Every kid wants to be a pirate when he or she grows up—at least on Halloween on October 31 in North American when children and adults dress up as a popular character. In folklore, pirates are popular because they are depicted as carefree seafarers who venture out in search of buried riches but are usually generous enough to share the loot with ordinary folks. It is that popular mythology that ensured that Disney’s movie series Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and its sequels Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and At World End (2007) grossed more than $2.7b at the box office worldwide. Which kid would not want to be the free-wheeling, adventure-loving Captain Jack Sparrow character? He is after all the hero.

But the kind of piracy happening off the coast of Somalia, in the Gulf of Aden should cure or disabuse all of any romantic ideas about pirates. These fellows are armed to teeth with rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine-guns and all manners of armament that would put to shame the pirates of old. The Somali pirates are in it for the money, cold hard dollars. Moreover, as an intercepted communication indicated last week, they have modern money-counting machines to make sure they get the exact amount demanded or else…

Right now they are demanding $25m for the safe release of the Sirius Star, a Saudi Arabia super tanker with an oil cargo worth $100m captured last week. This is but the latest in a growing problem that has skyrocketed this year seeing as many as 86 ships hijacked or attacked off the coast of Somalia. The hijacking of the Ukrainian ship MV Faina, which was filled with weapons destined for Sudan, made headlines in September. It appeared at a time that the pirates were after the ship’s cargo, namely all those tanks and heavy artillery, and American warships were scrambled to track the ship. However, soon after it docked off the coast of Somalia, the fate of the ship vanished from headlines and for all practical purposes was never heard of again. At least a cool $8m changed hands before the quiet release of the Faina.

So what to do with these modern day not-so- cool pirates? Any concerted effort to bring to heel these cold-blooded high-sea robbers should start with an understanding of where things stand politically in Somalia. The harsh reality is that Somalia is still a very dangerous place for its own citizens and anyone else who cares to venture into the country. In the ensuing chaos that has lasted for the better part of two decades or so, the rule of law is limited and effective in small pockets controlled by the various factions. Large swath of the country remains a hole in the ground where anyone with a makeshift mobile machine-gun carrier wields disproportional power over the unfortunate long-suffering citizenry.

Without an effective government to lay down the law that everyone can follow, it is fair to say that rules are made along the way, depending on who is wielding the biggest gun on that day. In this crucible of chaos is born the entrepreneur pirate who figured out that all that one requires is a boat, a few well-armed hands and a bunch of unprotected cargo ships, and you have a mint to make millions of dollars without breaking as much as a sweat. To this end, the pirates have so far been very successful. Millions have been paid quietly without the media breaking the story.

Now the world realises that this problem is not going away, with the pirates ever so bold. To effectively counter the growing threat of piracy off the coast of Somalia, the world, especially those nations whose commercial activities are threatened by it, should adopt a two-tier approach. One requires that the world re-awakens to the plight of Somalia, something which was abandoned way back in 1994 after America got a good drubbing in the hands of Somalia warlords. There is an urgent need to re-engage all parties in Somalia with a comprehensive peace proposal that can put into place a government of national unity, one that the majority of the people of Somalia can live with.

Now, it is easier to corral cats than to bring feuding Somalia leaders under one tent. However, after many years of fighting retarded progress, and ensured the absence of a viable economy to speak of, Somalia may be ready to listen, especially if there is a huge offer on the table for massive financial support to the new Somalia. It is probable that warlords are behind the piracy and as such an offering must painstakingly take into account the needs of each region of Somalia, with specific detail on how the area or region would benefit from the new Somalia. The peace plan must involve every conceivable power broker, even one that controls a small area.

However, there should also be the stick. The Indian Navy last week showed the way when it engaged a suspected pirate mother-ship, shelling and sinking it, then chasing the pirates who made off into the night in smaller boats. Mercy should never be used against the pirates, treated firmly with firepower. This scenario especially requires that the shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden be patrolled by an international force made up of navy and air force ready to deal resolutely with any perceived threat of piracy. The two-tier approach on the one hand gives hope of a better Somalia for everyone, while discouraging robbery on the high seas. However, to simply suggest that firepower alone is the way forward is to completely ignore the desperation and lawlessness that exist inside Somalia today. When people are desperate, they will do anything.

But the Somali pirates are no Jack Sparrows, and will know when they are outgunned and out-played, choosing instead to eke a living elsewhere outside of high sea robbery. That would be a win-win for everyone.

Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca