I just read a very interesting interview Newsweek had with Shamun Indhabur, a leader of a Somali pirate crew. I’m not sure what exactly is lost or gained in translation, but Indhabur seems very articulate and intelligent.
He talks about how his crew came from a fishing background, and how his fishing was “sidelined in his own seas” by international forces. Indhabur paints himself as a modern Jean Valjean forced to turn to a life of piracy to support himself. His crew hijacks cargo ships and luxury yachts and holds them for ransom.
Indhabur says that despite more international forces in the waters to escort ships and fight piracy, the pirates won’t stop until governmental and economic stability return and real jobs come back to the region. Which is true of all crime, I believe. Just look at how shoplifting is increasing in the recession, even among the elderly. I’m not saying it’s alright to commit crimes, only that we should help desperate people, not further limit their options.
Also, I’d like to point out how fundamentally different it is to hijack a ship at gunpoint and hold it, the crew, and the cargo for ransom versus sharing a file online. The RIAA and MPAA really got that term to stick, and because of that, it has lost meaning.