated that private security companies may be able to ensure safe passage for vessels through these pirate infested waters, a task at which government agencies have failed, despite international efforts. In fact, with more than 35 hijacked vessels this year, the first hijacking of a super tanker, attacks on UN aid ships and the unprecedented payment of millions of US dollars ransom for kidnapped crew and hijacked vessels, the arguments for hiring PSCs are strong. However, the employment of PSCs in Iraq and other places around the world has clearly shown that there are problems associated with the services provided by PSCs and the regulation of such companies in conflict zones. This paper explores the risks and benefits of employing PSCs to secure shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the horn of Africa.

Details: Perth, Western Australia: Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University, 2008. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 152: Accessed October 21, 2011 at: http://wwwarc.murdoch.edu.au/publications/wp/wp152.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 123078


Author: Giampaolo, Amanda

Title: Changes in Maritime Practice as a Result of Piracy in the Gulf of Aden

Summary: Piracy off the coast of Somalia, particularly in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, is a growing problem for shipping companies whose vessels frequently travel through this area to transport goods. The International Chamber of Commerce's [ICC] Commercial Crime Service [CCS] has declared this area “piracy prone”. According to The Journal of Navigation 2010 report entitled, “Piracy at Sea: Somalia an Area of Great Concern”, piracy emerged off the coast of Somalia following the collapse of the Said Barre government in 1991. However, piracy in the Gulf of Aden did not generate much alarm until 2005 when the number of incidences in a year exceeded 35 for the first time, says report author Santiago Iglesias Baniela. This was followed by a brief decline in recorded piracy in 2006, which Baniela links to the short lived governance by the Islamic Courts Union [ICU] in Somalia. The report further notes that the piracy problem grew exponentially in 2008, leading to great international concern and the formation of three international task forces: [i] the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's [NATO] counterpiracy initiatives: Operation Allied Provider [October – December 2008], Operation Allied Protector [March 2009 – August 2009], and Operation Ocean Shield [August 2009 to present]; [ii] the European Union Naval Force Somalia [EU NAVFOR] Operation Atalanta [launched in response to UN Resolutions in 2008-2009]; and [iii] the Combined Maritime Force's [CMF] Combined Taskforce 151 [CTF 151], which was created in January 2009. Despite these initial efforts, piracy continues to be a major threat to the shipping industry, explains Martin Murphy author of “Somalia: the New Barbary”. This paper provides an overview of changes in maritime practice as a result of piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Rerouting of vessels, group transits and the use of private security are discussed in more detail.

Details: NATO Civil-Military Fusion Centre, 2011. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: https://www.cimicweb.org/Documents/CFC%20Anti-Piracy%20Thematic%20Papers/CFC_Anti-Piracy_Report_Maritime_Changes_Sep_2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 123302


Author: Ramsay, Amber

Title: Barriers to Prosecution: The Problem of Piracy

Summary: Despite a global response by some of the world‟s most powerful navies, Somali piracy continues to wreak havoc on ships attempting to navigate the Gulf of Aden and parts of the Indian Ocean, says Time Magazine. Maritime piracy has been on the rise for years, but the international community only chose to take decisive action against it in 2008 when increasing attacks off the coast of Somalia led to economic burdens that affected the entire world. Over the past four years, efforts have been made in a variety of areas to address the issue of piracy, including through naval intervention, the development of Best Management Practices and political efforts within Somalia and the greater Horn of Africa region. However, one of the major responses, piracy prosecutions, has also proven to be one of the most difficult to manoeuvre. In attempting to establish a strong legal regime to undertake piracy prosecutions, a number of obstacles have become apparent, among them, questions of jurisdiction, customary law, financing, the capacity of regional states, and other judicial hurdles that arise when attempting to prosecute criminal acts committed in international waters. The following report will attempt to outline some of these issues and list possible next steps offered by experts in the area of maritime piracy.

Details: NATO Civil-Military Fusion Centre, 2011. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: https://portal.mmowgli.nps.edu/c/wiki/get_page_attachment?p_l_id=33393&nodeId=10773&title=Published+papers&fileName=Published+papers%2FCFC_Anti-Piracy_Report_Prosecution_Aug_2011_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 123316


Author: Ramsey, Amber

Title: Alternative Approaches: Land-based Strategies to Countering Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia

Summary: This report outlines some recommended alternative land-based strategies that could be utilised to develop greater resistance to pirate activities by Somali communities and reinforce existing grassroots efforts to highlight its negative effects.

Details: NATO Civil-Military Fusion Centre, 2011. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 26, 2011 at: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/CFC_Anti-Piracy_Report_Alternative%20Approaches_NOV_2011_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 123454


Author: Shortland, Anja

Title: Treasure Mapped: Using Satellite Imagery to Track the Developmental Effects of Somali Piracy

Summary: There are increasing pressures to develop land-based approaches to Somali piracy. By making use of non-traditional data sources including local market data and satellite images, this paper is intended to be an objective analysis of who benefits from pirate ransoms. Significant amounts of ransom monies are spent within Somalia, but conspicuous consumption appears to be limited by social norms dictating resource-sharing. Around a third of pirate ransoms are converted into Somali shillings, benefiting casual labour and pastoralists in Puntland. Data analysis is complemented by examination of satellite imagery to establish where the beneficiaries are located. Pirates probably make a significant contribution to economic development in the provincial capitals Garowe and Bosasso. Puntland’s political elites are therefore unlikely to move decisively against piracy. The positive economic impacts of piracy are spread widely and a military strategy to eradicate it could seriously undermine local development. However, coastal villages have gained little from hosting pirates and may be open to a negotiated solution which offers a more attractive alternative.

Details: London: Chatham House, 2012. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Africa Programme Paper: AFP PP 2012/01; Accessed January 17, 2012 at: http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Africa/0112pp_shortland.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 123632


Author: Osei-Tutu, Joana Ama

Title: The Root Causes of the Somali Piracy

Summary: This paper aims, among other things, to answer a few questions; firstly, what are the root causes of piracy in Somalia. Secondly, the efforts the international community has adopted to address the piracy issues and its effectiveness. Thirdly, how these international efforts addressed the root causes; and possible alternative routes to the international community‟s attempts. The answers to these questions will give a clearer picture of the Somali piracy problem and its genesis as well as why stakeholders‟ efforts have not resolved the problem. There will be an initial presentation of scholarly discussion on the Somali piracy issue. This would be followed by an account of attempts by both Somalis and international organizations to bring to bear some of the causes of piracy in the Gulf of Aden. The findings of these would be stated and finally, recommendations for addressing the piracy would be proposed.

Details: Accra, Ghana: Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, 2011. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: KAIPTC Occasional Paper No. 31: Accessed January 27, 2012 at: http://www.kaiptc.org/Publications/Occasional-Papers/Documents/Occasional-Paper-31-Joana.aspx

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 123785


Author: Brown, James

Title: Pirates and Privateers: Managing the Indian Ocean's Private Security Book

Summary: The fight against Somali-based pirates is becoming a private battle as global defence cuts reduce naval counter-piracy deployments. Because governments have struggled to contain the spread of piracy in the Indian Ocean, shipping companies have turned to private military security companies to guarantee the safety of their crews and cargo. Private armed teams have proliferated on commercial shipping and several private armed vessels are operating in the region. Meanwhile, some governments are hiring out their own national militaries as security guards onboard ships. However, this private counter-piracy boom is creating fresh problems. Already shootings at sea have led to international disputes and accidental confrontations. And murky legal and consular difficulties loom. There is a legitimate role for private companies in fighting piracy. But the challenge for governments will be to recapture the policy agenda and define the limits of what that role is before it leads to new kinds of trouble on the high seas. Downloadable map showing private counter-piracy forces - attribute to Lowy Institute. Key Findings - The maritime security business in the Indian Ocean is booming as ships turn to private military security companies to help in the fight against piracy. Over 140 companies now provide armed protection for ships in the Indian Ocean. At least 2700 individual contractors are employed as armed guards on ships and 18 floating armouries are operating in waters near the Gulf of Aden. - 40 private armed patrol boats are now, or will soon be, operating in the Indian Ocean. The most sophisticated of these private navies is outfitting three large boats in Singapore - each with a crew of 20, capable of carrying 40 private marines, and equipped with a helicopter and drones. The use of these boats, and the aggressive tactics they employ, should be discouraged by governments and the International Maritime Organization. - Because of shipping company demands for armed teams and shrinking defence budgets, governments are now privately hiring out their soldiers to provide security onboard commercial ships as "vessel protection detachments". The use of these teams potentially has serious legal and political consequences for states should they be involved in disputes.

