This debate is now closed.
Are we too soft on Somali pirates?
Piracy off the coast of Somalia cost $30m in ransoms last year and at least seven vessels and about 179 crew members remain in pirate hands. But has the international response been tough enough?
The high-seas hijackings continue despite an international armada of 40 warships using modern technology such as laser rays capable of dazzling attacking pirates up to a kilometre away.
Yet piracy persists, with 130 attempted hijackings in the first six months of 2009.
Does the world need to take a much tougher stance to stop the pirates? Should countries and owners of captured vessels stop paying ransoms? What would you do to stop the Somali pirates? Are there vested interests standing in the way of permanent solutions?
If you would like to join Africa Have Your Say to debate this topic LIVE on air on Wednesday 11 November at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/africahys or follow us on Twitter @bbcafricahys. You can also send an SMS text message to +44 77 86 20 20 08.
Published:
Tuesday, 10 November, 2009, 17:07 GMT
17:07 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:57 GMT
16:57 UK
This HYS seems to have woken the armchair generals from their their slumber with the usual well thought out solutions.
How about preventing foreign ships from plundering their fishing grounds and see if that helps.
bold riley
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:51 GMT
16:51 UK
how about first stopping fishing by europeans with mechanized trawlers in their territorial waters to take away all the fish? will you stop this piracy?
harshal, mumbai
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:48 GMT
16:48 UK
Civilised as we are, piracy has always been treated with the policy of shoot to kill or the introduction of the gallows and just because this is the 21st Century doesn't mean that it can't be continued.
This is why piracy died out - because the price for doing it was so high.
Bring it back in and allow all to blow any pirate out of the water.
[druid2002], UK
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:45 GMT
16:45 UK
Once there are captives, for their safty and what they are worth it will be ok to pay the ransom. But on the general look those security should be tighten
Michaek, Accra, ghana
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:40 GMT
16:40 UK
Lazers that dazzle them from great distances! Wow, I bet the pirates are really quaking in their boots.
It's laughable that it's giving that as a pro, using modern technology such as dazzle lazers and wondering if we're being too soft on them.
How about sinking the ship packed with AK47 toting pirates and killing them? Might drop pirarcy a bit.
Simple fact, they make millions out of this every year and our response is pathetic. It's a win-win for the pirates.
Bob
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:39 GMT
16:39 UK
Yes, I do feel sorry for the subsistence fisherman of Somali who've lost their livelihood. There are many people throughout the world who've lost their jobs, homes and families. This doesn't give anyone the right to threaten, kill, kidnap or demand a ransom, does it?
We are too soft. There should be a robust international response. People of any persuasion, in any country, should not get away with hijacking those going about their lawful business.
[smilingparrotfan], london, United Kingdom
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:35 GMT
16:35 UK
Peter hitchens in the Sunday Mail said it right:
If we didn’t have the United Nations or the
EU Navy and we did still have the British Empire
and the Royal Navy, do you think there would be
any pirates operating from Somalia today?
Don't always agree with the guy but he certainly got that right.
[lostoldwilliam], Somewhere, United Kingdom
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:33 GMT
16:33 UK
not sure if singapore has a navy but if they have, they would soon sort these pirates out.
Richard Stead, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:32 GMT
16:32 UK
The USS Bainbridge, among others, have dealt with pirates appropriately. If only others would follow suit, instead of paying the ransoms piracy would soon disappear.
James Goodzeit, Queens, NY, United States
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:29 GMT
16:29 UK
In the old days pirates were hanged from the yardarm - they were out at sea so no national law prevented them.
Why has the policy been changed?
[chiptheduck], England, a suburb of Brussels
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:28 GMT
16:28 UK
Oh the poor Somali fishermen! Forced to eke out a multi-million dollar living from piracy and ransom. Alas.
[MilwaukeeRay], United States
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:25 GMT
16:25 UK
Yes yes yes I dont get it why but the world is tooooooo soft on them,we should wipt them off and give a lisen the rest.
messay, Jmma,Ethiopia
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:20 GMT
16:20 UK
The only reason why hijacking continues is that it is an easy way for making money. For as long as a group of young men gain access to a large amount of money by seizing a group of people by force without running the risk of being injured or killed in the process, they will continue to do so. Their ranks will also continue to swell with others desiring to get their own share of the cake, illicit or otherwise.
Kingsley Ezenekwe, Lagos, Nigeria
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:19 GMT
16:19 UK
every country that has been pirated has a standing army which has an air force and the technology to ferret out " THE ENEMY ' as it were........seems to me that a bunch of unsophisticated pirates should be no match for the military might of a soverign nation .....let it be known that within a specified distance any vessel not identifying it self and its business will be turned into drift wood and shark food..... it only has to happen once or if they (pirates ) are really stupid twice......
dennis campbell, india
|
Added:
Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 16:11 GMT
16:11 UK
The only way the West and the International community can defeat the piracy , woul be to recognize Somaliland. Somaliland has a strategic port of Barbera.
Another way to the tackle the Piracy is to hold the Putland/Majerten enclave administrator responsible , since Putland became a heaven for Piracy and some rulers are shareholder of the revenue from Piracy. Where pirates roam in Garawe/Putland and thier investment from that income visible to the Puntalnd ruleres.
Mohamud A Samatar, Phoenix Az, USA
|
|
This Have Your Say is
CLOSED
DEBATE STATUS
Total comments: 248
Published comments: 199
Rejected comments: 45
From Have Your Say
|
News and analysis
