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Elizabeth Norman
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Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 1 How should we legislate at the international level with regards to child pirates? Thisessayshall argue that there needstobe agreedinternational legislation,similartothe existent protectionofferedtochildsoldiers,whichgivesdirectiononhow todeal withthe growingproblem of childpiracy.Due to the limitedamountof researchavailable onthe issue of piracyingeneral,this essayshall focusmainlyonthe piratical activitythattakesplace off the coastof Somalia.However, the conclusiondrawncan alsoapplyto childpiratesoperatingoff the coastof otherknown ’hotspots’,suchasIndonesiaandNigeria. Thisessaywill beginbydetailingthe historyof piracyinSomaliaandthe growingproblemof child piracy.It will explainthe factorsthathave helpedleadtothe currentproblem, alongwithoutlining howchildren come tobe pirates.Itshall thendiscussthe shortcomingsof the internationalresponse to childpirates,arguingthatthe lack of an agreedinternationalstrategyhasledtoconsiderable discrepanciesbetweenthe handlingof differentcasesinvolvingchildpiratesand,inmanysituations, has resultedinaviolationof children’srights. Thiswill thenleadintothe secondpartof thisessay,whichwill considerthe currentlegal statusof childrenandhowthisshouldimpactthe debate surroundingthe correcttreatmentof childpirates. Focussingparticularlyonthe UnitedNationsConventiononthe Rightsof the Child(CRC),itwill explore howthe currenttreatmentof childpiratesbreaksanumberof the articleswithinthe CRC. However,thisessaywillalsoargue thatthe CRC itself suffersfromanumberof flawsandtherefore shouldbe takenonlyasthe startingpointwhenseekingtounderstandchildren’srightsingeneral, fromwhichfurtherlegislationcanbe developed.
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 2 Thiswill setthe foundationforthe mainargumentof thisessay,whichwill be the focusof the final sectionandwill centre onthe premise that,due totheirsimilarcircumstances,the bestwayto understandthe legislationneededforchildpiratesistoadapt the currentpracticesusedfor child soldiers.Thiswillbe brokendownintothree distinctareas:the needtoprosecute the recruitersof childpirates,notthe childrenthemselves;the needforchilddisarmament,demobilisationand reintegration(DDR) measurestobe putin place;and the needto tackle the rootcausesof child piracyto protect childrenbeforetheycanbe recruited.Thisessayshall demonstrate that,byputting legislationinplace totackle these three areas,the rightsof childpirateswillbe adequately protected.Itwill alsooutlinewhythe International Court(IC) cannotdothisonits own,butmust workin partnershipwiththe existinglegal structuresestablishedinthe autonomousregionsof SomalilandandPuntland. Thisessayshall conclude thatwhile there isaneedforspecificinternational legislationthattakes intoaccount the special circumstancesandrequirementsof childpirates,suchlegislationdoesnot needtobe whollyoriginal.Rather,muchcanbe adaptedfromthe current waythe international communityactswhenfacedwiththe similarcategoryof childsoldiers,asthishasbeendesigned withthe specificneedsof thisparticulartype of childinmind. Before movingonitisimportantto note that thisessayconsidersachildpirate tobe anyone whois underthe age of eighteenwhentheyare apprehended.Thisisinkeepingwiththe UN definitionof
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 3 the child,as statedinArticle 1 of the CRC1 ,although,aswill be discussedfurtheron,there istension surroundingthe age at whicha childcan be consideredtobe criminallyresponsible. The history of piracy in Somalia and the problemof child piracy Before thisessaycanconsiderthe currentproblemof childpiracyoff the coast of Somalia,itis importantto firstunderstandthe backgroundfactorsthathave ledto the growthinpiratical activity withinthe region.Withoutconsideringthe rootcausesof piracyin Somalia,alongwiththe reasons whyindividualscome tobe involvedinthe firstplace,anysolutionthisessaysuggestswithregards to tacklingthe problemof childpirateswillbe under-informedfromthe beginning. Piracyin Somaliahasbeenpresentforthe lasttwodecadesandcan be tracedback to the political instabilityandeventualcollapseof the national governmentin19912 , withpiratical activityinSomali watersbeingcompletely‘unknownbefore1989’3 . Original instancesinthe regionwere notfor ransomsbut were usedstrategically,blockingsuppliesreachinggovernmentcontrolledareas4 ,inthe political struggle againstthe dictatorship. Followingthe collapse of the governingstructure piracy continued,notasthe criminal enterpriseithasnow become butas a tool,usedby Somalis,to ‘protecttheirmarine resources’5 againstillegal international fishtrawlers.These trawlerstook advantage of Somalia’slackof coast guard inthe wake of the governmentcollapse andthishada 1 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, availableat http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf (17/07/2013) p1 2 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil (2010) ‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, Third World Quarterly, 31 (8): 1377-1394 p1381 3 Ibid p1379 4 Ibid p1384 5 Ibid p1385
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 4 devastatingeffectonthe Somali population.Followingthe collapse of the national government, widespreadviolence eruptedasdifferentclanidentitiesfoughtamongstthemselvesand‘tore the countryapart’6 , eventuallyleadingSomaliatobe brokendownintoanumberof semi-autonomous states,some of whichwere controlledbywarlords. Atthe same time famine wasa recurring problemaswarlordsregularlyblockedfoodaidfromreachingthose whoneededitmost7 and‘nearly 30,000 lives’8 were lostasa result.Asa consequence of thesefactorsthe richfishstockhad become the mainsource of foodavailable tothe majorityof the population,andthe arrival of incursive foreignfishtrawlersthreatenedthatsupply.Alongwithreducingthe numberof fish,trawlers regularlydestroyedSomali fishingequipmentand,insome instances,evenkilledlocal fishermen9 in the process.To try and fightthispoaching,local fishermenandmembersof the formercoastguard bandedtogetherandstartedattackingthe hostile vessels,lootingthemandthenreleasingthem10 . The relative successof these attackswasnoticedbycriminal groups,whichhadsprungup inthe absence of the government. The lackof economicopportunitywithinSomaliameantthat‘[s]ome of these criminalsrecognisedthe superblootingopportunityprovidedbynearly30,000 merchantships that annuallyplythe Gulf of Adenandthe IndianOcean.’11 Inotherwords,while piracyinSomalia had startedoutas a political tacticandthengrownintoa defence of one’slivelihoodagainstfish trawlers,itnowbecame a businessopportunityformanycriminal groupsthatrecognisedthe economicadvantage of capturingcommercial vesselsandransomingthem.Like those whotargeted illegal trawlers,thesenewpiratesalsoclaimedtobe ransomingcommercial vesselsinorderto 6 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates (London, HarperCollins,2011) p27 7 Burnett, John, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread (London, Arrow Books, 2007) p8 8 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil,‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, p1383 9 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, p181 10 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil,‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, p1835 11 Ibid p1836
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 5 protecttheirwaters12 and,althoughsome ex-fishermendidjoinforceswiththisnew breedof pirate, the rise inthese acts of piracyhave made it more difficultforgenuine local fishermen.Theyare frequentlymistakenforpiratesandattackedbynaval forcesas a result13 .This,inturn,has angered some withinSomalia,whoblamethe international communityforcausingpiracyinthe firstplace by plunderingtheirnatural resourcesandkillinginnocentfishermen. Thisevolutionof piracyinSomaliaalsoappearstocoincide withevidencethatinstancesof child piracyare on the increase globally.In2011 Indiannaval forcesarrestedsixty-one peopleaboardthe capturedMozambique fishingvessel Vega 514 .Of the sixty-onepeople arresteditcame to lightthat twenty-five of them, ‘orsome 40%of the entire crew’15 , were below the age of eighteen –withfour of the piratesbeingestimatedasundereleven16 .Thiswasnotan isolatedcase butpart of a growing trendinwhich‘up to one inthree’17 piratesare thoughtto be children.The reasonsforpirate commanderstorecruitchildren are similarincharacterto the reasonswhyarmed leadersrecruit childsoldiers,particularlyinthe sensethattheyare ‘vulnerable andeasilymanipulated;fearlessand ignorantof the long-termconsequencesof theiractions;inexpensive tomaintain;plentiful in developingcountriesmostaffectedbypiracy;small instature andtherefore nimble;easily indoctrinated…andbecause theypose amoral challenge totheirenemies.’18 Inaddition,children withinSomaliaare regularlyrecruitedandusedbyarmed groups,withone aidworkersummingitup 12 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State (London, Zed Books, 2012) p149 13 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil,‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, p1390 14 Conradi,Carl (2011) ‘The InvisiblePhenomenon of Child Pirates’, Canadian Naval Review, availableat: http://www.navalreview.ca/2013/02/the-invisible-phenomenon-of-child-piracy/ (10/07/13) 15 Ibid 16 Ibid 17 Noble-Hearle, Misha (2013) ‘Child Pirates:A world away from play’,Dal News, availableat: http://www.dal.ca/news/2013/03/20/young-pirates-on-the-high-seas-.html (10/07/13) 18 Conradi,Carl,‘The InvisiblePhenomenon of Child Pirates’
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 6 by saying,‘there are plentyof kidsandplentyof guns.’19 Thishascauseda natural transitionto develop,one thatenableschildrentomove fromarmedconflictintopiracy.Thiswasechoedbythe UN’s formerRepresentative forChildreninArmedConflict,RadhikaCoomaraswamy,whenshe visitedSomaliain2010 and reportedthatchildsoldierswouldescape ‘the ranksof Islamicmilitiasto become pirates.’20 There isalsoanincreasinglylikelychance thatchildrenwill be bornintoafamily withlinkstoa pirate group,makingtheirindoctrinationall the more likelyata significantlyyoung age21 . Justas commandersof pirate and armedgroupshave similarreasonsforrecruitingchildren,there are alsouseful comparisonstobe made betweenthe circumstancesthatleadchildrentovoluntarily sign-uptobe soldiersorpirates.Researchsuggeststhat,incasesof childsoldiers,‘failedsocial systemssetthe contextforunforcedrecruitmentbyofferingfewpositivealternativesforyoung people’22 .Inotherwords,the social circumstancesof childrenwhochoose tojoinarmedgroupshas oftenleftthemfeelingasthoughtheyhave nootheroption,leadingmanyscholarstoaskhow free this‘choice’reallyis.Formerchild soldiersoftencite povertyasone of the ‘primaryconsiderationsin theirdecisiontojoinanarmedgroup’23 ;althoughineverycircumstance there willbe amultitude of factors thatdrive childrentobecome soldiers24 .Similarly,inthe case of childpiratesinSomalia, 19 Burnett, John, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread, p3 20 Snow, Anita (2010) ‘UN envoy: rehabilitatechild pirates’, Arab News, availableat: http://www.arabnews.com/node/360064 (10/07/13) 21 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project,(2012) Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, availableat:http://www.childsoldiers.org/files/publications/2012-DMPP-Children-Youth- Marine-Piracy.pdf (10/07/13) p4 22 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection (London, Harvard University Press,2009) p43 23 Ibid p54 24 Ibid p55
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 7 where mostchildrenappeartojoinona ‘voluntarybasis’25 ,youngpeople dosobecause,aswell as offeringthemachance to rebel againstauthority,itwill ‘potentiallyimprove one’ssocial and economicstatusandpositioninsociety’26 .Justlikethe case of the childsoldier,the youthwhojoins a pirate group doessobecause of a lack of otheroptions.Continuedconflictinsome areasof Somalia,alongwiththe continuedabsence of astrongcentral governmentandthe presence of recurringfamine,hasledtolimitedemploymentandeducational opportunitiesforyoungpeople. Thismay make piracyappear a worthwhilerisk –especiallytothose whoare expectedtohelp contribute totheirfamilyincome.Notonlydoespiracyofferyoungpeople a release frompoverty and the meansof economicempowerment,butalsothe chance togain respect,whichtheirprevious personal circumstanceswillnothave allowed.Formanyyoungpeople the ideathatthe pirates operatingoutof Somaliatodayare doingso to ‘protecttheirwaters’mightalsoworkas a form of manipulation,asthe continuedpresence of illegal trawlersandthe frequentattacksoninnocent fishermenmaywellserve toconvince themthatwhattheyare doingisright.Or to put itanother way, youngpeople maycome to viewpiratesas‘champions,fightersforjustice,andmentobe admired.’27 Eitherway,itappearsthat,as longas youngpeople view piracyasthe onlyopportunity available tobettertheircircumstancesandaslongas those whorunpirate operationscontinue to see childrenasa valuable businessinvestment,the likelihoodof childpiracydecreasingisextremely low. Despite this,there iscurrentlylittlerecognitionof the problematthe international level.For example,‘there are nointernational legalinstrumentsinplace toprescribe the properhandlingof 25 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p6 26 Ibid 27 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p7
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 8 childpiratescapturedatsea’28 and thisfact bringsits own worries.One of the mainproblemsisthe lack of consistencyincasesof capturedchildpirates,broughtaboutasa resultof piracybeinga crime withuniversal jurisdiction.Thusthe wayanapprehendedchildistreatedissubsequently dependentupon whichcountrycapturesthem.Asitstands,‘childrensuspectedof piracyare currentlyfacingtrial acrossthe globe inplacessuchas Germany,Kenya,andthe Seychelles’29 and theirexperiencesvarygreatly.Forexample,in2011 three teenage boysfacedthe possibilityof the deathpenaltyina Malaysianpiracycase30 ,an extreme punishmentincomparisontothose whohave beenapprehendedbynationsthatdonotsupportcapital punishment.Inalarge majorityof cases the lack of any legislationmeansthatmanychildrenare notarrestedwhenapprehendedbutmerely have theirweaponsconfiscatedbeforebeingreleased.Thisiswhatisknownasthe ‘catch and release’approachandithas beencriticisedforallowingchildrentoreturntoa hazardoussituation,a problemwhichthisessaywill discussingreaterdepthlater.Inotherinstanceschildrenhave been apprehendedinthe regionof Puntland,whichwasonce commonlyconsideredthe home of Somali piracy,and are nowbeingkeptinthe same prisoncellsastheirformerpirate commanders.The varietyof waysinwhichinstancesof childpiracyhave beenhandledrevealsalarge discrepancy betweencasesinthe absence of anyinternational legislationonthe matter,notto mention breachesof children’srightslaw, suchasthe CRC, inmost cases - an issue thisessaywill addressin more detail furtheron.Thisdiscrepancyiscausingadeeplyunequal andunfairresponse tothe same issue.Italsomeansthat children’slivesare frequentlybeingplacedindanger,whichhighlightsthe needforinternational regulationtobe established.Suchlegislationisessentialforensuringthat 28 Conradi,Carl,‘The InvisiblePhenomenon of Child Pirates’ 29 Fritz, Danielle(2012) Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, availableat: http://law.case.edu/journals/JIL/Documents/(16)%20Fritz%20Corrected.pdf p893 30 Lendon, Brad (2011) ‘3 teenage boys among 7 Somalis facingdeath in Malaysiapiracy case’,CNN, available at: http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/11/3-teenage-boys-face-death-in-malaysia-piracy-case/ (10/07/13)
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 9 childrencapturedonsuspicionof piracyare treatedequally,andthateachchild’srightsare respected. Althoughthe inconsistencybetweencaseshashighlightedthe needforinternational legislationon thisissue,itisnot yetclearwhat thislegislationshouldbe.Thisessaywill now proceedtofocuson thisquestion,beginningwithanexplorationof the legal rightschildrencurrentlypossess, particularlythose outlinedinthe CRC.Thisisimportant,asunderstandingthe waysinwhichthe CRC failstoadequatelyprotectchildpiratesrevealsthe needformore specificlegislation,alongwith providingthe foundationsfromwhichtostart. The CRC and thelegal rightsof the children The CRC, whichisa setof non-negotiable standardsandobligations,waspassedbythe general assemblyof the UN in198931 and isthe ‘most ratifiedinstrumentof international law’32 .Itisbased on the belief thatchildrenare ‘moral andlegal subjects’33 ,whose rightsneedtobe protectedby special legislationbecausetheirlessdevelopedphysical andmental maturity34 makesthem fundamentallydifferenttoadults.Toput it anotherway,while adultsare generallyacceptedtobe fullydevelopedbeings,‘capable of independentthoughtandaction’35 ,childrenare consideredtobe 31 Fottrell, Deirdre, One Step Forward or Two Steps Sideways? Assessing the First Decade of the Children’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (The Hague, Kluwer Law International,2000) p1 32 Archard,David, Children Rights and Childhood 2nd Edition, (Wolverhampton, Routledge, 2004) p58 33 Ibid 34 Ibid,p60 35 Lee, Nick, Childhood and Society Growing up in Age of Uncertainty (Buckingham, Open University Press, 2001) p5
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 10 ‘humanbecomings’36 .Thismeanschildrenhave notyetdevelopedthe self-possessionandself- control 37 that adultshave,makingthem more ‘vulnerable,dependentanddefenceless’38 ,inneedof legal protectionanddeservingof rightsthatadultsdonot hold.Thus,the UN developedthe CRC expresslytoaddressthe specificneedsof the child.The conventionitself isbasedonfourcore principles:‘non-discrimination;devotiontothe bestinterestsof the child;the righttolife,survival and development;andrespectforthe viewsof the child.’39 Itincludes54articlesdesignedtoprotect these principles,howeverthe lackof internationalagreementandthe multitude of waysinwhich statesdeal withapprehendedchildpirateshasresultedinregularviolationsof these articles. In some casesitis self-evidenthowstatesmaybe violatingthe rightsof apprehendedchildpirates. For example,ininstancessuchasthe Malaysianpiracycase, inwhichthree youthsare facingthe deathpenalty,itisclearthe prosecutinggovernmentisbreachinganumberof articleslaidoutinthe CRC. Most notablythese are Article 6,whichstates‘children have the righttolive’40 ,andArticle 37, whichspecificallysayschildrenwhoare detainedforcriminalactivity‘shouldnotbe sentencedto death’41 . Nonetheless,there are situationsinwhichitisnotas obviousthatthe rightsof the child are beingviolatedandthisonlybecomesclearoncareful inspection.One suchcircumstance isthe practice of catch and release,inwhichgovernmentsdonotinterfere withthe childpirate exceptto remove theirweapons,thusnotimpedingtheirlibertyorcausingthemeitheremotional orphysical harm inany way.Despite thisitcan still be arguedthatthe statesresponsibleforpracticingthe catch and release methodare failingintheirobligationstothe childreninquestion.One could 36 Ibid 37 Ibid 38 Archard,David, Children Rights and Childhood 2nd Edition, p61 39 UNICEF, Convention on the Rights of the Child, availableatwww.unicef.org/crc/ (17/07/13) 40 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p1 41 Ibid p4
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 11 maintainthat,byallowingchildrentoreturnto Somaliawithoutputtingmeasuresinplace toensure theydo notsimplyreturntothe same pirate networkfromwhichtheycame, statesare ignoring theirdutyto ensure the bestinterestsof the child.Whatismore,childrenare beingallowedto returnto ‘workthat isdangerousor mightharm theirhealthoreducation’42 whichisinbreachof Article 32 of the CRC, as well asthe International LabourOrganisation(ILO) conventiononthe worst formof childlabour43 .Statesthatare party to thisILO conventionare requiredto‘preventthe engagementof childreninorremove themfromthe worstformof childlabour,protectingthem fromreprisalsandprovidingfortheirrehabilitationandsocial integration.’44 Thus,the veryinaction of a state is infact a violationof the rightsof the childpirate inquestion,since itallowsthe exploitationof the childtocontinue. Otherinstanceswhere childpirateshave beenseized,buthave notfacedthe possibilityof the death penalty,alsofail tomeasure uptothe standardsoutlinedinthe CRC.Once childrenare removedto anothercountryto face trial,theirrightscan be violatedinanumberof ways.Particularly,the previouslymentionedArticle 37requiresthatchildrenshouldnotbe putinprisonwithadults,nor be keptfrom contactingtheirfamilies45 .The holdingof childreninthe same cell asadultsisa commonproblem,mostnotablywithinKenyaandSomaliaitself and,whatisworse,the adultsthese childrentendtobe heldwithare those withwhomtheycommittedactsof piracy46 in the firstplace. Therefore,inthese situations,notonlyare childrenindangerof beingabusedormanipulatedby those withwhomtheyshare a cell,buttheyare more vulnerablebecause theyare heldwithadults 42 Ibid 43 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p11 44 Ibid 45 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p4 46 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p10
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 12 whoalreadyhave considerablepoweroverthem.Thus,byfailingtoseparate adultsfromchildren, manystatesare in breachof international law.Inaddition,manycountriesface problemswhenit comesto ensuringthose childrenwhoare heldforacts of piracy are able to contact theirfamilies. Thisis because the lackof a national governmentandthe continuedviolence inSomaliahasmade formal state recordsalmostimpossibletokeep.Couple thiswiththe factthatmanychildpiratesare awaitingtrial inpoorincome countrieswithlimitedresources,anditbecomesapparentthateven locatinga child’srelativesis problematicatbest. In addition,there isalsothe issue of questionable legal defencesandthe inadequaterehabilitationof those suspectedof childpiracy.While the CRC allowsstatestochoose the age at whichchildrencanbe consideredcriminallyresponsible fortheir actions,itstill maintainsinArticle 40that juvenilesshouldbe givenspecial protectionand allowancesnotawardedtoadults.Thisincludeshavingaccesstospecialisedlegalrepresentation fromthose whoare able to address‘the unique needsof children’47 ,howeverthisissomething whichoftendoesnotmaterialiseinreality.Forexample,inKenyalawyersare oftenexpectedto representwholegroupsof pirates,makingitimpossible toaddressneedsof individualadultslet alone those of children48 . As well asstatesfailingtolive uptothe standardssetout inthe CRC, applyingthe conventionalso suffersfromotherpressingproblems,the mostobviousof these beingthatSomaliaisone of only twocountries,alongwiththe USA,to have not ratifiedthe convention.Thisisobviouslygoingtobe an issue whenitcomestodecidinghowbesttodeal withchildpirates,asthe veryfact that Somalia isnot party to the CRC meanschildrenfacingtrial there willnotbe consideredashavingthese legal rights.Atthe same time,evencountriesthathave ratifiedthe CRCare failing,eitherthrough 47 Fritz, Danielle,Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, p899 48 Ibid
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 13 negligenceorlogistical impossibilities,toadhere tothe letterof the law.It wouldappear,therefore, that the CRC doesnot provide anadequate enoughexplanationof whatexactlyshouldhappento childrenwhoare apprehendedduringpiratical activity,orwhichstate isactuallyresponsible for theirwelfare once theyare caught.Itseemschildren’srightsare indangerof beingviolated, regardlessof whichcourse of action istaken.In addition,since no‘provisionwasmade forindividual petitionsorinter-Statechallenges’49 duringthe draftingprocess,statesthatfail toadhere tothe obligationslaidoutinthe CRCface little prospectof beingheldaccountable forthis. Aside fromthe problemsof implementingthe CRCandthe lack of clarityaboutwhose responsibility it isto deal withapprehendedchildpirates,the conventionitself alsofacescriticism,particularly fromthose whobelieve itfavoursa westernmiddle-classviewof the child.Thiscanbe most clearly seeninthe waythe conventionapproachesthe issue of childlabouranditsconditionthatthey shouldnotdo anywork that inhibitstheirrighttoplayand relaxation50 .Thishasledmanytoclaim that thisisan unfairand unrealisticdemand,especiallyconsidering‘the economiccontributionsuch labourmakesto householdsalreadystrugglingtosurvive’51 ,andwithoutwhichthe childinquestion may endupsufferingfromamultitude of otherfactorsrelatedtopoverty.Inshort,those who criticise the CRC’sapproachto childlabourdoso because itdoesnot ‘take full accountof the social, political,andeconomicforcesthatsustainchildlabour’52 . 49 Fottrell, Deirdre, One Step Forward or Two Steps Sideways? Assessing the First Decade of the Children’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, p6 50 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p4 51 Lim, Hilary & Roche, Jeremy, Feminism and Children’s Rights: The Politics of the Voice, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, p54 52 Kent, George, Children in the International Political Economy (Basingstoke,Macmillan Press Ltd,1995) P51
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 14 Nevertheless,whilethere maybe some truthto the criticismsthatthe conventionistoowestern and itsdemandsregardingchildlabourare unhelpful,thisdoesnotnecessarilyinvalidateits importance inthe case of childpirates.Whilstthe demandsthatlabournotinterfere withachild’s rightto playmightbe controversial,mostpeoplewouldagree thatallowingchildrentoworkin dangeroussituationsthatmayresultindeathisneveracceptable. Perhapsthe mostcompellingcriticismof the CRC,whichhighlightsthe needformore specific legislation inregardstochildpirates,isitsgenerality.While the CRCisbeneficial inthe overall debate surroundingchildren’srights,asitsetsoutthe basicrightsthat all childrenshouldbe entitled to, itdoesnot addresssome of the more specificneeds,whichonlycertaincategoriesof children have.For instance,althoughthe rightsinArticle’s37and 40 of the CRC shouldbe appliedtoall child offenders,there are specificneedswhichchildpirateswill have thatthe othersdonot,andthese are absentfromthe CRC. For example,those childrenwhohave beenapprehendedduringpiracy missionsneedtobe consideredasbothvictimsandperpetratorsof crimes,since theircommanders take advantage of theirvulnerabilityandmanipulate themintocommitting, insome cases,very seriousfelonies.Thismaymeanthat,insome instances,the apprehendedchildpirateshave specific psychological needs,associatedwithcrimestheyhave beenforcedtocommit,oras a resultof havingbeenachildsoldierbefore becomingapirate,andthese are not properlyaddressedthrough the provisionsinthe CRC.If these needsgounmetthenthe child’sdevelopmentintoadulthoodmay be hamperedbya multitude of factors,rangingfrompost-traumaticstress,tothe belief that, because theyhave committedsuchacts,theirnature isinherentlybad.This,inturn,mayimpede theirabilitytoact as a fullyfunctioningmemberof societyastheymature.Alongwiththis,since the CRC encompassesall children,itdoesnottake intofull considerationthe individual situationand conditionsthatleadjuvenilestobecome partof piratical networksinthe firstplace.Therefore,it
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 15 couldbe possible forstatestooverlookthe veryfactthat childpiratesare victimsjustasmuch as theyare criminals.Thus,the CRCprovidesverylittle insightintothe specifichandlingof childpirates and howstatescouldadequatelymeettheirindividual needs.Also,the generalityof the convention isnot conducive totacklingthe issue of childpiracyoverall. Alongside this,anothermajorinadequacyof the CRC,particularlyinregardstochildpirates,isits failure toseta minimumage of criminal responsibility(MACR),whichisthe resultof the convention tryingto make allowancesfornational and cultural differences. The conventionconcedesthatthere needstobe a MACR, whichisthe age at whicha childcan be consideredtohave a ‘guiltymind’53 and be aware enoughtocommita crime withthe intentionof doingso,butitleavesitto the particular state to decide whatthisage shouldbe.Thishas ledtoa diversityof opinions,withMACR’sranging frombetweenseventoeighteenyearsold54 ,whichcausesproblemswhenitcomestoprosecuting childreninvolvedininternational crimes,suchaspiracy,since the judgementof whethertheyare criminallyresponsibleornotis completelydependentuponthe state thattriesthem.Thusthere is no actual international consensusonhow totreatsuch children,eventhoughtheyare involvedinan international crime.Thisisthe veryreasonwhythere needstobe specificinternational legislation on the issue of childpirates,otherwise the verydiscrepancybetweencasesthatthisessayistrying to addresswill simplycontinue.Ithasalsobeenarguedthata MACR cannotbe appliedtocasesof international criminal activity,sincethe sheerscale of the crime means‘childrenwill alwayslack capacityto committhem.’55 For example,one mayargue that,for a childto possessaguiltymindin regardsto acts of piracy,theywouldneedtobe proventohave a comprehensive understandingof 53 Happold,Matthew, The Age of Criminal Responsibility in International Law, availableat http://www.asser.nl/default.aspx?site_id=9&level1=13337&level2=13345 (17/07/13) p2 54 Fritz, Danielle.Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, P896 55 Happold,Matthew, The Age of Criminal Responsibility in International Law, p2
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 16 the damage such an actioncouldcause,not justto thembut to the international communityasa whole. Therefore,untilthere isinternational consensusregardingthe age atwhichchildrenshould be heldcriminallyresponsible forcrimesof international jurisdiction,the rightsof childpiratesseem setto continue beingviolated.Thisispreciselybecause stateswill have nootherchoice buttoapply theirownnational lawtoan international crime,whichwillonlyprolongthe inconsistencybetween individualcases. These criticismsare notto say that the CRC shouldbe completelyabandoned,butrathertheysimply showthat the CRC isa startingpointfromwhichfurtherlegislationcanbe developed.Thissection has shownthat,because itrecognisesthemasmoral and legal subjects,thereisthe potentialinthe CRC to ‘advance considerablythe rightsof childrenall overthe globe’56 ,includingchildpirates,butit cannot doso on itsown.This essaytherefore proposesthatthe CRCshouldbe seenas‘a beginning rather thanan endin itself.’57 Or,toputit anotherway,the CRC maybe seenasthe foundationon whichto buildmore specificinternationallegislationregardingchildpirates,whichwill focus specificallyontheirinterests.Bydoingthismostof the issuesoutlinedabovecanbe avoided,asin the majorityof casesthe problemshave arisendue to‘somanynationsgrapplingwiththe absence of a specificprovisiondealingwithpiracy’58 .Thus,if there isspecificinternational legislationinplace to guide state actors onthe bestcourse of actionwhentheyencounterchildpirates,thenthese problemscouldpossiblybe avoided,aseachissue canbe addressedindetail. Thisessaywill now move onto considerhowsuch legislationdoesnotneedtobe designedfromscratch.Itshall explore 56 Fottrell, Deirdre, One Step Forward or Two Steps Sideways? Assessing the First Decade of the Children’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, p1 57 Ibid p2 58 Maritime Security Review (2011) Child Pirates, availableathttp://www.marsecreview.com/2011/03/child- pirates/ (17/07/13)
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 17 how,because of theirsimilarities,the currentpracticesthatare employedtomeetthe needsof child soldierscanbe adaptedto frame the legislationsurroundingchildpirates. Dealing withchild soldiersand whatthis can tell us aboutchild pirates Adaptingthe currentpracticesusedbythe international communityinresponse tochildsoldiers, and applyingthemtocasesinvolvingchildpirates,offersareal solutiontothe problemsfacedbythe CRC. Thisisbecause the CRC,althoughbeneficial initsgeneral promotionof children’srights,failsto addressthe specificinterestrightsof those childrenwhoare involvedinpiracy.Thisincludes complex andwide-rangingneeds,suchaspsychologicalassessment,whichrequire special attention intheirownright.Therefore,thisessayproposesthatthe specificmeasuresappliedtochildsoldiers, whichhave theirfoundationinthe CRCbutalsorecognise the special needsof thisspecificcategory of children,offeramuchmore tailoredandbeneficialapproachtothe particularneedsof child pirates.Thisisbecause,asshowninthe firstsectionof thisessay,the casesinvolvingchildsoldiers and childpiratescanbe seenassimilar.Ittherefore standstoreasonthat‘if there isno major difference betweenachildsoldierandachildpirate’59 thenlegislationrelatingtobothgroupsshould be comparable.Thisessayhaspinpointed threecore processesappliedtocasesinvolvingchild soldiers,whichcanalsobe appliedtocasesof childpirates.These are:the commitmenttoarrestand prosecute those whorecruitchildrenforpiratical activity;the needforchildpiracydisarmament, demobilisationandreintegration(DDR) measures;andthe necessitytoaddressthe rootcausesof piracywhereverpossible. These three measuresare important,asthisessayshall shortly 59 Messaoudi,Sonia (2012) Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy, availableat http://piracy-law.com/author/soniamessaoudi/ (08/08/13)
