April 12, 2009

SOMALIA AGAIN

Here it is Easter – a holiday symbolic of resurrected peace on earth and goodwill toward men – yet we share our thoughts with concern about American ship Capt.  Richard Phillips now held hostage by pirates off the shore of Somalia.

That tiny country -- on the eastern shore of Africa -- has been a thorn to the United States since 1993.  Then-president William Clinton sent a few troops there to “protect American interests” while delivering humanitarian aid sanctioned by the United Nations.

For that humanitarian gift, 18 Marines were massacred.  The naked body of a Black Hawk helicopter pilot was dragged through the streets of Mogadishu to cheers of the populace.  The indignity is remembered as “Black Hawk Down.”

Hasty intervention in African problems has plagued us ever since.

FOOD FOR REFUGEES

Phillips, captain of the U.S. cargo ship Maersk Alabama, was delivering food to Mombasa, Kenya, for African refugees.

Off the shore of Somali, four pirates armed with rifles in a small oar-boat climbed aboard the ship and rounded up the crew.  Capt.  Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates -- for eventual ransom -- in return for release of his crew and ship.

The pirates abandoned their rickety row- boat for the Maersk Alabama’s covered, emergency boat.  During the night, Phillips slipped off the boat to try and swim away.  However, he was recaptured by the pirates.

Several U.S. warships have arrived to surround the emergency craft.  As this article is being written, Capt.  Phillips is communicating with U.S. naval ships as go-between for the pirates.

The Maersk Alabama sailed on to deliver its cargo of food aid for starving Africans there.

It is expected that Phillips will be released when a ransom of several million dollars is paid.

PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE

In a Christian Science Monitor interview, Abdi Haji Gobdoon, spokesman for the Somali government, declared:

“There was never any problem like this.

“Twenty years ago we had a strong government with maritime forces, armed forces, and ships to defend our waters.  There was never any problem like this.

“At the moment, we have no ability to protect the waters or defend against the pirates.”

He added that his government controls only a small portion of the capital, let alone its 1,879 miles of coastline.

“No one wants to help us with this.  I don’t know why because it is a problem for everyone now.  They send ships, but we need stability on land.”

SOMALI  PIRATES

With all due respect for Mr. Gobdoon, Somali has been a major problem in east Africa for many years.

Last year, Somali pirates hijacked more than 40 vessels and earned millions of ransom dollars – in a country riddled with drought, war, and poverty.

A dozen governments last year sent warships to patrol the busy shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden.  The Maersk’s attack was the sixth that week.

Now we will see how U.S. President Obama deals with assaults of American ships on the high seas.

POSTSCRIPT

The kidnapped American captain of the Maersk Alabama has been rescued and is safe aboard a Navy ship.  Three of the pirates who had been holding the captain captive were killed during the rescue operation, and one pirate is in custody.

By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist