Somalia - Time for action

Somalia has been much in news recently for both the audacity of its pirates as well as the increasing presence of Al - Qaida on its ground. Both of these are disturbing trends for which all major powers have got together, their navies to protect the waters around the horn of Africa and aid agencies and governments trying to stabilize and strengthen the Somali government to be more efficient and effective.

Though much has been said about the poor conditions and lack of opportunities coupled with corruption which has brought Somalia to this state, to date I have read just one fleeting reference to the fact that Western European countries are still in the process of exploiting and ruining this already beleaguered country for their own petty gains and conveniences. The waters around Africa, specially countries like Somalia, with a weak and inefficient government are a favorite dumping ground of waste both toxic and otherwise for these European powers.

Shiploads of this reject from Europe finds its way to these waters where it is quietly discharged into the Indian Ocean, away from the watchful eyes of any law enforcement agency, wreaking havoc on the marine life and the ecosystem of the place. This abuse of the environment has already resulted in a mass extinction of the fisheries of the area which were and are a prime source of sustenance for the already deprived population living around these waters.

This dumping is against all international rules and treaties and is causing environmental degradation in the Indian Ocean at a massive scale resulting in the systematic elimination of not only the fisheries but all other fauna living in these waters. 

Another exploitation of this region has been through the European fishing vessels which have been depleting the resources under the pretext of sustained fishing. The logic that was doled out was the locals will over fish the region and with the advanced electronics of European boats they fish just the amount which will help re-grow the original population. This convenient argument keeps the locals out of their own fishing regions, this is a classic example of the local community suffering for the betterment of the foreigners.

Such exploitation and abuse of local resources are wrong and coupled with the fact that no benefit is passed to the local community, are the breeding grounds from where the likes of Al-Qaida find their recruits from. This kind of exploitation has been a common theme in all regions where terrorist organizations have found a foothold and grown strong.

The western European powers have always, at-least ever since the advent of shipping to take man across oceans, believed that the whole world exists for them to exploit and plunder. They have caused us two world wars and numerous other wars with their belligerent and greedy attitude.

There appears to be no change in the European attitude, they have not learnt much from history and hence slim chances that things will be rectified on their own. It is therefore the responsibility of the rest of the countries, organizations and individuals committed to the cause of non-exploitation and sustained development, as well as all those who shirk at the idea of Somalia becoming another Afghanistan, join hands and exert pressure and influence on the Europeans to immediately stop their illegal and exploitative activities.