Details: Sydney, NSW: Lowy Institute for International Policy, 2012. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2012 at: http://lowyinstitute.cachefly.net/files/brown_pirates_and_privateers_web.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 126563


Author: Shortland, Anja

Title: The Business of Pirate Protection

Summary: Somali piracy is often described as a form of organized crime. There is an implicit assumption that pirate gangs handle the entire process from hijack to ransom, including the provision of security for hijacked ships. This approach fails to distinguish between different actors within modern piracy and leads to policies focusing on deterring pirate recruits and lowering the returns to investors. Drawing on Protection Theory developed for the study of Mafias, a detailed analysis of Bloomberg maps of hijacked vessels’ routes, field interviews and Somali press reports, we show that there is a clear distinction between protectors of piracy and pirates. Clan elders and their militias facilitate piracy, because they protect hijacked ships in their anchorages and have well-established channels for coordinating actions where business interests cut across clan lines. This explains the relative stability and order within the piracy business, such as the lack of re-hijacking. The paper concludes by arguing that the solution to piracy needs to focus on the enablers rather than the executors of the crime, and should be at the substate, clan level.

Details: Berlin: Economics of Security, 2012. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Economics of Security Working Paper 75: Accessed November 29, 2012 at: http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.408691.de/diw_econsec0075.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Hijacking

Shelf Number: 127030


Author: Great Britain. House of Lords. European Union Committee

Title: Turning the Tide on Piracy, Building Somalia's Future: Follow-Up Report on the EU's Operation Atalanta and Beyond

Summary: Operation Atalanta is the EU’s first naval operation. It was launched in 2008 under UK leadership, with the purpose of protecting World Food Programme ships delivering aid to Somalia, and preventing and combating piracy off the Somali coast. The Committee first reported on Atalanta in April 2010, when we outlined a number of concerns about the mission and the situation in Somalia. Since then two further EU missions have been launched, one, based in Uganda, to train Somali security forces, (EUTM Somalia), and one to support regional maritime capacity-building in the Horn of Africa and Western Indian Ocean states (EUCAP Nestor). In this report we welcome the progress made in reducing the number of pirated ships as a result of efforts by the international naval task forces, including Atalanta, and by the shipping industry, which has increasingly used ship protection measures. In June 2012 eight pirated vessels and 215 hostages were held, compared with 23 vessels and 501 hostages in June the previous year. We consider that Operation Atalanta must be continued up to and beyond the expiry of its current mandate in December 2014 in order to avoid an upsurge in pirate activity. We welcome the increased involvement of Somalia’s neighbours, led by the Seychelles, in conducting piracy trials, though we have doubts about the transfer of sentenced pirates back to Somalia. We also have concerns about the problems created for the countries involved by the higher standards of prisons for pirates than for their other prisoners. We believe that some measure of rehabilitation should be established, especially for younger pirates, though we recognise that imprisonment needs to be a real deterrent. We note with satisfaction the extent of practical international cooperation in countering piracy, including by China, and the cooperation with regional organisations such as the African Union. We believe, however, that the Gulf States should make a greater effort to assist in solving the problems of piracy and Somalia. We concluded in our previous report that piracy would not be ended until the root causes of the problems in Somalia were successfully tackled. Since that report, the EU has developed its activity by formulating a Strategy for the Horn of Africa and appointing a Special Representative for the area, as well as launching EUTM Somalia and EUCAP Nestor. We believe that the missions should be taken forward pro-actively and that the EU’s development aid should focus on providing alternative livelihoods for the Somali people. These missions must continue until the incentives for piracy are removed and the coastal states of the region are able to police their own coastlines. Taken together, we welcome these developments as assisting the necessary comprehensive solution to Somalia’s problems under the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Details: London: The Stationery Office, 2012. 35p.

Source: HL Paper 43: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2012 at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201213/ldselect/ldeucom/43/43.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 127242


Author: Norris, John

Title: Twenty Years of Collapse and Counting: The Cost of Failure in Somalia

Summary: The disastrous famine in Somalia is the worst the world has seen in 20 years, and it again casts a harsh spotlight on the situation in that country. With millions of people now at risk of starvation, and appalling stories of human hardship dominating the evening news, the name “Somalia” once again conjures images of crisis and despair—a famished, suffering country peopled by pirates, terrorists, and warlords. Somalia is best known for the civil war and famine of the early 1990s, which killed some 250,000 people and triggered a massive, U.S.-led humanitarian intervention that culminated in the infamous “Black Hawk Down” incident of 1994. More recently, the rise of indigenous Islamist movements in southern Somalia has rekindled fears that the anarchic territory could—or has—become a safe haven for Al Qaeda and other transnational terrorist movements. Western and regional efforts to reduce the terror threat by establishing a central government in Somalia have failed to improve governance. A recent confidential audit of the Somali government suggests that in 2009 and 2010 some 96 percent of direct bilateral assistance to the government had simply disappeared, presumably into the pockets of corrupt officials.19 The repeated failure of international efforts to produce positive change in Somalia has generated fatigue among donors at a time when Somalia’s needs have never been greater. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is rightfully a well-worn adage. Yet in the world of foreign policy it is an exceedingly difficult credo to translate from convenient talking point into practice. As much as policy experts and others, including the U.S. secretary of defense, call for sensible investments in crisis prevention, international development, and expanded diplomatic capabilities, the default setting of the U.S. government and its partners in the international community is to scrimp on crisis prevention while pouring money into crisis response and containment. By and large, the U.S. government ends up spending far more time and money responding to crises or tinkering with tactical responses than preventing crises or nurturing effective peacebuilding efforts. This paper explores the staggeringly high cost of this approach by looking at the case of Somalia. This research tries to determine—using a variety of official and unofficial sources and some educated guesswork—a reasonable estimate of the financial cost of Somalia’s conflict since 1991. We tried to be as exhaustive as possible in determining the money spent on Somalia by the international community, regional actors, and the Somali diaspora, regardless of the specific intentions of spending and whether these expenditures were sensible and effective or not. It is our hope that the data explored in this paper can provide the foundation for a useful cost-benefit analysis of what has and has not worked in Somalia. We welcome any additional insights into our methodology and findings.

Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2011. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2013 at: http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2011/09/pdf/somalia.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Drug Trafficking

Shelf Number: 127696


Author: Hurlburt, Kaija

Title: The Human Cost of Somali Piracy 2011

Summary: The latest version of the joint study by Oceans Beyond Piracy and the International Maritime Bureau was launched at the International Maritime Organization’s headquarters in London on June 22, 2012 and details the plight of seafarers at the hands of Somali pirates. The report is a combination of information provided by the signatory states to the Declaration Condemning Acts of Violence Against Seafarers, the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP), and data compiled by OBP. • 3,863 seafarers were fired upon by Somali pirates with assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades • 968 seafarers came into close contact with pirates, who managed to board their vessels • 413 seafarers were rescued from citadels • 1,206 hostages were held captive by Somali pirates • 555 seafarers were taken hostage in 2011; 645 hostages were captured in 2010 and remained captive during 2011; 6 tourists and aid workers were kidnapped on land • 35 hostages died as a result of pirate captivity in 2011 • Average length of captivity was 8 months.

Details: London: International Maritime Bureau; Broomfield, CO: Oceans Beyond Piracy, 2012. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed February 26, 2013 at: http://oceansbeyondpiracy.org/sites/default/files/hcop_2011.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crimes

Shelf Number: 127720


Author: World Bank, Regional Vice-Presidency for Africa

Title: Pirates of Somalia: Ending the Threat, Rebuilding a Nation

Summary: The global fight against piracy in Somalia has centered on prosecuting pirates and mobilizing naval forces. But to get to the root cause of the problem, the international community must focus on helping the nation build a functional political system. Three elements – political capital, manpower and financial resources – form the foundation of the hijack-for-ransom phenomenon in Somalia, where a history of inter- and intra-clan competition and European colonization has left many areas without functioning institutions, according to the study. That has allowed pirates to recruit local youth, buy guns and speedboats, and most importantly, secure coastal areas where they can anchor hijacked vessels for months or years. Pirates in the East African nation favor places such as Puntland and Central Somalia, which provide enough political stability to do business in, but not enough state control to challenge piracy operations. They then use bribes and physical threats to tilt the balance of power between politicians and gain long-term access to the coasts. The cost of that political operation takes up as much as 86% of the piracy proceeds, according to the study. A large sum – sometimes $300,000 per vessel – goes to government officials, businessmen, clans, militia and religious leaders as bribes and “development fees” to make sure the politicians won’t interfere in the piracy business. Crewmembers, often hired from a particular clan or location, command significantly higher salaries than local wages. Pirates also pay more than locals do for meal services, energy, and water. Given the local custom of resource sharing, piracy proceeds trickle down to local residents and other stakeholders, creating a favorable political environment in which the pirates can operate. Their success has global consequences. Between 2005 and 2012, more than 3,740 crewmembers from 125 countries fell prey to Somali pirates, and as many as 97 died. On the Somali side, the number of pirates lost at sea is believed to be in the hundreds. The ransom extracted during that period rose to as much as $385 million. Piracy also hurts trade, as shippers are forced to alter trading routes and pay more for fuel and insurance premiums, costing the world economy $18 billion a year, the study estimates. Since 2006, tourism and fish catches, as well as other outputs from coastal commerce, have declined in neighboring countries in East Africa. Somalia’s economy is not spared either: piracy-related trade costs are at $6 million a year, without taking into account the fact that potential sea-based economic activities are constrained by piracy. The collaboration between pirates and Islamist insurgent groups also has raised concerns about Somalia’s political stability. The international community has mostly focused on offshore measures to fight piracy, such as increasing naval pressure and onboard security, which have helped reduce the number of hijacks. But ending piracy would call for those costly measures to be expanded and made permanent, which wouldn’t be sustainable in the long run. Efforts that target onshore prevention, such as paying youth more to discourage them from joining the pirates, would only prompt owners to pay crew members more. Given the poverty rates among the population from which the pirates are typically recruited, owners can afford to pay pirates more without significantly hurting profit. To end piracy off the Horn of Africa, the study urges a paradigm shift away from perpetrators and toward the enablers of piracy. With a limited number of suitable coastal areas available to anchor hijacked ships, piracy would be less profitable if Somalia removes access to safe anchorage points or significantly raises the price for coastal access. In addition, the central government can offer incentives – along with built-in monitoring mechanisms – to encourage local stakeholders to stop pirate activity and learn from the success and failure of Afghanistan’s policies targeting opium poppy production and Colombia’s against coca production. At the heart of this policy agenda lies the need to better understand the political economy of resource sharing, so that winners and losers are properly identified and compensated. The lessons from the study go beyond piracy eradication and speak to the fundamental issue of state building in Somalia.

Details: Washington, DC: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, 2013. 216p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 2, 2013 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAFRICA/Resources/pirates-of-somalia-main-report-web.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Hijackings

Shelf Number: 128601


Author: Mercy Corps

Title: Examining the Links between Youth Economic Opportunity, Civic Engagement and Conflict

Summary: Somali youth hold the potential to contribute to positive change in their country. However, currently they are also the majority of the participants in militant and criminal groups.1 To better understand the drivers of youth violence in Somaliland and Puntland, Mercy Corps Somalia examined the links between economic opportunity, civic engagement and conflict as part of its USAID-funded Somali Youth Leaders Initiative.2 The research led to a number of counter-intuitive findings, including: 1) youth who are involved in civic engagement initiatives are less likely to endorse political violence, but are more likely to have engaged in such violence; and 2) youth who felt they had more economic opportunities were at greater risk of engaging in and supporting political violence, though actual employment status did not relate to propensity towards political violence. We also found that youth who experienced discrimination were more likely to engage in political violence, and that youth with greater self-efficacy to influence decisions that affect them were more likely to endorse political violence. This briefing explores these findings and their implications for the Somali Youth Leaders Initiative, as well as for similar youth development programs working in fragile, conflict-affected environments.

Details: Portland, OR: Mercy Corps, 2013. 6p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2013 at: http://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/somaliabrief_2_13_13.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Economics of Crime

Shelf Number: 129268


Author: Zach, Danielle A.

Title: Burden-sharing Multi-level Governance: A Study of the Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia

Summary: The world confronts many threats with transnational dimensions that transcend the capacity of states, individually or collectively, to address. While the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) can mitigate obstacles to international cooperation, such institutions at present are unable to fill governance gaps at the global level, as they are oftentimes under-resourced by their member states, lack compliance mechanisms, and are procedurally hidebound. Today's challenges require novel approaches that include diverse stakeholders. The subject of this study is one such initiative: the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), which emerged with a UN Security Council imprimatur in January 2009. The CGPCS is a voluntary mechanism for states to collectively address maritime piracy emanating from Somalia as a threat to regional stability, trade, and energy security and has increasingly embraced nongovernmental actors as necessary partners. The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to analyze the contact group's historical development, its efforts to fill governance gaps in the anti-piracy regime, and the challenges it faces; and second to evaluate the CGPCS's utility as a model mechanism for solving complex transnational problems. It seeks to engage policy and academic specialists concerned with maritime crime and global governance more broadly. This study begins with a brief examination of the contemporary development of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Horn of Africa. This review details trends in their occurrence and success as well as their economic and human costs. It then analyzes governance gaps as they relate to these maritime crimes. It subsequently examines the international community's response to what governments have called a "scourge" in the Gulf of Aden and Western Indian Ocean, documenting the CGPCS's historical development, dissecting its institutional configuration and output, and assessing the effectiveness of its efforts on land and at sea to suppress piracy off Somalia's coast. It concludes with a critical analysis of the value of this mechanism as a model global governance initiative. The study finds that the CGPCS has indeed fostered the emergence of an anti-piracy community. Given that piracy is a cross-cutting issue area involving multiple ministries/departments within governments (e.g., defense, transportation, foreign affairs, finance), the contact group has cultivated horizontal linkages among national bureaucracies. The mechanism has also fostered the development of counter-piracy institutions in various countries and in international organizations, including UN agencies. The CGPCS is most remarkable for its flexibility and inclusiveness of a broad range of states, relevant IGOs, and private industry actors. While somewhat constrained by diplomatic norms and processes, the group's informal structure has allowed it to adapt its working methods, extend participation to non-state actors, and circumvent procedural constraints that can hamstring creativity and efficiency in finding solutions to problems. The trade-off, however, is limited visibility and inclusiveness in agenda-setting and decision-making processes. The CGPCS is almost as state-centric as its counterpart UN and regional organizations - undeniably power lies with states, and particularly the most resourced among them. This analysis suggests that the CGPCS will be a useful model for collective efforts that address problems requiring fast and adaptive responses to changing situations on the ground, and on issues where power imbalances between actors will not scuttle the collaborative execution of collective goals. However, the CGPCS's applicability as a model for other issue areas is limited by the scope conditions that allow for its effectiveness: a convergence of state interests - particularly among powerful states, some of whom are unlikely bedfellows - to suppress the problem; a coalition of the willing able to bear costs; and a very circumscribed geographic area of concern. One broad lesson that can be garnered from the CGPCS is that large global governance dilemmas are perhaps best addressed in small pieces. Another lesson is that problem solving can be more effective when state and non-state actors are encouraged to assume responsibility for tasks in which they have a comparative advantage.