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 18 demonstrate,since theyeachhelptoensure thatthe same legal and moral rightsthatthe CRC seeks to protectare respected,aswell ascateringforthe more specificneedsof childpirates. It is alsoimportanttonote that, for suchlegislationtobe successful,the international community will needtoworkinconjunctionwiththe semi-autonomousregionsof SomalilandandPuntland. Whilstpiracyisa crime withinternational jurisdiction,inrealityall three of the measuresoutlined above will require the supportandcooperationof the nationstate fromwhichthe piratesoperate if theyare to be successful. Thiswill become clearasthisessayexploreseachof these measuresin turn.However,the veryfactthat the international communityneedstoworkwithSomaliahas createdtensionsurroundingdiscussionsof how besttotackle piracyoff the hornof Africa.Thisis because Somalia,whenseenasa whole,isconsideredtobe a‘failedstate’lackingastable governmentcapable60 of workingtoimplementsuchrequirements. Yet,thisinstabilityisnot reflectiveof all regionsof Somaliaand,assemi-autonomousregions,SomalilandandPuntlandhave a ‘relativelydemocraticgovernment,adevelopingeconomyandseveralotherfeaturesof afully functioningsociety.’61 Asaresult,thisessaysuggeststhat,if the internationalcommunityworksin partnershipwiththose whogovernthese twofunctioningregionsof Somalia,thenitispossible for workto be done withinthe countryitself,aswell asatthe international level,todeliverthe measuresoutlinedbelow. 1. The arrest and prosecution of therecruiters of child pirates 60 Andersen, Elizabeth; Brockman-Hawe, Benjamin; & Goff, Patricia, Suppressing Maritime Piracy: Exploring the Options in International Law, availableathttp://acuns.org/wp- content/uploads/2012/06/SuppressingMaritimePiracyExploringOptionsIntlLaw.pdf (08/08/13) p11 61 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State, p3
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 19 There isa commonconsensusamongstthe international communitythatchildsoldiersshouldnot be heldcriminallyresponsible fortheiractions,butratherthe leaderswhorecruitchildrenforsucha purpose should62 .Thisisbecause,ashasbeenstatedinboththe firstand secondsectionof this essay,childrenare more vulnerable andeasiertomanipulate thanadults.Therefore,whilstchild soldiersare perpetratorsof crimes,theyare alsovictimsintheirownright.Theyare recruitedand exploitedbycommanders,whoabuse the factthatchildrenmaybe more ‘susceptible due tonotions of romanticdeath’63 anddo not fullyunderstandwhattakingalife maymean.Inadditiontothis, evenwhenachild’sdecisiontojoinanarmedgroupappearsto be ‘voluntary’,withoutanyoutside coercion,itisgenerallyunderstoodthis isanact of desperationbyachildwhose personal circumstance hasleftthemfeelingtheyhave nootheroption.Thisisbestexpressedbythe UN Special Representative forChildrenandArmedConflict’sstatementthat,‘eventhe mostvoluntaryof acts can be desperate attemptstosurvive bychildrenwithalimitednumberof options.Insuch circumstances,anyconsentgivenbythe childcannotbe regardedas trulyvoluntaryinthe full sense of the word.’64 So,due to theirlessdevelopedmental maturity,alongwiththeirlimitedoptions, childrenmustbe recognisedtohave the righttobe protectedagainsttheirownactions,aswell as those of others,especiallywhenthese actionsmaybe detrimental totheiroveralldevelopment – whichundoubtedlybeingasolideris.Furthermore,the failure toarrestandprosecute those who recruitchildsoldierswill onlyhelptoensure the cycle continuesas,inmostcircumstances,there are alwaysmore childrenwhoare desperate enoughtotake uparms. It ispreciselybecause of these reasonsthat the Rome Statute of the International CriminalCourt(ICC) deemedthe recruitmentor 62 De Silva,H; Hobbes, C; & Hanks,H (2001) ‘Conscription of Children in Armed Conflict:A Form of Child Abuse – A Study of 19 Former Child Soldiers’, Child Abuse Review 10:125-134 p131 63 IRIN (2010) SOMALIA: Children facing the worst, says UN, availableat http://www.irinnews.org/report/90977/somalia-children-facing-the-worst-says-un (08/08/13) 64 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p10
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 20 conscriptionof childrenunderthe age of fifteenintoanarmedgroupto be a war crime65 .The international communitywastherebygivennotonly the jurisdiction,butalsothe responsibility,to prosecute those whowouldseektoenlistorforce childrentobecome amemberof an armedgroup. As itstandsthe recruitmentof childpiratesisnotthatdifferent.Ithasalreadybeenshownhow,in bothinstances,childrenmaybe takenadvantage of due totheirmore vulnerablenature,orhow theirpersonal circumstance mayleave themfeelingasif piracyis theironlyoption.Furthermore, justas in the case of childsoldiers,‘foreachpirate captured bythe authorities,there [are] dozensof desperate youngmenonshore readytorush inand fill the void.’66 Therefore aslongaspirate commandersare allowedtooperate,the problem of childpiracywill continuetogrow,allowing more children’srightstobe violated.Thishasledsome,suchasfounderof the ChildSoldier’s Initiative RoméoDallaire,toclaim‘if there isnoreal quantifiable difference betweenachildsoldier and a childpirate…the employmentof childreninpiracyisa crime for whichthe International Criminal Courtshouldhave jurisdiction.’67 There are certainlyadvantagestomakingthe recruitment of childpiratesamatterfor the ICC, particularlyinlightof the factthat those responsible for recruitingchildrenandorchestrating actsof piracy oftenavoidprosecutionbyremainingonshore, avoidingcapture68 .Thus,makingthe recruitmentof childpiratesamatterof internationallaw would place those withoverall responsibilityforthe operationinaprecariousposition,since theywould become the focusof international arrestwarrantsandextraditioncharges69 .So,alongwithhelping 65 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 66 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, p23 67 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p8 68 Snow, Anita, ‘UN envoy: rehabilitatechild pirates’ 69 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p8
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 21 to protectthe rights of the child,thismeasure wouldalsobe beneficial intacklingpiracyoperations inthe regioningeneral. However,unlikethe case of childsoldiers,itisnotas clearthat the recruitmentof a childpirate can fall underthe jurisdictionof the ICC,as itdoesnot technicallyconstitute awarcrime.While the circumstancessurroundingbothgroupsshare commonalities,andeachisan example of the violationof the rightsof vulnerable children,forachildpirate tofall completelyintothe categoryof childsoldieritwouldhave tobe proventhattheywere partof a ‘regularor irregulararmedforce or armedgroup’70 .Thisis unconvincingfromalegal pointof view because pirate groupsinSomaliafall intoa numberof differentcategories,whichhave evolvedoveratwentyyearperiod,asdiscussedin the firstsectionof thisessay.Sayingthat,there are those whoargue that piracy itself maybe consideredacrime punishablebythe ICC,as itis notonlya crime of international concern,butalso involves‘manyof the same violentandcruel acts—suchasmurder,kidnapping,andhostage-taking by force and byuse of sophisticatedanddangerousweaponry’71 thatare usedinthose crimesthat the ICC doeshave jurisdictionover.Therefore,inthissense,usingchildrenasaninstrumentto commitsuch crimesisjustanothersimilaritybetweenpiracyandcrimesdealtwithbythe ICC,such as a crime againsthumanity.However,the realityof the situationisthatitisunlikelythatpiracy,or the recruitmentof childrenintopiratical activity,will become acrime punishable bythe ICC, especiallyconsideringthere isalreadyextensive international law relatingtoactsof piracy,suchas the UnitedNationsConventiononthe Law of the Sea.Evenso, the fact still remainsthatthere is 70 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 71 Dutton, Yvonne M (2010) ‘BringingPirates to Justice: A Casefor IncludingPiracy Within theJurisdiction of the International Criminal Court’,One Earth Future Foundation, availableat http://www.oneearthfuture.org/siteadmin/images/files/file_52.pdf (08/08/13) p4-5
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 22 currentlynolegislationregardingthe recruitment,orinvolvement,of childrenwithinpiracy networks. Thisdoesnot mean,however,thatthe internationalcommunityshouldavoiditsresponsibilitytotry and bringthose guiltyof recruitingchildrentojustice.Afterall,astate’sresponsibilitiestochildren doesnotend at theirownborders,as‘where there are large scale failurestolookafterthe needsof childrenandnational governmentswill notorcannotdo whatneedsto be done,the international communityhasa positive obligationtoact’72 .This isbecause,aspreviouslydiscussed,childrenare legal andmoral subjects,whose interestsare protectedbythe articleslaidoutinthe CRC.Thus, because childrenhave the righttobe protectedandto developintofree andequal adults,itisthe responsibilityof the internationalcommunitytoprotectthose rightswhenthe state,forwhatever reason,cannot.To put thisanotherway,justas the international communityhasaresponsibilityto ensure the protectionof the universal humanrightsinregardstoall adults,regardlessof their nationality, theymustalsodothe same withregardstochildren’srights.Thisisparticularly important,because statesthatare party to the CRC have legal obligationstoensure children’srights are protected.However,howthe internationalcommunityshouldmove forwardwiththis,if those responsible are unlikelytobe involvedinthe actual act of piracyor calledbefore the ICC,still needs to be addressed. Thisessayproposesthat,inorderto arrest and prosecute those responsible forrecruitingchildren intopiratical activity,the internationalcommunitymustworkalongsidethe justice systemswithin SomalilandandPuntland,creatingahybridcourtspecificallyforthispurpose.Toputit anotherway, 72 Kent, George, Children in the International Political Economy, pxi
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 23 the international communitymustputtogetherasystemthatcombines‘elementsof botha domestic,national courtandan internationaltribunal’73 ,todeal specificallywiththose whorecruit and abuse childreninsucha way.Thisapproach has a vast numberof attractive features, most notablythatcourts which workwithlegal agenciesfromSomalia,butwhichhave the backingand resourcesof the international community,are more likelytobe successful atbothcapturingand prosecutingthose whoare guilty.Thisisevidentbythe successful arrestandprosecutionof the formerLiberianPresidentCharlesTaylorforrecruitingandusingchildsoldiers,whichwasadirect resultof workdone by the Special CourtforSierraLeone74 ,a hybridcourtconsistingof a mixture of the ICC and domestic,national courts. Inaddition,giventhatinmanyareasof Somaliathere isan underlyingresentmentandsuspicionof the international community75 ,whohave ahistoryof repeatedlygettinghumanitarianinterventionwithinthe countrywrong76 ,itisself-evidentthat workingwith domesticcourtsisgoingtobe essential.Thisisespeciallytrue whenone considersthat courts withinSomalilandandPuntlandare inagreaterpositiontodooutreachwork,explainingto the local populationthe reasonswhypirate leadersneedtobe broughttojustice,andwhythe international communityshouldbe apart of thisprocess.Thus,a hybridcourt wouldgive the domesticlegal organisationsthe abilitytoexplainwhyprosecutingthose whoemploychildrenin pirate networksisimportant,butit wouldalsohave the international skillsandresourcestoensure prosecutionisafeasible possibility.Perhapsthe greatestadvantageof operatingthroughahybrid court withinthese regionsissimplythatitisthe mostrealisticwaytoapprehendpirate commanders,since theygenerallyremainonshore andare unlikelytobe capturedduringapiracy 73 Andersen, Elizabeth; Brockman-Hawe, Benjamin; & Goff, Patricia, Suppressing Maritime Piracy: Exploring the Options in International Law, p11 74 The Special Courtfor Sierra Leone, The Prosecutor vs. Charles Ghankay Taylor, availableathttp://www.sc- sl.org/CASES/ProsecutorvsCharlesTaylor/tabid/107/Default.aspx (12/08/13) 75 Burnett, John, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread, p2 76 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State, this theme is explored through this book.
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 24 attack. One couldalwaysraise concernsregardingsuchan approachon the basisof Somalia’slackof functioninggovernment77 ,nonethelessthisessayhasalreadyaddressedthe reasonswhythisceases to be a problemif sucha court workswithinSomalilandandPuntland. Thissectionhasoutlinedthe reasonswhythose whorecruitchildpirates,ratherthanthe children themselves,shouldface prosecution.Likechildsoldiers,childrenbecomepiratesbecause theyare vulnerable andeasilymanipulated,orbecause theirpersonal circumstanceshave leftthemfeeling theyhave no otheroption.Inaddition,arrestingandprosecutingchildrendamagestheiroverall development,while atthe same time allowingthe cycle of recruitmentandabuse tocontinue.This sectionhasalsoexploredthe waysinwhichthe international communitymightfeasiblybe able to prosecute those whorecruitchildren.However,itisstill notclearwhatshouldhappentothose childrenapprehendedwhilstcommittingactsof piracy.Therefore,thisissomethingthisessaywill nowaddress. 2. Child piratesand DDR measures The current lackof guidance onhowbestto respondto childpiratescanbe harmful,notjustto the childbutalso tothose adultswhoare confrontedwiththemduringapiracyattack. Thisis because, much like soldiers,thosewhoface childpirates,suchasnaval forces,are oftenleftwithamoral dilemmaregardinghowbestto respond.Inone sense the childis‘someone whoisvulnerable, 77 Andersen, Elizabeth; Brockman-Hawe, Benjamin; & Goff, Patricia, Suppressing Maritime Piracy: Exploring the Options in International Law, p11
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 25 impressionable,frequentlyirrational andworthyof protection’78 ,butatthe same time theyare also a pirate,whoismost likelycapable of,ormayalreadyhave committed,extremelyseriouscrimes. Therefore,if thisfactisignoredthenitmaybe damagingtothose whoapprehendthem - since misjudgingthe dangermayresultintheirdemise.Moreover,if the crimesthatchildrenhave committedare completelyignoredonce theyare capturedthenthismaybe damagingto their overall developmenttoo,since childrenneedtoacceptthe actionstheyhave takenandthe context inwhichtheyhappened.Thisisimportant,aschildrenneedtobe able todeal withbeingbotha victimandperpetratorof violence if theyare tomove pastand make sense of whathas happenedto them,whichissomethingthisessaywill elaborate onshortly.Hence childrenshouldnotjustbe releasedfreely,butstepsmustbe takentoensure childrenface uptoand work throughthe crimes theyhave committed.Alongwiththis,the logistical problemof whatexactlyshouldhappentothe childonce theyare caughtand whichstate shouldtake responsibilityfortheirwelfare hasyettobe resolved. So,if the above issuesare tobe avoided,measuresneedtobe putin place to ensure the safetyand bestinterestsof everyone involved.Withregardstothe moral dilemmafacedwhenone is confrontedwithachildpirate brandishingagun,the solutionismuchthe same as inthe case of childsoldiers.Namely,stepsshouldbe takentoproperlytrainthose whoare likelytobe insucha situation,givingthemthe correctskillstoproperlyengage the childandavoidbloodshed.Unlessthis happens,those likelytobe confrontedwithchildpiratesinaconflictsetting,suchasnaval forces, will mostlikelyreactemotionally,whichmayendupputtingall partiesindanger.Withregardsto the longertermtreatmentof childpiratesandthe ramificationsfortheirdevelopmentif theyare 78 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p12
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 26 not forcedto confrontwhattheyhave done,the solutioncanbe adaptedfromthe DDR programme developedinthe 1990s tohelpex-childsoldiers.Thisprogramme,whichhashelpedmore than 100,000 childrensince 199879 , notonlyoffersa viable suggestionof how to treatchildpiratesfairly and ina waythat respectstheirright,butalsocontainsa solutiontothe problemof where children shouldbe takenonce theyhave beenapprehendedduringapiracymission,aswill become clearer whenthisessayconsidersthe demobilisationandreintegrationmeasuresof the DDRprocess. The firstpriorityof those whocapture childpiratesshouldbe disarmament,the removal of the child’sweapon,whichiswhyappropriatetrainingisessential asanindividual mustbe properly equippedtoensure theyare able todothiswithoutemotioncloudingtheirjudgement. Disarmamentisnotjustimportantinensuringthe safetyof all involvedbut,whenchildrencanbe convincedtogive uptheirweaponswillingly,itisalsoa hugelysymbolicmoment.Inthe case of a childsoldier,‘puttingdownthe gunsymbolizesthe endof hostilitiesandmarksthe beginningof the transitionoutof militarylife’80 .Thisisnodifferentforthose childrenwhoare linkedtopirate groups, as theirweaponis the mostsignificantthingthattiesthemto,andidentifiesthemaspartof,a pirate group.So willingdisarmamentismore thanjustthe handing overof a weapon,insteaditalso representsgivingupthe itemthattiesthemmoststronglytothe armedgroupor pirate network fromwhichtheyhave come. Once a childhasbeendisarmed,those whohave apprehendedthemare facedwiththe dilemmaof whatshouldhappentothe childnext. Ashas beendiscussed,currentlynomatterwhatmeasure is takenchildren’srightsare violatedinone wayoranother.Eithertheyface trial away fromhome,are 79 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 80 Wessells,Michael,Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p158
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 27 heldinthe same cell as those withwhomtheycommittedactsof piracy,or theyare releasedback intothe same dangeroussituationfromwhichtheyhave come,thusrenderingthe disarmament redundantanyway.Alternativelytheycouldbe handedovertothe Somali governmentbut,since theyare notparty to the CRC and do nothave the same legal responsibilitiestoprotectthe rightsof the childas otherstatesdo,there is noguarantee the child’sinterestswillbe properlycaredfor. However,byadaptingthe demobilisationandreintegrationmeasuresthatare usedinthe casesof recentlydisarmedex-childsoldiers,the international communitycanavoideachof these problems. It isperfectlyfeasiblethatbothdemobilisationandreintegrationforex-childpiratescouldbe achievedwithinSomalia,asbothSomalilandandPuntlandhave recentlybeenmakingeffortsto enacta fairjuvenilejusticesystemtotryand deal withapprehendedchildpirates81 .Thus,thereisan existentopportunityforthe international communitytoworkalongside these regions,alongwith children’sagenciessuchasUNICEF,to tailorsuch juvenile justice soitfocusesonthe demobilisation and reintegrationof the child.Suchaprogramme couldbe run inconjunctionwithbothlocal and international children’sagencies,thusgivingthe international communitythe opportunityto oversee the process,ensuringthe interestsandrightsof the childare constantlybeingaddressed and respected. Once disarmeditisthenextremelyimportantforrecentlyapprehendedchildpiratestogothrougha processof demobilisation.Firstlythisisbecause practicallyithelpstoensure the child’ssafety,as theyare placedina secure location,protectingthemfrom the possibilityof beingfoundandre- recruitedbythe pirate commandersfromwhomtheyhave escaped.Furthermore demobilisation offersindividualchildrenthe chance tohave theirspecificneedsmet,while atthe same time 81 Fritz, Danielle,Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, p917
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 28 encouragingthemtoface up to the realityof the crimestheyhave committed.Inthe case of recentlydemobilisedchildsoldiersitisrecognisedthattheyare ‘fragile andcarryraw emotional wounds’82 ,andthere isnoreasonwhyrecentlyapprehendedchildpiratesshouldnotbe considered inthe same light.Justaschildsoldiershave oftencommittedorseenterrible acts,whichhave left themvulnerable emotionally,sotoohave childpirates.Insome casesa childwill have come straight intoa pirate networkafterescapinganarmedgroup,meaningtheymayneeddemobilisation measuresthatallowthemtodeal withthe scars of bothbeinga soldierandapirate.The special nature of the childsolider,orpirate,beingbothavictimanda criminal mustbe addressedduring thisstage,as well asduringthe reintegrationprocess,if the childistomove pastthisexperience and focuson theirfuture.Forexample manychildrenmayexperience shame orguilt83 uponleavingan armedor pirate group,especiallyif theyhave beeninvolvedinthe harmingorkillingof another person.Thiscouldresultinthe childsufferingfromamultitude of psychological problemsincluding nightmares,panicattacksor aggressive behaviour.Some mayevenbelieve theirinvolvementinsuch atrocitiesmeansthattheyare inherentlyevil andunable tobe helped,nomatterwhatcourse of actiontheytake.Thus,at thisstage,the focusshouldbe onallowingchildrentoarticulate their emotionsinaway withwhichtheyfeel comfortable.Thiscanbe achievedbyallowingthe childto communicate howthe experiencehasleftthemfeeling,whichcanbe done through‘expressive activitiessuchasdrawing,song,dance,storytelling,andotheractivitiesconducivetoexpressing emotionsinculturallyappropriate ways.’84 While demobilisationisrelativelyshortterm, reintegrationisalongerprocessthatensureschildren are able tore-entercivilianlifeanddevelopintoactive citizens.Thisisbecause demobilisation 82 Wessells,Michael,Child Soldiers FromViolenceto Protection, p159 83 Ibid,p126 84 Ibid,p159
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 29 requiresimmediateactiontoaddressthe mostpressingproblemsfacedbychildrenuponleavingan armedor pirate group,whereasreintegrationisanon-goingprocesstoensure children‘transition back intocivilianlifeandchildhood’85 .Reintegrationisessential afterdisarmamentand demobilisationhave takenplace as,withoutit,childrenare athighriskof returningtothe pirate networkstheyleft,becausethe factorsthatledto themdecidingtojoinupinthe firstplace will remainunchanged.Inaddition,the CRCliststhe rehabilitationandreintegrationof bothchildvictims and criminals86 asbeingof upmostimportance inanylegislationrelatingtothem. There are five areas thatare identified87 asimportantinthe reintegrationstrategyforex-childsoldiers,all of which can be adaptedtofitthe needsof childpirates. The firstis to reunite,whenpossible,the childwiththeirfamily,whichisinkeepingwithcurrent international law relatingtochildren’srights.Forexample,there isaheavyemphasisonthe importance of the familyinArticles8,9 and 10 of the CRC88 . Thisisbecause,inmostcases,it is withinthe child’sbestinteresttopartake inordinaryfamilylife,asthe familyisusuallyidentifiedas the bestsource of protectionandthe mostlikelytocare for the child.Alongwiththis,throughbeing part of a familyunit,childrenare able tomake sense of theirrootsand where theycome from.This isespeciallysignificantforSomali childrenas,intheirculture,kinandclanidentitiesare extremely important89 andchildrenshouldnotbe deniedthe opportunitytobe apart of this.However,itwill 85 Williamson,John (2006) ‘The Disarmament,Demobilisation and Reintegration of Child Soldiers:Social and Psychological Transformation in Sierra Leone’, Intervention 4(3): 185-205,p189 86 Happold,Matthew, The Age of Criminal Responsibility in International Law, p5 87 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p160 88 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p1 89 Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, Somali Cultural Guide Building Capacity to Strengthen the Well-Being of Immigrant Families and Their Children: A Prevention Strategy, availableat http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/CulturalGuide- Somali.pdf?utm_source=June+newsletter&utm_campaign=June+Newsletter&utm_medium=archive (30/07/13) p1
