Two Somali fishermen, their faces hidden behind large scarves, cautiously enter a room for a secret meeting. They have chosen to embrace piracy, armed with guns, in pursuit of million-dollar ransoms.
One of them nervously gives permission to record their conversation as they sit down for an interview in the coastal town of Eyl, a stark contrast to the boldness once displayed by pirates in the area.
Eyl, known as the “Pirate Capital,” was a strategic base for pirates targeting ships passing through the Indian Ocean. However, their fortunes changed when international navies began patrolling the region.
Despite the decline in piracy, the resentment towards foreign ships, especially fishing trawlers, remains strong among the local fishermen who depend on the sea for their livelihood.
The decision to turn to piracy was fueled by incidents of theft and violence by foreign trawlers, leading the fishermen to take up arms in defense of their livelihood.
The resurgence of pirate attacks in the region has seen an increase in ransom payments for hijacked vessels, with gangs operating out at sea for extended periods armed with weapons and aiming to capture valuable ships.
The pirates’ strategy involves using small speed boats and rocket launchers to stop ships and secure valuable cargo, emphasizing that their goal is not to harm but to obtain resources.
“The goal is to scare them,” Diiriye explains.
Acquiring all this weaponry is not cheap, so the gangs typically look for funding from interested investors. Discontented fishermen reach out to potential backers, forming syndicates that often involve various businessmen from Garowe and Bosaso.
One individual may provide funding for the boats, another for the weapons, and a third for miscellaneous items like fuel. These entrepreneurs sometimes invest in multiple groups, hoping that one of them will successfully capture a vessel and receive a ransom, from which they can take a cut.
In Somalia, obtaining a gun is relatively easy – even in Eyl, where you can purchase an AK-47 for around $1,200, a lasting effect of the country’s long civil war and period of lawlessness.
Farah and Diiriye claim they were not part of the piracy surge and have not sought advice from retired pirates, some of whom initially were disgruntled fishermen themselves.
Most of these former pirates have left the region, either moving abroad or repenting.
One well-known ex-pirate, Abdirahman Bakeyle, chose to give away his wealth. In 2020, he donated the houses and hotels he had acquired in Garowe to Muslim charities and now travels as a preacher across Puntland, advocating for a modest and morally upright lifestyle.
Adado, a town in central Somalia that was once a hub for pirate investments, earned the moniker “Blue City” due to the blue-painted iron sheet roofs of the newly constructed mansions.
Many of these houses now sit vacant, available for rent for as little as $100 per month.
In Eyl, town elders note that the primary legacy of piracy is the prevalence of alcohol, often smuggled from Ethiopia, and drugs like opioids – raising concerns that some young men, already consuming the stimulant leaf khat as a popular pastime, may be developing addictions.
Men who gather outside teashops in the afternoons to play dominoes and discuss current events state their disapproval of piracy, though they understand the hostility towards foreign ships.
The recent incident in which three fishermen were shot dead deeply troubles many.
Ali Mursal Muse, a veteran fisherman in Eyl for four decades, providing for his large family, believes the victims may have been mistaken for pirates – a scenario he experienced years ago.
“We left the shore on two fishing boats, while pirates attempted to hijack a ship. A plane arrived, and my boat returned safely, but the other fishing boat was attacked,” he recounts.
Hawa Mohamed Zubery believes her fisherman husband was mistaken for a pirate – he has been missing for 14 years [Hassan Lali / BBC]
Hawa Mohamed Zubery, a 40-year-old widow, suspects her husband suffered a similar fate 14 years ago when he disappeared.
During the peak of piracy, she had just given birth to a son, and they were planning his circumcision.
“My husband hoped that catching a shark would provide the funds for our son’s circumcision,” she recounts to the BBC, still visibly distressed by his loss. She struggles to pay her children’s school fees by selling samosas.
Mr. Muse now faces challenges from unethical behavior by fishing fleets from countries like Iran and Yemen, who often steal his equipment.
He believes these foreign ships receive fake Somali fishing licenses from influential locals who also supply them with armed guards. He accuses them of looting their catches and encroaching on their fishing territory.
“They work in a designated zone and even come ashore. When we demand our equipment back, they open fire. Recently, they injured several people, shooting a boy in the hand and leg.”
Despite multiple complaints to local authorities, Mr. Muse has seen no action taken.
Puntland’s Information Minister Caydid Dirir acknowledges the presence of illegal vessels and admits that some foreign ships may misuse granted licenses.
“Illegal fishing is a problem in all seas, and piracy can occur anywhere. Progress is being made slowly,” he tells the BBC.
Illegal fishing has long been a contentious issue in Somalia.
Many fishing vessels operate without proper licenses, or with licenses issued by unauthorized entities, according to the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.
Satellite data indicates that numerous vessels originate from China, Iran, Yemen, and southeast Asia. Un informe de la embajada de Estados Unidos en Mogadiscio sugiere que Somalia pierde $300 millones cada año como resultado.
El Almirante Manuel Alvargonzález Méndez de la Operación Atalanta dice que sus fuerzas solo atacan a los barcos piratas y ahora también tienen que proteger a los barcos de los rebeldes hutíes de Yemen.
Pero él sostiene que la zona es mucho más segura y los somalíes ahora pueden “lanzar sus redes de pesca sin miedo”, al igual que la Fuerza Policial Marítima de Puntland, que trabaja estrechamente con la misión naval de la UE.
Los líderes en Eyl no quieren ver el regreso de los piratas [Hassan Lali / BBC]
Su comandante Farhan Awil Hashi está seguro de que no regresará a los “viejos tiempos” de la piratería.
Él cree que la respuesta a largo plazo es “la creación de empleo”.
“Los jóvenes deben conseguir trabajos, siempre. Si la persona está ocupada haciendo algo, no pensarán en dirigirse al mar y secuestrar barcos”, le dice a la BBC.
Farah y Diiriye hacen el mismo argumento – dicen que debido a que la pesca ya no es rentable, secuestrar un barco por rescate es la única forma en que pueden mantener a sus hijos.
Ellos saben que la piratería está mal – y Diiriye admite que tiene demasiado miedo de decírselo a su propia madre.
“Si ella lo supiera, estaría muy decepcionada. De hecho, informaría a las autoridades”.
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