Details: Broomfield, CO: One Earth Future Foundation, 2014. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://oceansbeyondpiracy.org/sites/default/files/attachments/Burden_Sharing_Apr29.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 132313


Author: Twyman-Ghoshal, Anamika Agnieszka

Title: Understanding Contemporary Maritime Piracy

Summary: Although the international news media is often filled with reports on maritime piracy, particularly those occurring in Somalia, little research has been done in the field of criminology to understand this crime. To address these issues, the present research employed two complementary research strategies designed to examine the character, magnitude and underlying dynamic of contemporary piracy in the 21st century. To examine the character and magnitude of contemporary piracy this study drew on and merged information from the two primary international data sources on piracy; information collected by the International Maritime Bureau and the United States Office of Naval Intelligence. The merger of these two sources provides the most comprehensive database on piracy incidence currently available from 2001 to 2010, the Contemporary Maritime Piracy Database. This new dataset is used to: examine the cross national and temporal character of contemporary maritime piracy across nine major dimensions, including: 1) the location and source of attacks; 2) the date of attacks; 3) the location at sea; 4) the time of attacks; 5) target vessel characteristics; 6) pirate characteristics; 7) pirate actions; 8) pirate motivation; and 9) responses to piracy. Dimensions three to nine were studied across regions and countries (dimension one) and over the 2001 to 2010 study period (dimension two). This first phase of the research found that piracy in the 21st century changed dramatically, while Somali piracy has become the dominant form of piracy in the world. In particular, the escalation of piracy in Somalia during the study period has affected the aggregate profile of contemporary maritime piracy, because Somali piracy exhibits different characteristics from other forms of contemporary piracy. To examine the underlying dynamics of contemporary piracy, this research employed a case study combined with a historical/policy analysis of Somali piracy because of that nation's dominating role in the evolution of contemporary piracy. This phase of the research examined the conditions that underlie the emergence and growth of maritime piracy in Somalia, a country without a history of piracy. The case study is guided by an analytic framework based on Nikos Passas' global anomie theory (2000) augmented with ideas of civic governance. The case study revealed that a set of processes, largely following the pattern articulated by the framework of global anomie theory with extensions suggested by concepts of civic governance, can help explain the origin and emergence of piracy in Somalia.

Details: Boston: Northeastern University, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2013. 292p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 19, 2014 at: http://iris.lib.neu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=criminology_diss

Year: 2013

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 128727


Author: Besley, Timothy

Title: One Kind of Lawlessness: Estimating the Welfare Cost of Somali Piracy

Summary: This paper estimates the effect of piracy attacks on shipping costs using a unique data set on shipping contracts in the dry bulk market. We look at shipping routes whose shortest path exposes them to piracy attacks and find that the increase in attacks in 2008 lead to around a ten percent increase in shipping costs. We use this estimate to get a sense of the welfare loss imposed by piracy. Our intermediate estimate suggests that the creation of $120 million of revenue for pirates in the Somalia area led to a welfare loss of over $1.5 billion.

Details: Barcelona: Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, 2012 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: IAE Working Paper: Accessed September 10, 2014 at: http://pareto.uab.es/wp/2012/89812.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime (Somalia)

Shelf Number: 133259


Author: Altafin, Chiara

Title: The Threat of Contemporary Piracy and the Role of the International Community

Summary: The criminal phenomenon of piracy has resurfaced as a major threat to international trade and maritime security and to the freedom of the seas, particularly considering that the relevant acts occur not only on high seas but increasingly on territorial waters. An international conference on this issue was organized by the Institute for International Affairs (IAI), in cooperation with the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), and held in Rome at the Center for Higher Defence Studies on 28 November 2013. Eminent speakers delivered wide-ranging and thought-provoking presentations on several important questions, including the geo-political implications of piracy and role of navies, the armed personnel on board commercial ships, maritime piracy and international relations, the prosecution of pirates, the policy of ship-owners, the relation between smart defence and maritime security, the legal and humanitarian problems on insuring piracy risk, the costs of piracy, the role of NATO in the fight against piracy.

Details: Rome: Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and International Institute of Humanitarian Law , 2014. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: DOCUMENTI IAI 14 | 01: Accessed March 20, 2015 at: http://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/iai1401.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime (Somalia)

Shelf Number: 134989


Author: Shortland, Anja

Title: 'Robin Hook': The Developmental Effects of Somali Piracy

Summary: Naval counter-piracy measures off Somalia have failed to change the incentives for pirates, raising calls for land-based approaches that may involve replacing piracy as a source of income. This paper evaluates the effects of piracy on the Somali economy to establish which (domestic) groups benefit from ransom monies. Given the paucity of economic data on Somalia, we evaluate province-level market data, nightlight emissions and high resolution satellite imagery. We show that significant amounts of ransom monies are spent within Somalia. The impacts appear to be spread widely, benefiting the working poor and pastoralists and offsetting the food price shock of 2008 in the pirate provinces. Pirates appear to invest their money principally in the main cities of Garowe and Bosasso rather than in the backward coastal communities.

Details: Berlin: German Institute for Economic Research, 2011. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: DIW Berlin Discussion Paper No. 1155: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1940271

Year: 2011

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Economic Development

Shelf Number: 135110


Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Title: Somali Prison Survey Report: Piracy Motivations & Deterrents

Summary: The joint survey of UNODC and OBP finds that: - Poor economic conditions were reported as the major reason for engaging in piracy, and long-term solutions to piracy should address this. - Prisoners report being very impacted by prison, and express a strong desire to avoid future prison time. - International navies, more than any other counter-piracy activity, were listed as the primary deterrent. Armed guards aboard ships were also frequently listed. - A substantial number of prisoners rejected the term pirate or piracy, maintaining that they were fishermen who were not guilty of piracy. - For those pirates who knew someone who left piracy, the dominant reason was family or community pressure. - The illegal fishing narrative remains a rationalization for piracy.

Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2015. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/Piracy/SomaliPrisonSurveyReport.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Illegal Fishing

Shelf Number: 136866


Author: Human Rights Watch

Title: "Chained Like Prisoners": Abuses Against People with Psychosocial Disabilities in Somaliland

Summary: Violence and trauma of the civil war, lack of health services and widespread use of the amphetamine-like stimulant khat are all factors driving a pressing need for quality mental health care in Somaliland. Yet people with psychosocial disabilities and other mental health needs are often abandoned by the state, left on their own or reliant on usually ill-informed relatives, who also have no place to turn for help on how to support a relative with a psychosocial disability. In recent years, in addition to four under-resourced and dilapidated public mental health wards dotted across Somaliland, expensive privately-run residential centers have mushroomed in the capital, Hargeisa. To date, there has been no scrutiny by authorities of the treatment of residents inside these centers. Chained like Prisoners documents how men with actual or perceived psychosocial disabilities, or who chew large amounts of khat, are involuntarily confined to public mental hospitals or privately-run residential centers, where they face various forms of abuse. Rather than receiving care or rehabilitation on the basis of informed consent, residents are subjected to forced medical treatment, prolonged arbitrary confinement, physical abuses, including beatings, overcrowding and poor hygiene conditions. Basic due process, judicial oversight and channels of redress are non-existent. Most of these centers provide very little, and often no meaningful activities to residents, compounding their sense of imprisonment and hopelessness. Somaliland authorities should immediately prohibit abusive practices, such as chaining, and monitor mental health facilities for abuse. In the longer-term the government, with the support of its international partners, should establish voluntary community-based services for people with psychosocial disabilities.

Details: New York: HRW, 2015. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2015 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/somaliland1015_forupload_0.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction

Shelf Number: 137183


Author: Vigneswaran, Darshan

Title: Being like a state: policing space in Johannesburg

Summary: This paper looks at the legacies of segregation in Africa. The study is specifically interested in the aftermath of Apartheid, in Johannesburg South Africa. Now that the Apartheid plans and laws are on the scrapheap, a series of leftovers, hangovers and attenuated dynamics continue to help create urban divides across the city. These are not strict, marked, formal boundaries, but 'frontiers': semi-permeable, implicit zones which define where the various racial and class groups in Johannesburg go, and clarify how they are treated when they do. In order to understand the emergence of new urban frontiers, I engage with James Scott's (1998) theory of spatial control and resistance in development planning outlined in 'Seeing Like a State'. I explore how individual metis is implicated in the reconstruction of authoritarian, or at the very least oppressive and non-democratic forms of social and political space in Johannesburg. I argue that the high modernist system of Apartheid was not simply embedded in plans and laws, but in the people who were responsible for its implementation and the people who were subject to the laws. I show how this institutional memory influences their responses to human mobility across the urban landscape.

Details: Amsterdam: Gottingen: Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, 2010. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: MMG working paper 10-15: Accessed January 28, 2016 at: http://www.mmg.mpg.de/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/wp/WP_10-15_Vigneswaran_Policing-Space.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Public Space

Shelf Number: 137704


Author: Suri, Sunil

Title: "Barbed Wire on Our Heads": Lessons from counter-terror, stabilisation and statebuilding in Somalia

Summary: Since 2007 the US, UK and EU have provided significant funds to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and regional actors aimed at militarily defeating al-Shabaab. These resources have been provided despite questions about the objectives of regional actors and evidence that their actions have undermined efforts to build peace in Somalia. The US, UK and EU have all been prominent backers of the stabilisation and statebuilding agendas in Somalia - the latter of which is enshrined in the Somali Compact - and have been particularly active in political processes to form interim regional administrations and the creation of a federal system. These approaches have wrested much territory from al-Shabaab control, particularly since the establishment of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in 2012. However, these territorial gains remain both relative and fragile, and have both caused harm and created risks for longer-term stability. With the mandate of the FGS coming to an end in 2016, the US, UK and EU have the opportunity to reflect upon the lessons of over twenty years of involvement and adjust their policies in the country. This report, informed by field research in Somalia and Kenya, aims to inform this debate about the impact of US, UK and EU counter-terror, stabilisation and statebuilding approaches in the southern and central areas of Somalia since 2001. Assessing the impact of their engagement on Somali conflict dynamics from a peacebuilding perspective, it argues that counter-terror, stabilisation and statebuilding efforts have had significant negative impacts, and based on this identifies lessons and recommendations for the future.

Details: London: Saferworld, 2016. 66p., bibliography

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/view-resource/1032-barbed-wire-on-our-heads

Year: 2016

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Counter-Terrorism

Shelf Number: 137728


Author: Somaliland National Youth Organization (SONYO)

Title: Somaliland Youth Violence and Youth Role in Peacebuilding: Baseline Survey

Summary: This report seeks to understand the perceptions young people have about trends in youth violence in Somaliland, including extent, actors and causes. It also seeks to lay a foundation for youth empowerment by asking youth what is needed to improve their ability to play a positive role in society. This information will feed into a roadmap for youth empowerment in Somaliland, which will be overseen by SONYO and other key stakeholders.

Details: Nairobi, Kenya: Interpeace, 2015. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: http://www.interpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2016_01_15_somaliland_youth_violence.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Gangs

Shelf Number: 137818


Author: Do, Quy-Toan

Title: Pirates of Somalia: Crime and Deterrence on the High Seas

Summary: Piracy off the coast of Somalia took the world by surprise when, within a six-year span (2005-2011), as many as 1,099 ships were attacked, among which more than 200 were successfully hijacked. In 2012 however, attacks had plummeted with no new hijacking reported between 2013 and mid-2015. We quantitatively investigate the roles of two crime deterrence measures widely believed to be responsible for the collapse of Somali piracy: the deployment of international navies in pirate-infested waters and the provision of armed security guards onboard vessels. Using unique data on attacks, hijacks, and ransoms to calibrate a structural model of Somali piracy, we estimate the elasticity of crime with respect to deterrence and highlight the positive and negative spillovers generated by the private adoption of onboard armed security. We discuss counterfactual scenarios obtained by varying the intensity and composition of deterrence measures.

Details: Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 2016. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Research Working Paper, no 7757: Accessed july 29, 2016 at: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/07/26585012/pirates-somalia-crime-deterrence-high-seas

Year: 2016

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Hijackings

Shelf Number: 139888


Author: Luedke, Alicia, Compiler

Title: The Other War: Gang Rape in Somaliland

Summary: The Horn of Africa has for decades struggled with chronic occurrences of civil conflict, fragile state structures and tribal and ethnic affiliations opposed to states' modern obligations. The situation for women and girls in the Horn of Africa continues to be characterized by systematic victimization, subordination and their subjection to violence. In contrast to the intentions of limiting women and girls' opportunities and appearances, they are aiming at capitalizing the small space and opportunities they are gaining, leading to their engagement and presence in public life. This report outlines Somaliland's historical development and the clan structures existing in Somaliland. It furthermore sheds light on Somaliland's plural legal system and reflects upon it from a women's rights perspective. It touches upon the existing engendered gerontocracy and the accompanying assumptions of gender roles and realities influencing the lives of women and girls in Somaliland, as well as looking at notions of gender relations and male youth ideologies, particularly highlighting youth frustration with the limitations of the traditional system and the weak of modern statuary legal scheme. The report aims at revealing the layers of sociocultural controversy between the global concepts and praxis of women's rights and their presence in the public sphere and the inherited images of women's subordination. Those aspects are part and parcel of the phenomeon of sexual violence, and in particular multiple perpetrator sexual abuse, in Somaliland. The specific socio-historic and cultural background of Somaliland's clan based system, as well as its plural legal systems are necessary to understand and display the full scope of factors influencing on such cruel instances of sexual violence. The report highlights how the static gender roles imposed by culture and religion are central in putting women and girls further at risk and gives insight into environments and drivers motivating perpetrators of sexual gender based violence to commit such crimes. This report has the objective of raising awareness and strengthening civil society and government efforts to address gang rape in Somaliland. The aim is especially to take a look at the absence of justice, impunity for perpetrators and challenges encountered by Somaliland male and female youth.