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 30 not alwaysbe possible forachildtobe reunitedwiththeirfamily,eitherbecausethe familyispartof the pirate groupfrom whichthe childhasescapedor because,evenwiththe supportof children’s agencies,the childisjudgedtobe insignificantdangerof beingre-recruitedif placedbackwiththeir family.Inbothinstancesstepsshouldbe takentoplace the childwithafosterfamilyof the same clan,and theirwelfare withinthisfamilyshouldbe placedunderkeenobservationtoensure they are notbeingmistreated.Thisisimportant,sincethe CRCstatesthatchildrendeprivedof the family environmentare still entitledtobe ‘lookedafterproperly,bypeople whorespecttheirethnicgroup, religion,cultureandlanguage.’90 Inaddition,ininstanceswhenchildrencannotbe placedwiththeir family,due toconcernsregardingthe riskof re-recruitment,the childshouldstill be allowedtokeep inregularcontact withtheirfamily.Thisisbecause,insuchcases,the problemiswiththe securityof the child,notbecause the familyisguiltyof mistreatingthe child.Thereforethere isnoreasonwhy the familyshouldnotretainameaningful relationship. The nextarea to addressisensuringchildrenare placedintoeducation.Itisverydoubtful that, whilstworkingaspartof a piracy group,childrenwill have keptupwithregularstudiesanditisalso more than likelythat,forsome of these children,school maynothave beenpartof theirlivesbefore theybecame a memberof a pirate group.In the lattercase thislack of educationmayhave left childrenfeelingtheylackedotheroptionsbesidesbecomingapirate,thusmakingita decidingfactor intheirrecruitmentinthe firstplace.Addressingthisisespeciallyimportantfromapractical pointof view,since childrenneedabasiceducationtoequipthemwiththe skillsrequiredtodevelopintoan adultcapable of providingforthemselves,whichinturncouldalsohelpcombatformerchildpirates returningtopiracy inlaterlife.Alongwiththis,accordingtothe CRC,childrenhave the rightto 90 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 20, p3
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 31 developtheirpotential91 ,forwhicheducationisessential. Itisalsoimportantforteachingchildren the value of humandignity,alongwiththeirrightsandthose rightsof others92 .Inadditiontothis,it couldbe arguedthat denyingchildrenaneducationmakesthemmore susceptibletopropaganda. Thisin turnmakesit iseasierforpirate commanderstotake advantage of themonce againand ensuresacontinuingcycle.There are therefore amultitude of reasonswhyprovidingex-childpirates withan educationuponleavingan armedgroupis essential,especiallyif the international communitywantstoensure childrendonotendupback withinthe piratesnetworkfromwhichthey have recentlyescaped. In conjunctionwiththis,if childpiratesare tosuccessfullymake the transitionbackintocivilianlife thentheywill needtohave accessto employmentopportunities.Thisisespeciallytrue for adolescentswhodonothave a familytohelpsupportthem, astheywill have tobe able to support themselves.Withouthavingaccess toemploymentopportunitiesyoungpeople will struggle tohave financial security,thushinderingtheirdevelopmentopportunitiesandpossiblypushingthemback intothe piracy lifestyle.Inadditiontothe financial securitysuchemploymentoffers,italsohelps formerchildpiratesastheyreintegrate intothe society.Thisisbecause ex-childpiratesmaystruggle withthe banalityof everdaylife uponleavingapirate groupand mightalsofeel that,because of the actionstheyhave taken,theyare now irrevocablydamagedandwill be unable tofunctionwithina normal societyagain.So,byprovidingchildrenwiththe opportunitytotake ona role withinthe community,itwill helpyoungpeople tosee themselvesasmore thanjustan ex-pirate,aswellas challengingthe banalityof civilianlife andprovidingthemwithanoutletfortheirpentupenergy. Therefore,anotherrequirementof the reintegrationprocessisthatformerchildpirates,alongwith 91 Ibid,Article28, p3 92 Ibid,Article29, p3
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 32 havingaccessto education,mustbe equippedwithemployabilityskills,suchasvocational training, to helpthemgainan occupation.Thisinturn will helpformerchildpiratesbothearntheirown income andbecome active membersof theirsociety. The fourtharea to be addressedisthe child’sneedfor psychological support,whichshouldbuildon the initial supportgivenduringthe demobilisationperiod.Thisisconsideredtobe of paramount importance forchildsoldiersbecauseitwill ‘helpquiettheirmemoriesof the furiesof warand construct civilianidentities’93 .Thisisalsotrue forchildrenwholeave piracygroups,asmostof them will,inone wayor another,have beenpartytoviolentevents.Inaddition,aspreviouslymentioned, some of these childrenwillbe bothex-soldiersandformerpiratesandmayrequire greater psychological supportasaresultof havingswappedone aggressive roleforanother.This psychological supportshouldbe focusedonhelpingchildrentorationalise the actionstheyhave takenas part of a piracygroup, alongwiththe reasonswhytheyfelttheywere the best,oronly, choicesavailable tothematthe time.Throughdoingthischildrenwillbe encouragedtoface upto, admitand take ownershipof the crimestheyhave committed.Itwill alsoencourage childrento recognise thatitwas due to the desperationtheyfelt,andnotbecause theirnature isinherently bad,that theywere more susceptibletothe manipulationof pirate commanders.Bydoingthis childrenwill acceptsome ownershipof theiractions,butalsocome torealise thattheyshouldnever have beenputinthat positioninthe firstplace. Obviously,justasinthe case of childsoldiers,the level of psychological supportwill vary.Forexample,ajuvenilewhohasbeenforcedtokill duringa piracymissionmayverywell needmore psychological supportthanachildwhoremainedonboard the pirate shipas the attack took place.Whatall thishighlightsisthatpsychological supportis 93 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p160
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 33 essential forall childrengoingthroughreintegration,butthe needsof eachchildwill be variedand individual–somethingthatmustbe rememberedthroughoutthisprocess. The final part of the reintegrationprocessiscentredonthe child’scommunity,ratherthanthe child themselves.Inthe case of childsoldiersthisstepfocusesparticularlyoncommunitycohesionand healing,whichisessentialwhenone considersthe actsthatchildrenhave oftenbeenforcedto commitagainsttheirownfamilymembersorneighbours.Since actsof piracyare committedagainst foreignersratherthanmembersof the child’scommunity,itcouldbe arguedthatthisshouldnot carry the same weightinthe reintegrationprocessinthiscase. However,unlessthe communityis part of thisprocess,there isscope forpeople tomisunderstandthe circumstancesandfactorsthat cause childrentobecome piratesinthe firstplace.Forexample,inSomaliaatthe momentitisnot unusual forindividualmembersof the communitytoassume all involvedinpiracyare either addictedtothe substance khat94 ,or interestedinspendingwhateverransommoneytheyreceive on fastcars or luxuries95 .Itisveryrare to findthose whorecognise thatsome piratesare young children,oradolescents,whoeitherneedtosupporttheirfamily,orturnedtopiracy outof necessity as a resultof the effectsfamineandwarhave had on theirlives.Therefore,itisessential that reintegrationprocessesalsoworkwithinthe communitytochange perceptionsof whatlife islike for these childrenandhowtheyendedupinvolvedin piracy.Thiswillalsohelpthe communitycome to betterunderstandandidentifythose childrenmostatriskof enteringintopiracy,therefore providingopportunitiestohelppreventchildrenfromjoiningupinthe firstplace. 94 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, this sentiment is frequently repeated throughout this text 95 Ibid
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 34 However,althoughtheymayhave successona small scale,itisdoubtful thatthe communitywill be able to make muchdifference tothe overall problemof childpiracy.Thisiswhythe nextareaof legislationproposedbythisessayisforstepstobe takento tackle the root causesof piracy. 3. Tackling theroot causesof piracy As importantasit isto ensure thatchildrenwhoare caught duringpiracymissionshave theirrights protected,there alsoneedstobe more done totry and preventchildrenbeinginthatsituationin the firstplace.Takingstepsto preventchildrenfromenteringintopiracyisextremelyimportant,as the bestthingfor a child isto avoidbeingina situationwhichrequiressuchDDRmeasuresinthe firstplace.Therefore,more needstobe done totackle the root causesof piracy,since ‘[i]tmakes little sense tostandbackand allowthe damage tooccur, pickingupthe piecesafterward.’96 Undoubtedlypartof thismustinvolve arrestingandprosecutingthose whorecruitchildreninthe firstplace,as dealtwithinthe firstmeasure thisessaysuggested,howeverthere are othersteps that mustalsobe taken. To start withthe emphasisoneducational andemploymentopportunities,laidoutabove aspart of the reintegrationsectionof the DDRstrategy,mustnot onlybe appliedtothose childrenwhohave escapedpiracy,butrather toall children.If youngpeople are deniedtheseopportunitiesthenthey may feel theyhave nootherchoice butto turnto piracy to supportthemselvesortheirfamilies.If thisisone of the factors that pusheschildrenintopiracy,itseemscounterproductive toonlyensure 96 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p232
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 35 childrenhave properaccesstoappropriate opportunitiesaftertheyhave joinedapirate network.In addition,manySomali childrenhave sufferedinrecentyearsasa resultof the international community’sdecisiontolimitthe amountof aidthe countryreceives.While thisisunderstandable if one considersareassuchas the country’scapital Mogadishu,where continuedconflictmeansthere are considerableriskinvolvedinsupplyingaid,itislesssowhenone considersthe relativestability and independence of bothPuntlandandSomaliland,where the securitythreatisnogreaterthanin otherareas of the world.So,althoughitmay be impossibletoprovide aidincertainareasof Somalia,itcan be peacefullyandeffectivelydistributedtothose inSomalilandandPuntland,and perhapsmore can be done from withinthese regionstoensure some assistance isofferedtothose inthe more war torn partsof the country. It isalso importantthatoutreachwork,whichfocusesspecificallyonpreventingchildrenfrom becomingpirates,iscarriedoutwithinSomalia.Justasthe final reintegrationmeasure,outlined previously,focusedonengagingthe adultcommunity inthe realitiesof childpiracy,sotoomustthis outreachwork.Thisshouldbe done through‘advocacyand supportingcivil societybyraising awarenessof childrightsthrougha varietyof media’97 .Aswell asbeingaimedatadults,such outreachmustalso be targetedat children –to show themthat, althoughpiracymayseemthe best optionavailable tothem,thisisnotnecessarilytrue.CurrentlyinPuntlandagrassrootsversionof thisveryoutreachis alreadyinexistence inthe formof ex-pirates,whohave repentedof theirways, goingintoschoolsanddissuadinglocal youthsfromfollowingthe same pathastheydid98 .Therefore, inthisinstance the groundworkhasalreadybeendone,the international communityjusthasto ensure sucha programme isreachingas manyvulnerable youngpeople aspossible.Alongwiththis, 97 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 98 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, p111
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 36 such outreachworkmay benefitfromthe involvementof those childrenwhohave beenthroughthe DDR process.Theywill have the benefitof first-handexperienceandpersonal testimoniesregarding the realitiesof beingapirate,whichwillmake thembettersuitedtodispellingthe mythsthatmake piracyso appealingtotheirpeers.This,inturn,mayhelpthose childrenwhoare strugglingtoadjust to civilianlife.Itwill givethemsomethingpositive toworkon,as theywill be able touse their personal experience tohelpotherchildrenavoidsufferingthe same exploitationastheythemselves encountered. Inmanysensesthismaybe viewedasa formof restorative justice,assuchoutreach workmay be consideredasa communityservice,whichhelpstobridge the gapbetweenex-child piratesandtheircommunities. So far the measuresoutlinedabove have largelyfocusedonpreventative measureswithinSomalia, whichrequire boththe international communityandthe authoritieswithinSomalilandandPuntland to workin partnershipwithone another.There isone action,however,thatthe international communitycancommitto do off land,whichmighthelptodecrease the numberof childpirates. Namelytheycantake action andprosecute illegalfishtrawlersinSomali waters.Afterall,piracyoff the coast of Somaliagrewinitiallyinresponse tothis.Byarrestingandprosecutingthose whoabuse Somalia’sdefencelessnessinthismatter,itmay helptotackle some of the causesthat leadto childrenbecomingpirates.Firstly,itwillcounteractthe bitternessthathasflourishedasa resultof the continual arrestof Somalisforpiracywhilst,atthe same time,those whoenterSomali water uninvitedandsteal the country’smainsource of income andfoodremainatlarge.It will alsoallow Somalia’sfishermentore-enteritswaters,withoutfacingthe possibilityof losingtheirequipmentor life.Atthe same time,if trawlersare removedfromthe waterthenthe fishstockmayreturnto normal,meaningthere willbe more fishforthe Somali people tocatch,thusprovidingasteady income andfoodin timesof famine.Byprosecutingthose whoplunderSomali watersillegally,the
