The other side of the 'Somali pirate' story

During the past few weeks, intense focus on the operations of Somali pirates has garnered a lot of media attention. Observers haven't held back their opinions about the unfairness of the exploitation of vessels carrying unarmed crews by the so called, "Somali pirates." While critics continue to encourage attacks on the perpetrators of such "crimes" at sea, it is equally important to increase pressure on governments and organizations that are responsible for ensuring the rules of the Basel Convention which "lays down rules to control, trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal," leading to the cessation of fishing activities in an area that has significantly become a hub for pirates.

Piracy should not be condoned in any "way, shape, of form." However, Somalis whose waters have been exploited over the past years by international fishing corporations should not only see a joint coordination by Western governments to curb piracy on Somali waters, but a strong condemnation by the same governments against corporations and governments which have been using Somali and other developing countries as dump sites for nuclear and toxic wastes from the west.

The exposure of poor developing countries to varying forms of environmental injustice should be addressed. In the past, fishing companies explored Somali waters without permission, capitalizing on the absence of a Somali navy guard and thereby claiming the jobs of local fishermen who did not only feed communities through fishing but relied on fishing as their main source of employment.

Last March, the State Department of the US was said to have protested an incident which involved five Chinese vessels which were said to have "maneuvered dangerously close to a US Navy ship in the South China Sea on Sunday, approaching within 25 feet of the unarmed surveillance ship." In Somalia the absence of a navy because of the unstable political situation in the country, thanks to western influence and imperialist agenda in Somalia and neighboring countries, exposes the coastal borders of the country to grave dangers.

Piracy is a huge threat to global trade. It's great to see leading world powers unite to confront the issue. However, we must agree to disagree that Somali's are not supposed to carry the blame for the outcome of the eco-imperialism that developing countries have been trying to resist.

The exploitation of a nation's weakness and use of its corrupt leaders makes both the exploiter and exploited, corrupt. Gerd Leipold, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, was quoted in Der Spiegel back in 2006 warning about a new "toxic waste colonialism." His warning included recent incidents which included: plastic remnants collected under Germany's Green Dot household recycling program being dumped into the Egyptian desert. Benin for instance, received "advance cash payment of $1.6 million and 30 years of development aid" for taking in "hazardous waste, including radioactive waste."

So called "valuable goods," carried by cargoes on high seas headed towards developing countries include "large amounts of discarded computers, mobile phones and other electronic junk, as well as old cars and refrigerators are sent to Africa -- all filled with hazardous substances, some of which are highly toxic, including oil, fire retardants, dioxins and PCBs."

It is great for western countries to look out for their interests in the face of pirate threats. However, it is significant for them to observe the strong tenets of the "control of trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes." To ask poor developing countries to carry excessive toxic and waste materials from western corporations that view developing countries as a dump-site is uncivil. Western governments should not seek the interests of their corporations over human lives in developing countries.

So when Newt Gingrich says that, "President Obama is making a major mistake in not forcefully outlining the rules of civilization for dealing with pirates. We look weak," Gingrich must keep in mind that exposing poorer countries to toxic wastes and depriving them of their jobs isn't civil. Besides, Somali fishermen will also look weak when they return home from fishing in toxic-filled waters without any money or meals to provide for their families.