Details: Kampala- Uganda: Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), 2015. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2016 at: http://www.sihanet.org/sites/default/files/resource-download/The%20Other%20War%20-%20Gangrape%20in%20Somalialand%20SIHA%20Network.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Conflict-Related Violence

Shelf Number: 140065


Author: Jones, Seth G.

Title: Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency in Somalia: Assessing the Campaign Against Al Shabaab

Summary: This report analyzes the U.S. and allied campaign against the al Qa'ida-linked terrorist group al Shabaab in Somalia, examines what steps have been most successful against the group, and identifies potential recommendations. It concludes that, while al Shabaab was weakened between 2011 and 2016, the group could resurge if urgent steps are not taken to address the political, economic, and governance challenges at the heart of the conflict. This study finds that a tailored engagement strategy - which involved deploying a small number of U.S. special operations forces to conduct targeted strikes, provide intelligence, and build the capacity of local partner forces to conduct ground operations - was key in degrading al Shabaab. Still, progress in Somalia is reversible in the absence of continued and consistent pressure and political, economic, and social reforms. Today's terrorism and insurgency landscape defies easy solutions, with challenges from the Islamic State, al Qa'ida, and other groups across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa. While there has been a significant focus on how and why the U.S. and other Western governments have failed to degrade terrorists and insurgents in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya, and other countries, there has been far less attention on successful efforts to degrade groups. In Somalia, there has been limited progress. The challenge will be preventing a reversal. Key Findings A Tailored Engagement Strategy Was Key to Degrading al Shabaab This involved deploying a small number of U.S. special operations forces to conduct targeted strikes, provide intelligence, and build the capacity of local partner forces to conduct ground operations. There were several other factors that weakened al Shabaab, such as internal friction among al Shabaab's senior cadre caused by poor leadership, battlefield losses, personality clashes, clan dynamics, and ideological disputes. Without Continued and Consistent Pressure and Reform, Progress in Somalia Can Slip Al Shabaab has not given up its ambition to control greater Somalia, and it retains the ability to retake territory, particularly if the United States and its allies fail to effectively deal with the challenges outlined in this report. Numerous challenges are posed in this region that can hinder progress, such as the weak Somali government, a poorly trained Somali National Army force, and the use of clan militias by the African Union Mission to Somali (AMISOM) following al Shabaab's withdrawal. The United States and other Western governments have not committed enough resources and attention to address Somalia's political, economic, and governance challenges that are at the heart of the conflict. Recommendations Reopen the U.S. embassy in Mogadishu. Increase economic assistance to Somalia. Augment U.S. military train, advise, assist, and accompany efforts. Aid Somalia's neighbors and support continuation of the African Union Mission to Somali (AMISOM). Continue limited U.S. direct action operations.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2016. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2016 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1539.html

Year: 2016

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Al Qaida

Shelf Number: 140507


Author: Carlson, Khristopher

Title: Measuring Illicit Arms Flows: Somalia

Summary: Evidence of illicit weapons flows within and to Somalia points to multiple sources and end users, and indicates a vast array of weapons types forming such flows, from pistols and rifles to heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGs). While there has been some success in curbing illicit flows - with seizures and reductions in some supply routes - weapons and ammunition continue to proliferate among a range of non-state actors, including clan militias, opposition groups, and private citizens. In recent years illicit arms flows have been given significant attention at the global level, culminating in September 2015 with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, more specifically, SDG Target 16.4, which commits states to significantly reduce illicit arms flows by 2030 (UNGA, 2015). As the Small Arms Survey has pointed out, the UN's proposed indicator for measuring progress towards achieving this target - Indicator 16.4.21 - can be complemented with a range of additional indicators (De Martino and Atwood, 2015). In this context, this Research Note - the first in a series of four on measuring illicit arms flows in selected countries - addresses some of the dynamics of illicit weapons flows into and within the South Central region of Somalia ('South Central'), which is an area of active armed conflict. In particular, it highlights opportunities to enhance stakeholders - knowledge about illicit weapons and ammunition trends through the regular collection of data on seizures to support progress towards the achievement of Target 16.4 in Somalia.

Details: Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2016. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Notes, no. 61: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/H-Research_Notes/SAS-Research-Note-61.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Illicit Arms

Shelf Number: 145888


Author: Cliffe, Lionel

Title: Armed violence and poverty in Somalia: a case study for the Armed Violence and Poverty Initiative

Summary: Somalia represents an extreme case. It has experienced a long period of insecurity and instability; its people have been subject to a wide range of armed violence. Following the overthrow of the military regime in 1991, it has experienced the longest period of statelessness of any country in modern history. A period of intense armed conflict for power between factions based around the clans that make up Somali society eventually gave way to an unresolved stalemate in the capital and the south-central areas. Fighting between smaller militia groups who preyed on the population has continued in most of these areas until the present. In the northeast and northwest a degree of security was slowly negotiated and these areas have enjoyed relative stability and the state-type administrations of Puntland and Somaliland, respectively, which offer examples of control of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and armed violence. The case thus allows for analysis of several stages and types of armed violence and of the context of statelessness, but also comparison of the different processes at work in areas of much greater or lesser armed violence and impoverishment. The Republic of Somalia that came into being in 1960 has been subject to intense armed violence for most of its existence (and before). It has experienced military coup, inter-state war, insurgencies, civil war and ‘institutionalised disorder’ and insecurity. Likewise, SALW, as well as heavy weapons, have been widely spread since colonial times and through these stages of violent conflict, supplied by cold war powers, neighbouring governments and an active illegal market. The contending parties in the period of crisis since any semblance of a state with a monopoly of means of violence disappeared in 1991 have included: • Factional militias, mainly clan-based • Business militias, forced into self-protection • Private security guards • Freelance armed groups (mooryan) The problem of SALW is often seen by those bidding for political power in a new Somalia and by international actors as their spread to ‘civilians’. In reality it is their possession by these armed groups that represents a threat now and to a future peace. Without alternative livelihoods there is no solution. However, the juxtaposition of critically insecure with stable regions, which were also awash with SALW, demonstrates that their availability alone is not a single explanatory ‘cause’ of impoverishment.

Details: Bradford, UK: Centre of International Cooperation and Security, Department of Peace Studies, 2005. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource:Accessed February 13, 2017 at: https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10454/1002/AVPI_Somalia.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Year: 2005

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Armed Violence

Shelf Number: 145769


Author: Human Rights Watch

Title: No Place for Children: Child Recruitment, Forced Marriage, and Attacks on Schools in Somalia

Summary: Since mid-2010, increased fighting in Somalia between the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab and Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), along with African Union forces (AMISOM), has been characterized by grave violations against children. In the words of a Somali mother, shortly before her 15-year-old son fled to Kenya: "Somalia is no longer safe for children." Focusing on abuses in 2010 and 2011, this report documents how al-Shabaab has targeted children for recruitment as soldiers, forced marriage, and rape. The group has deployed their fighters in schools packed with students, using children as "human shields" and exposing them to indiscriminate return fire from TFG and AMISOM forces. They have imposed their harsh interpretation of Islam on the school curriculum, banning English and other subjects, and threatened and even killed teachers who resist. The few children still remaining in schools are rapidly dropping out. Children have continued to serve in TFG forces and TFG-aligned militias. The TFG has detained children they believe were in al-Shabaab instead of providing them with rehabilitation and protection in accordance with international standards. For this research, Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 164 Somali refugees in Kenya, including children, their parents, teachers, and eyewitnesses to abuses. Human Rights Watch calls on the TFG to establish age screening procedures for all its recruits, to hold its forces to account for abuses against children, and to hand captured children over to appropriate civilian programs. It calls on the TFG and AMISOM to identify and protect schools in areas of military operations. It also calls on al-Shabaab to stop recruiting children as fighters or for forced marriage, and to end attacks on schools and teachers. Concerned governments should take steps to end abuses against children and improve reporting on and sanctions for violations of children's rights.