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 37 international communitywill be removingthe excuse givenbypirate commandersindefence of theiractions.Inalmostall casespiratesclaimtheyare actingto protecttheirwatersagainstsuch trawlers99 ,evenwhentheyare attackingprivate yachts,aidconvoys,oroil tankers.While itmaybe easierforadultsto spotthe flawinthisargument,childrenmaynotbe as capable of doingso - at leastnotwhile the problemof illegal fishtrawlersandthe angertowardsthe restof the worldfor failingtoaddressthisissue remains.Therefore,byremovingthe actual problemof illegalfish trawlers,the international communitywouldbe removingthe group’sentire excuseforwhythey commitacts of piracy,whichmayotherwise be usedtomanipulate childrenintojoiningforceswith pirate ranks. While itisnevergoingtobe possible topreventchildpiracyfromhappeningoverall,there isthe opportunitytodecrease instancesof itoccurring.Of course the chance of preventingpiracyin Somaliaiscurrentlyhamperedbythe limited areainwhichthe international communitycanwork. Justas there has beendifficultyintryingtocombatthe militaryrecruitmentof childsoldierswithin the DRC and Uganda while fightingisstill prevalent,sotoowill itbe difficulttoimplementmeasures that tackle the root causesof childpiracywhile fightingandthe use of childsoldiersremainsareality inmost of Somalia.However,thisdoesnotmeanthatthe internationalcommunityshouldnottry and do whatit can to tackle the causesof child piracy.In addition,there isnoexcuse forfailingto implementthese measuresinSomalilandandPuntland,asbothregionsare stable withsome form of governmentandrule of law. 99 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State, p149
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 38 Overall,thissectionhasshownthatif the internationalcommunityisseriousaboutprotecting children’srightsanddoingwhatisbestforthe child,thenitshouldadaptthe currentprocedures usuallyfollowedincasesrelatingtochildsoldiers.Inparticularithasshownwhychildrenshouldnot be prosecuted,butratherthose whorecruitthemshould.Inaddition,ithasalsoexplainedwhythe bestwayto achieve thisisto setup a hybridcourt,whichwill be able toworkwithinSomaliabutwill have all the powerof an international tribunal.Asforchildrenwhoare apprehendedduringpiracy missions,theyneedtobe part of an adaptedDDR procedure and,since thisprocedure isalreadya triedandtestedmethod,tailoredtohelpchildrenwhoare escapingsimilarcircumstances; itavoids the problemsthatarise if the international communityreliespurelyonthe CRC. That beingsaid,this essayhas arguedthat purelydraftinglegislationtofocusonwhat shouldhappenonce achildhas beenapprehendedisnotgoodenough,asmore needstobe done to try and preventchildrenfrom beingrecruitedaspiratesinthe firstplace.Therefore,anylegislationthatdealswithchildpirates mustinclude preventative,aswell asreactive,measures. Conclusion Overall itisclearthat the problemof childpiracyisnot goingto go awayanytime soon,whichmeans the likelihoodof differentnationsapprehendingthose below the age of eighteenisincreasingly likely.Despitethisthe issue islargelyignoredinthe publicsphere anditisleftupto those who capture such childrentodecide onthe bestcourse of action,whichisfar from ideal,especially consideringthatthishasregularlyresultedinthe violationof the child’srights.Therefore,the questionof howtoproperlyaddressall the needsof childpiratesmustbe tackledatthe international level,throughspecialisedlegislationthatsetsoutan overall standard.Thiswill have to account forthe fact that childrenare legal andmoral subjects,whoare inthe processof developing
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 39 intorational adultsandwill thereforerequirealevel of special protectionnotawardedtoadults.In additionthisessayhasalsoarguedthat,althoughthe CRC isa goodstartingpointfromwhichto begindraftingsuchlegislation,onitsownitis notenough.Especiallyasthe generalityof the conventionmeansthe uniqueneedsof childpiratesare inadequatelyaddressed.Nottomentionthe failure toseta MACR for crimesof an international nature hasinsome waysaddedtothe discrepanciesthathappeninthe tryingof childpiracycasescurrently. However,legislationrelatingtochildpiratesdoesnotneedtobe designedfromscratch,as solutions can be drawnfromthe currentapproach the internationalcommunitytakestochildsoldiers,since the situationsurroundingthe recruitmentof both setsof childrenissimilar.Moreover,the current treatmentof childsoldiersistailoredtotake intoaccountthe special needsof thisparticulartype of child,whichcanbe helpfullyadaptedinthe case of childpirates,whose needsare notthat dissimilar.Thisessayhaschosenthree specificmeasureswhichare generallyusedtotryand help childsoldiers,andthenproceededtoexplainwhyanylegislationregardingchildpiratesmustinclude an adaptedversionof these.These measuresprotectformer childpiratesbyreintegratingthem back intotheircommunities,while atthe same time focusingoncapturingandprosecutingthose pirate commanderswhorecruitandexploittheminthe firstplace.Inaddition,because the third measure focusessolelyon tacklingthe overallrootcausesof piracy,itis notjust the rightsof ex-child piratesthatwill ultimatelybe protected,butratherthose rightsof all whommaybe indangerof beingrecruitedinthe future.
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 40 Bibliography Andersen,Elizabeth;Brockman-Hawe,Benjamin;&Goff,Patricia, Suppressing MaritimePiracy: Exploring the Optionsin InternationalLaw,available athttp://acuns.org/wp- content/uploads/2012/06/SuppressingMaritimePiracyExploringOptionsIntlLaw.pdf (08/08/13) Archard,David, Children Rights and Childhood 2nd Edition (Wolverhampton,Routledge,2004) Archard,DavidWilliam,‘Children'sRights’, TheStanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (Summer2011 Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.),available at http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights-children/ (17/07/13) Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Insidethe Hidden World of Somalia’sPirates (London,HarperCollins, 2011) Burnett,John, WhereSoldiers Fear to Tread (London,Arrow Books,2007) CenterforAdvancedStudiesinChildWelfare, SomaliCulturalGuideBuilding Capacity to Strengthen the Well-Being of ImmigrantFamiliesand Their Children:A Prevention Strategy,available at http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/CulturalGuide- Somali.pdf?utm_source=June+newsletter&utm_campaign=June+Newsletter&utm_medium=archive (30/07/13) Conradi,Carl (2011) ‘The InvisiblePhenomenonof ChildPirates’, Canadian NavalReview,available at: http://www.navalreview.ca/2013/02/the-invisible-phenomenon-of-child-piracy/ (10/07/13) Dalhousie Marine PiracyProject,(2012) Children and Youth in MarinePiracy: Causes,Consequences and the Way Forward,availableat:http://www.childsoldiers.org/files/publications/2012-DMPP- Children-Youth-Marine-Piracy.pdf (10/07/13) De Silva,H;Hobbes,C; & Hanks,H (2001) ‘Conscriptionof ChildreninArmedConflict:A Formof ChildAbuse –A Studyof 19 FormerChildSoldiers’, Child AbuseReview 10:125-134 Dutton,Yvonne M(2010) ‘BringingPiratestoJustice:A Case for IncludingPiracyWithinthe Jurisdictionof the International CriminalCourt’, OneEarth FutureFoundation,availableat http://www.oneearthfuture.org/siteadmin/images/files/file_52.pdf (08/08/13)
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 41 Fritz,Danielle (2012) Child Pirates fromSomalia:A Call forthe InternationalCommunity to Support the FurtherDevelopmentof JuvenileJustice Systemsin Puntland and Somaliland, availableat: http://law.case.edu/journals/JIL/Documents/(16)%20Fritz%20Corrected.pdf (10/07/13) Fottrell,Deirdre, Revisiting Children’sRights10 Years of the UN Convention on theRightsof the Child (The Hague, KluwerLawInternational,2000) Happold,Matthew, TheAge of Criminal Responsibility in InternationalLaw,available at http://www.asser.nl/default.aspx?site_id=9&level1=13337&level2=13345 (17/07/13) Harper,Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong?Faith,Warand Hope in a Shattered State (London,Zed Books,2012) IRIN (2010) SOMALIA:Children facing theworst,saysUN,available at http://www.irinnews.org/report/90977/somalia-children-facing-the-worst-says-un(08/08/13) Kent,George,Children in the InternationalPoliticalEconomy (Basingstoke,MacmillanPressLtd, 1995) Lee,Nick, Childhood and SocietyGrowing up in Ageof Uncertainty (Buckingham, OpenUniversity Press,2001) Lendon,Brad(2011) ‘3 teenage boysamong7 SomalisfacingdeathinMalaysiapiracycase’, CNN, available at:http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/11/3-teenage-boys-face-death-in-malaysia-piracy- case/ (10/07/13) Maritime SecurityReview(2011) Child Pirates,available at http://www.marsecreview.com/2011/03/child-pirates/ (17/07/13) Messaoudi,Sonia(2012) Child pirates:A key issue forrespecting child’s rightsand halting piracy, available athttp://piracy-law.com/author/soniamessaoudi/ (08/08/13) Noble-Hearle,Misha(2013) ‘ChildPirates:A worldawayfromplay’, DalNews, available at: http://www.dal.ca/news/2013/03/20/young-pirates-on-the-high-seas-.html(10/07/13) Samatar, Abidi;Lindberg,Mark;and Mahayni,Basil (2010) ‘The Dialecticsof PiracyinSomalia:the rich versusthe poor’, Third World Quarterly, 31 (8): 1377-1394 Snow,Anita(2010) ‘UN envoy:rehabilitate childpirates’,ArabNews,availableat: http://www.arabnews.com/node/360064 (10/07/13)
Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 42 SOS Children’sVillagesCanada(2010) Child Pirates: A New Child RightsChallengeforSomalia, available athttp://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/news/news/child-charity-news/pages/child-pirates- somali-rights-462.aspx (10/07/13) The Special Courtfor SierraLeone,TheProsecutorvs.CharlesGhankay Taylor,available at http://www.sc-sl.org/CASES/ProsecutorvsCharlesTaylor/tabid/107/Default.aspx(12/08/13) UNICEF, Convention on theRightsof theChild, available atwww.unicef.org/crc/ (17/07/13) UNICEF, UNICEFFactSheet: A summary of therightsunderthe Convention on theRightsof the Child, available athttp://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf (17/07/2013) Wessells,Michael, Child SoldiersFromViolenceto Protection (London,HarvardUniversityPress, 2009) Williamson,John(2006) ‘The Disarmament,DemobilisationandReintegrationof ChildSoldiers: Social and PsychologicalTransformationinSierraLeone’, Intervention 4(3):185-205

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MA Dissertation

  • 1. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 1 How should we legislate at the international level with regards to child pirates? Thisessayshall argue that there needstobe agreedinternational legislation,similartothe existent protectionofferedtochildsoldiers,whichgivesdirectiononhow todeal withthe growingproblem of childpiracy.Due to the limitedamountof researchavailable onthe issue of piracyingeneral,this essayshall focusmainlyonthe piratical activitythattakesplace off the coastof Somalia.However, the conclusiondrawncan alsoapplyto childpiratesoperatingoff the coastof otherknown ’hotspots’,suchasIndonesiaandNigeria. Thisessaywill beginbydetailingthe historyof piracyinSomaliaandthe growingproblemof child piracy.It will explainthe factorsthathave helpedleadtothe currentproblem, alongwithoutlining howchildren come tobe pirates.Itshall thendiscussthe shortcomingsof the internationalresponse to childpirates,arguingthatthe lack of an agreedinternationalstrategyhasledtoconsiderable discrepanciesbetweenthe handlingof differentcasesinvolvingchildpiratesand,inmanysituations, has resultedinaviolationof children’srights. Thiswill thenleadintothe secondpartof thisessay,whichwill considerthe currentlegal statusof childrenandhowthisshouldimpactthe debate surroundingthe correcttreatmentof childpirates. Focussingparticularlyonthe UnitedNationsConventiononthe Rightsof the Child(CRC),itwill explore howthe currenttreatmentof childpiratesbreaksanumberof the articleswithinthe CRC. However,thisessaywillalsoargue thatthe CRC itself suffersfromanumberof flawsandtherefore shouldbe takenonlyasthe startingpointwhenseekingtounderstandchildren’srightsingeneral, fromwhichfurtherlegislationcanbe developed.
