The Society for Threatened Peoples STP (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV) spoke sceptically on Monday on plans to bring Somali pirates before German courts. "This may give a certain feeling of justice, but it certainly will not do anything to put an end to the piracy off the coast of Somalia”, said the STP Africa consultant, Ulrich Delius. "It is just as clever as arresting a pick-pocket to break up a Mafia-ring. As long as the international community takes no resolute action against the men behind the pirates and does not strive energetically to tackle the abject poverty of an increasing number of Somalis, pirates will continue to roam the seas with no fear for the consequences.” About one quarter of the population of Somalia are refugees, more than 1.4 million are displaced persons and 570.000 have sought asylum in neighbouring states.

The US Foreign Minister, Hillary Clinton announced in April 2009 that the men behind the pirates would be brought to justice. "But to the present day there have been no concrete initiatives to put an end to the doings of the men behind”, criticised Delius. It is not that there are no pointers to these wire-pullers. The Somalia Observation Group of the United Nations accused in its detailed report to the Security Council published in March 2010 the President and the Minister of the Interior of the quasi-independent north-Somalian state of Puntland of covering the men behind the pirates. Pirates have stated that 30 percent of the ransom money goes to the leaders of Puntland.

Well-known wire-pullers of the pirates like the 44-year old Abshir Abdilihahi (called "Boyah”) can move about freely in Puntland without the authorities taking any action. Boyah took part in a official party of the local authorities, in which he publicly renounced piracy However it appears that some 500 pirates are still under his command.

In central Somalia Mohamed Hassan Abdi (called "Afweyne”) and his son Abdiqaadir are seen as important men behind the pirates. They are said to have been responsible for the hijacking of the German ship "Hansa Stavanger”. And yet Alweyne was able to travel without any problems to Libya at the invitation of President Gaddafi in September 2009. Commercial circles in Dubai, Saudi-Arabia and in London are said to be involved in the piracy.

About 30 Mafia-like rings in Somalia recruit impoverished fishermen and unemployed youth as pirates. "The pirates are both victims and criminals”, said Delius. "If no action is taken against their wire-pullers it is pointless to arrest them. Ten other men without work are waiting there to take over from the one arrested.”

Ulrich Delius will be glad to provide further information at asien@gfbv.de.