Details: New York: HRW, 2012. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 31, 2017 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/somalia0212ForUpload_0.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Child Soldiers

Shelf Number: 124221


Author: Mercy Corps

Title: Critical Choices: Assessing the Effects of Education and Civic Engagement on Somali Youths' Propensity Towards Violence

Summary: Understanding what works to reduce violence, including violent extremism, is a key priority for many policymakers. Despite this need, to date there is very little research evaluating the effects of development programs on violence reduction. To address this knowledge gap, Mercy Corps undertook a rigorous impact evaluation of a 5-year stability-focused youth program in Somalia known as the Somali Youth Leaders Initiative (SYLI). The research compared the impact of two components of the SYLI program on youth propensity towards political violence: formal secondary education and civic engagement activities. Using survey data from Somaliland--where the program has been implemented the longest - we compared attitudes and reported violent behaviors among youth in the program and outside of it. In addition, we conducted in-depth interviews with teachers, community leaders, government officials and youth. The study found that although the provision of secondary education through the SYLI program reduced the likelihood of youth participating in violence by 16%, it increased support for political violence by 11%. However, the combination of both secondary formal education and civic engagement through the SYLI program reduced the likelihood of youth both participating in (by 13%) and supporting (by 20%) political violence. Taken as a whole, our findings signal that education by itself does not address the underlying drivers of potentially destabilizing actions such as support for political violence. Education is important, but just the first step. What matters to youth is not just having an opportunity to learn but also being able to use their skills to influence their lives, their communities and their nation. Hence, to reduce violence, youth development programs must address both the lack of skills and the lack of opportunities that hinder youth from succeeding.

Details: Portland, OR: Mercy Corps, 2016. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: https://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/CRITICAL_CHOICES_REPORT_FINAL_DIGITAL.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Somalia

Keywords: At-Risk Youth

Shelf Number: 148160


Author: Human Rights Watch

Title: "It's Like We're Always in a Prison": Abuses Against Boys Accused of National Security Offenses in Somalia

Summary: The Islamist armed group Al-Shabab in Somalia recruits and uses hundreds of children as fighters. But their hardships and abuses continue even after these children escape or are captured by government forces. "It's Like We're Always in a Prison": Abuses Against Boys Accused of National Security Offenses in Somalia, documents the treatment of children arrested and detained since 2015 for suspected association with Al-Shabab. It is based on over 80 interviews, including with children formerly forced to train with or support Al-Shabab, their relatives, boys who had been detained in intelligence and police custody, lawyers, child protection advocates, and government officials. The report finds that authorities across Somalia are subjecting children in their custody to serious abuses, including coercive confessions and prohibiting access to their family members. Children handed over for prosecution are being tried in military courts in proceedings that fail to meet international juvenile justice standards. Existing and pending laws risk making it easier, not harder, to detain and prosecute children for Al-Shabab-related crimes without basic juvenile justice protections for children. When the authorities do hand children over to child rehabilitation centers, their legal status is often unclear. Human Rights Watch calls on the Somali government to end arbitrary detention of children and allow for systematic independent oversight of children in custody. Children taken into custody should be promptly transferred to child protection actors for rehabilitation and - when feasible - reintegration. Children accused of serious crimes should be tried by civilian courts in line with juvenile justice standards.

Details: New York: HRW, 2018. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2018 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/somalia0218_web.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect

Shelf Number: 149483


Author: Journalists for Justice

Title: Black and White: Kenya's Criminal Racket in Somalia

Summary: Since Kenya invaded Somalia in October 2011, there has been little accounting of its activities, achievements and challenges both to the National Assembly and to the public at large. There has been little independent reporting on the invasion, with coverage mostly from journalists taken on "guided" tours by the Kenya Defence Forces or with public relations videos paid for by the KDF, and now, most recently, a book.1 Moreover, censorship has played a role: editors described to JFJ being summoned to meetings with top military brass and told that critical stories would be considered as undermining national security. And the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, mandated to report on violations of international law and sanctions on Somalia - including the financing of al-Shabaab and the targeting of civilians - has so far avoided looking too closely at the activities of the Kenyan military inside Somalia. With the death toll from al-Shabaab attacks inside Kenya rising to over 400, Journalists for Justice felt that the task of examining whether Operation Linda Nchi is actually delivering was overdue. This study looks at the conduct of KDF forces in two areas: 1) sugar smuggling and financial enabling of al-Shabaab and, 2) human rights violations. This report presents the findings of several months of research in Somalia in Kismayo and Dhobley and inside Kenya in Liboi, Dadaab, Garissa and Nairobi. A desktop review, encompassing UN monitoring reports, academic studies, African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) communication and media reports was followed by one-on-one interviews with over 50 people with intimate knowledge of KDF activities, including serving senior KDF officers, UN officials, western intelligence officials, members of parliament, victims of KDF human rights violations inside Somalia, journalists, doctors, porters at the charcoal stockpiles, drivers on the sugar routes and middlemen in the Dadaab camp. Following the Garissa University College massacre in April 2015, the Kenya Government once again talked tough about tackling al-Shabaab. It launched air strikes inside Somalia, threatened to close the Dadaab refugee camp and froze the assets of 86 people and organisations allegedly connected to al-Shabaab, among them traders involved in sugar smuggling. The findings of this research however contradict this impression of seriousness on the part of the Kenya Government. Human rights abuses inside Somalia appear widespread and are carried out with impunity. Air strikes are targeting livestock and wells rather than militant training camps. And the Kenya Defence Forces, rather than taking the fight to al-Shabaab, are actually in garrison mode, sitting in bases while senior commanders are engaged in corrupt business practices with the Jubaland administration and al-Shabaab. The illicit trade in sugar and charcoal is, according to one diplomat, "shocking" and, "inimical to national security".

Details: Nairobi: Journalists for Justice, 2015. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2018 at: https://www.jfjustice.net

Year: 2015

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Corruption

Shelf Number: 139238


Author: Tesfaye, B.

Title: "If youth are given the chance": Effects of education and civic engagement on Somali youth support for political violence.

Summary: Understanding and addressing the root causes of conflict to promote long-term stability is a perennial focus of development programs, yet policymakers still struggle to find proven, effective solutions. Underlying this challenge is a dearth of evidence regarding violence-reduction approaches. Though an increasing number of empirical studies have focused on evaluating the impact of development programs on attitudes and behaviors related to violence (including Mercy Corps' research in Somaliland and Afghanistan), questions remain about the relative effectiveness of different types of interventions and about the conditions under which some interventions may or may not succeed in reducing violence. The motivation behind this research study is to help fill these knowledge gaps. In particular, this research seeks to test the impact of two common violence-reduction approaches- education and civic engagement-on youths' level of support for armed violence. By expanding our previous study from Somaliland to examine education, civic engagement, and political violence in South Central Somalia and Puntland, this study also allows us to understand whether the effects of the same education and civic engagement interventions persist across different contexts. Somalia faces many challenges and opportunities when it comes to violence reduction. Though the nation is striving to move beyond decades of unrest and violent conflict and toward stability and broad-based development, the security situation remains tenuous. The two truck bombs that exploded on October 14, 2017, killing more than 500 people in Mogadishu, highlight both how deadly armed opposition groups continue to be and Somalia's continued vulnerability to violence. Armed groups have proven repeatedly how resilient they can be, constantly adapting to new threats- both internal and external-to ensure their own survival. A steady source of resilience for armed opposition groups is a large pool of frustrated youth whom they can recruit and indoctrinate. To promote stability, several youth development programs in Somalia seek to engage vulnerable youth and address their needs, including Mercy Corps' Somali Youth Learners Initiative (SYLI), which focused on increasing access to secondary education and civic engagement opportunities for youth. Evaluating the SYLI program provided an opportunity to better understand if and how improved access to formal secondary education and increased opportunities for civic engagement can reduce young Somalis' support for armed groups and the use of violence to achieve political aims.

