June 20,
2008: For the second time in three
years, the Somali government (a ramshackle collection of clans and warlords
that represent about half the population) is negotiating for a private security
company to patrol its coasts and suppress the piracy that is now rampant out
there.
Three
years ago, similar negotiations with U.S. firm Top Cat Marine, to clean out the
pirates along the coast, came to nothing. Turned out that Top Cat had a
buccaneering background itself, including shady deals, bankruptcy, former South
African mercenaries and other interesting touches. But the company had, on
occasion, delivered. But not in Somalia.
The
current candidate Secopex, is from France and has been in business for five
years and has informal links to the French government. Many of Secopex's employees are former French
military. If France is willing to pay the $100 million Secopex says it will
cost to impose order along the Somali coast, the job could probably be done. It
would not be pretty, as it would involve raiding the coastal towns where the
pirates are based. There would be fighting, and dead civilians. If the French
are willing to put up the money, and take the PR heat, the pirates will be
gone. Foreign countries have already been contributing similar sums of money to
the Transitional National Government (TNG), and have seen it largely disappear
into the pockets of a few senior officials. The anti-piracy deal would have the
cash go direct from foreign government to anti-piracy contractor.