Details: Washington, DC: Mercy Corps, 2018. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2018 at: https://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/If%20Youth%20Are%20Given%20the%20Chance_LR_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Somalia

Keywords: At-risk Youth

Shelf Number: 150404


Author: Larson, Jessica

Title: Learning from Danish Counter-Piracy off the Coast of Somalia

Summary: ABSTRACT Since the mid-2000s, piracy off the coast of Somalia has posed a serious threat to international shipping and the safety of seafarers. As a seafaring nation, combating Somali piracy quickly became an important security and foreign policy priority for Denmark. This report documents Denmark's recent role in international counter-piracy off the coast of Somalia and examines the challenges and opportunities posed by Danish involvement. The report offers central points for policy-makers to take into account when planning future participation in international maritime security operations, including other forms of maritime crime such as drug- and weapon-smuggling in the Indian Ocean and human trafficking in the Mediterranean. The report identifies four areas in particular in which Denmark may contribute to maritime security. These areas are aligned with Danish capabilities and interests, as well as critical gaps in existing international engagement. They are: - continuing support to the international agenda of multilateralism in maritime security; - emphasising long-term capacity-building of regional maritime security capabilities; - accounting for local conditions in policy planning regarding cooperation with regional states; - strengthening Danish maritime security policy by systematically evaluating civil-military cooperation.

Details: Copenhagen, Denmark: Danish Institute for International Studies, 2017. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2019 at: http://pure.diis.dk/ws/files/1236845/Report_10_Somalia_piracy_WEB.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Civil-Military Cooperation

Shelf Number: 154101


Author: Palliser, Stuart J.

Title: Salt Water Thieves:; Policy Reforms to Address Somali Piracy

Summary: Piracy is one of the worlds most ancient - and romanticized - crimes. Until recently, however, it existed more in the collective historical imagination than on the high seas, and while several piracy hotspots existed, the crime seemed almost benign when compared to other contemporary security threats such as terrorism, human traffickers and drug cartels. But piracy is not benign - it threatens the smooth flow of global trade on which so many countries rely. Nor is piracy dead, indeed incidents have increased rapidly in recent years until they have reached levels that have drawn the worlds attention. Everything about the re-emergence of piracy on the global radar screen is shocking. From their origins to the brazen nature of their attacks, the pirates of Somalia have taken the world's shipping industry off guard and collected millions of dollars in ransom payments. In response, states from all over the world have stationed warships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean in the hope of curtailing the ever-increasing number of attacks in the region. These warships, however, have had little effect on pirate activities. What should the world do next? This monograph explores the failure of the state in Somalia and ties this to the birth of piracy there. It also compares piracy off the coast of Somalia to piracy in the world's former pirate hotspot, the Malacca Strait. From these explorations, the monograph makes both short- and long-term recommendations about how to address the piracy. The short-term recommendations do not involve new resources or new forces, but rather utilize the naval forces that are already present in the region to address a situation which is costing the world millions of dollars and only showing signs of getting worse. The long-term recommendations utilize the lessons learned in the Straits of Malacca and build on the involvement not just of international players but of the entire region.

Details: Halifax, NS: Dalhousie University, 2009. 135p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed March 19, 2019 at: https://www.dal.ca/sites/cssd/publications/full-list/salt-water.html

Year: 2009

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 155045


Author: Yusuf, Mohammed H.

Title: The Sea Piracy: Trend, Myth & the Reality for the Somali modern day of Piracy in Horn of Africa

Summary: There are many, and very strong criticism toward the SP in the HoA, and the UN Security Council has a number of significant resolutions to oppress and fight against the SP off the coast of Somalia. While this grown concern among the International community, regional and as well the maritime actors about the potential dangers postured by the SP are result for continues of the civil strife of national administration and central authority to govern its territories. During the studying for the SP phenomenon, the thesis has come across that many academia and international maritime actors contributed to this field in order to find the best counter measure against the threats to the global security and economy by the SP off the HoA. Notwithstanding only that, but there is significant reality on the ground that has not been considered during the examination of the SP and its causes. Therefore, in this thesis, the paper presents to fill that gap with the relevant input and bring to new light and shed with Somali perspective view on this globally and locally affected pirate activities, which seems and mostly like to take place again due to the recent insecurity of Yemen and the continues weak Somali government. This thesis will illuminate the level of heated discussions on the prospects for long and lasting containment of SP and propose solution based on the Somalis to fight against both the SP off the HoA and protect their water from the IUU and dumping toxic waste. The thesis is based on a qualitative case study and analyses the SP, the cause and the solution. And therefore the main focus will be on the roots and the genesis of the SP off the Somalia coast, their modus operandi, their arguments that the root cause of SP is the result of the foreign illegal activities and the coast guard narratives. After being a while in the region of Puntland, where the main piracy activities have been taken place, the researcher extensively discussed the matter with locals, pirates, elders in Bosaaso and Garowe towns; as well as combing with the qualitatively researched reports from the concerned organizations such as NATO, UN, EU, IMB, IMO and both the Somali and international media those covering constantly the SP phenomenon. It is true nature that, when community loses everything including their right to protect their livelihood then their country turns into a host for ghost for pirates and other criminal acts such as terrorism. For the last two decades, the country has been in anarchy, the population experience extreme poverty and continues droughts and conflicts, their fish stock in their water were looted by illegal international groups, driving fishing industry. Those foreign trawlers result that the local fishing industry collapses and increase the poverty at the coastal areas. The absent of strong central government in the country are one of the reasons that encouraged piracy to emerge and remains still to be both local and global problem.

Details: The Author, 2016? 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2019 at: https://www.academia.edu/15264222/The_Sea_Piracy_Trend_Myth_and_the_Reality_for_the_Somali_modern_day_of_Piracy_in_Horn_of_Africa

Year: 2016

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Illegal Fishing

Shelf Number: 155048


Author: Ahmed, Fatma

Title: Unravelling the Puzzle of Piracy: A Somali Perspective

Summary: The UN Security Council has issued ten resolutions dealing specifically with piracy off the coast of Somalia. There has since been a growing concern among international, regional and maritime actors about the potential threats posed by the phenomenon of piracy as long as Somali waters remain in a state of lawlessness. Academics and international maritime actors have analysed the several dimensions of the threat to the global economy and global security that piracy off the Horn of Africa constitutes. However, there is a considerable gap in analysing the implications of piracy within Somalia and the broader local consequences. The present thesis addresses this gap and offers a Somali perspective on the dynamic challenges of piracy. Such analysis will inform the debate on prospects for long-term eradication of Somali piracy and propose pragmatic local solutions to confront the piracy problem within Somalia. The main body of this thesis is divided into three parts: Part I analyses the political and social context of piracy to understand why it has flourished practically unfettered; Part II investigates its core characteristics to identify internal stakeholders; Part III proposes to re- think the counter-piracy approach to allow Somali people themselves to be at the forefront of tackling and eradicating piracy.

Details: Hamburg, Germany: Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), University of Hamburg, 2013. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2019 at: http://www.css.ethz.ch/en/services/digital-library/publications/publication.html/175096

Year: 2013

Country: Somalia

Keywords: Maritime Crime

Shelf Number: 155746