  • 2. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 2 Thiswill setthe foundationforthe mainargumentof thisessay,whichwill be the focusof the final sectionandwill centre onthe premise that,due totheirsimilarcircumstances,the bestwayto understandthe legislationneededforchildpiratesistoadapt the currentpracticesusedfor child soldiers.Thiswillbe brokendownintothree distinctareas:the needtoprosecute the recruitersof childpirates,notthe childrenthemselves;the needforchilddisarmament,demobilisationand reintegration(DDR) measurestobe putin place;and the needto tackle the rootcausesof child piracyto protect childrenbeforetheycanbe recruited.Thisessayshall demonstrate that,byputting legislationinplace totackle these three areas,the rightsof childpirateswillbe adequately protected.Itwill alsooutlinewhythe International Court(IC) cannotdothisonits own,butmust workin partnershipwiththe existinglegal structuresestablishedinthe autonomousregionsof SomalilandandPuntland. Thisessayshall conclude thatwhile there isaneedforspecificinternational legislationthattakes intoaccount the special circumstancesandrequirementsof childpirates,suchlegislationdoesnot needtobe whollyoriginal.Rather,muchcanbe adaptedfromthe current waythe international communityactswhenfacedwiththe similarcategoryof childsoldiers,asthishasbeendesigned withthe specificneedsof thisparticulartype of childinmind. Before movingonitisimportantto note that thisessayconsidersachildpirate tobe anyone whois underthe age of eighteenwhentheyare apprehended.Thisisinkeepingwiththe UN definitionof
  • 3. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 3 the child,as statedinArticle 1 of the CRC1 ,although,aswill be discussedfurtheron,there istension surroundingthe age at whicha childcan be consideredtobe criminallyresponsible. The history of piracy in Somalia and the problemof child piracy Before thisessaycanconsiderthe currentproblemof childpiracyoff the coast of Somalia,itis importantto firstunderstandthe backgroundfactorsthathave ledto the growthinpiratical activity withinthe region.Withoutconsideringthe rootcausesof piracyin Somalia,alongwiththe reasons whyindividualscome tobe involvedinthe firstplace,anysolutionthisessaysuggestswithregards to tacklingthe problemof childpirateswillbe under-informedfromthe beginning. Piracyin Somaliahasbeenpresentforthe lasttwodecadesandcan be tracedback to the political instabilityandeventualcollapseof the national governmentin19912 , withpiratical activityinSomali watersbeingcompletely‘unknownbefore1989’3 . Original instancesinthe regionwere notfor ransomsbut were usedstrategically,blockingsuppliesreachinggovernmentcontrolledareas4 ,inthe political struggle againstthe dictatorship. Followingthe collapse of the governingstructure piracy continued,notasthe criminal enterpriseithasnow become butas a tool,usedby Somalis,to ‘protecttheirmarine resources’5 againstillegal international fishtrawlers.These trawlerstook advantage of Somalia’slackof coast guard inthe wake of the governmentcollapse andthishada 1 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, availableat http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf (17/07/2013) p1 2 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil (2010) ‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, Third World Quarterly, 31 (8): 1377-1394 p1381 3 Ibid p1379 4 Ibid p1384 5 Ibid p1385
  • 4. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 4 devastatingeffectonthe Somali population.Followingthe collapse of the national government, widespreadviolence eruptedasdifferentclanidentitiesfoughtamongstthemselvesand‘tore the countryapart’6 , eventuallyleadingSomaliatobe brokendownintoanumberof semi-autonomous states,some of whichwere controlledbywarlords. Atthe same time famine wasa recurring problemaswarlordsregularlyblockedfoodaidfromreachingthose whoneededitmost7 and‘nearly 30,000 lives’8 were lostasa result.Asa consequence of thesefactorsthe richfishstockhad become the mainsource of foodavailable tothe majorityof the population,andthe arrival of incursive foreignfishtrawlersthreatenedthatsupply.Alongwithreducingthe numberof fish,trawlers regularlydestroyedSomali fishingequipmentand,insome instances,evenkilledlocal fishermen9 in the process.To try and fightthispoaching,local fishermenandmembersof the formercoastguard bandedtogetherandstartedattackingthe hostile vessels,lootingthemandthenreleasingthem10 . The relative successof these attackswasnoticedbycriminal groups,whichhadsprungup inthe absence of the government. The lackof economicopportunitywithinSomaliameantthat‘[s]ome of these criminalsrecognisedthe superblootingopportunityprovidedbynearly30,000 merchantships that annuallyplythe Gulf of Adenandthe IndianOcean.’11 Inotherwords,while piracyinSomalia had startedoutas a political tacticandthengrownintoa defence of one’slivelihoodagainstfish trawlers,itnowbecame a businessopportunityformanycriminal groupsthatrecognisedthe economicadvantage of capturingcommercial vesselsandransomingthem.Like those whotargeted illegal trawlers,thesenewpiratesalsoclaimedtobe ransomingcommercial vesselsinorderto 6 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates (London, HarperCollins,2011) p27 7 Burnett, John, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread (London, Arrow Books, 2007) p8 8 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil,‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, p1383 9 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, p181 10 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil,‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, p1835 11 Ibid p1836
  • 5. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 5 protecttheirwaters12 and,althoughsome ex-fishermendidjoinforceswiththisnew breedof pirate, the rise inthese acts of piracyhave made it more difficultforgenuine local fishermen.Theyare frequentlymistakenforpiratesandattackedbynaval forcesas a result13 .This,inturn,has angered some withinSomalia,whoblamethe international communityforcausingpiracyinthe firstplace by plunderingtheirnatural resourcesandkillinginnocentfishermen. Thisevolutionof piracyinSomaliaalsoappearstocoincide withevidencethatinstancesof child piracyare on the increase globally.In2011 Indiannaval forcesarrestedsixty-one peopleaboardthe capturedMozambique fishingvessel Vega 514 .Of the sixty-onepeople arresteditcame to lightthat twenty-five of them, ‘orsome 40%of the entire crew’15 , were below the age of eighteen –withfour of the piratesbeingestimatedasundereleven16 .Thiswasnotan isolatedcase butpart of a growing trendinwhich‘up to one inthree’17 piratesare thoughtto be children.The reasonsforpirate commanderstorecruitchildren are similarincharacterto the reasonswhyarmed leadersrecruit childsoldiers,particularlyinthe sensethattheyare ‘vulnerable andeasilymanipulated;fearlessand ignorantof the long-termconsequencesof theiractions;inexpensive tomaintain;plentiful in developingcountriesmostaffectedbypiracy;small instature andtherefore nimble;easily indoctrinated…andbecause theypose amoral challenge totheirenemies.’18 Inaddition,children withinSomaliaare regularlyrecruitedandusedbyarmed groups,withone aidworkersummingitup 12 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State (London, Zed Books, 2012) p149 13 Samatar,Abidi; Lindberg, Mark; and Mahayni,Basil,‘TheDialectics of Piracy in Somalia:the rich versus the poor’, p1390 14 Conradi,Carl (2011) ‘The InvisiblePhenomenon of Child Pirates’, Canadian Naval Review, availableat: http://www.navalreview.ca/2013/02/the-invisible-phenomenon-of-child-piracy/ (10/07/13) 15 Ibid 16 Ibid 17 Noble-Hearle, Misha (2013) ‘Child Pirates:A world away from play’,Dal News, availableat: http://www.dal.ca/news/2013/03/20/young-pirates-on-the-high-seas-.html (10/07/13) 18 Conradi,Carl,‘The InvisiblePhenomenon of Child Pirates’
  • 6. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 6 by saying,‘there are plentyof kidsandplentyof guns.’19 Thishascauseda natural transitionto develop,one thatenableschildrentomove fromarmedconflictintopiracy.Thiswasechoedbythe UN’s formerRepresentative forChildreninArmedConflict,RadhikaCoomaraswamy,whenshe visitedSomaliain2010 and reportedthatchildsoldierswouldescape ‘the ranksof Islamicmilitiasto become pirates.’20 There isalsoanincreasinglylikelychance thatchildrenwill be bornintoafamily withlinkstoa pirate group,makingtheirindoctrinationall the more likelyata significantlyyoung age21 . Justas commandersof pirate and armedgroupshave similarreasonsforrecruitingchildren,there are alsouseful comparisonstobe made betweenthe circumstancesthatleadchildrentovoluntarily sign-uptobe soldiersorpirates.Researchsuggeststhat,incasesof childsoldiers,‘failedsocial systemssetthe contextforunforcedrecruitmentbyofferingfewpositivealternativesforyoung people’22 .Inotherwords,the social circumstancesof childrenwhochoose tojoinarmedgroupshas oftenleftthemfeelingasthoughtheyhave nootheroption,leadingmanyscholarstoaskhow free this‘choice’reallyis.Formerchild soldiersoftencite povertyasone of the ‘primaryconsiderationsin theirdecisiontojoinanarmedgroup’23 ;althoughineverycircumstance there willbe amultitude of factors thatdrive childrentobecome soldiers24 .Similarly,inthe case of childpiratesinSomalia, 19 Burnett, John, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread, p3 20 Snow, Anita (2010) ‘UN envoy: rehabilitatechild pirates’, Arab News, availableat: http://www.arabnews.com/node/360064 (10/07/13) 21 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project,(2012) Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, availableat:http://www.childsoldiers.org/files/publications/2012-DMPP-Children-Youth- Marine-Piracy.pdf (10/07/13) p4 22 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection (London, Harvard University Press,2009) p43 23 Ibid p54 24 Ibid p55
  • 7. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 7 where mostchildrenappeartojoinona ‘voluntarybasis’25 ,youngpeople dosobecause,aswell as offeringthemachance to rebel againstauthority,itwill ‘potentiallyimprove one’ssocial and economicstatusandpositioninsociety’26 .Justlikethe case of the childsoldier,the youthwhojoins a pirate group doessobecause of a lack of otheroptions.Continuedconflictinsome areasof Somalia,alongwiththe continuedabsence of astrongcentral governmentandthe presence of recurringfamine,hasledtolimitedemploymentandeducational opportunitiesforyoungpeople. Thismay make piracyappear a worthwhilerisk –especiallytothose whoare expectedtohelp contribute totheirfamilyincome.Notonlydoespiracyofferyoungpeople a release frompoverty and the meansof economicempowerment,butalsothe chance togain respect,whichtheirprevious personal circumstanceswillnothave allowed.Formanyyoungpeople the ideathatthe pirates operatingoutof Somaliatodayare doingso to ‘protecttheirwaters’mightalsoworkas a form of manipulation,asthe continuedpresence of illegal trawlersandthe frequentattacksoninnocent fishermenmaywellserve toconvince themthatwhattheyare doingisright.Or to put itanother way, youngpeople maycome to viewpiratesas‘champions,fightersforjustice,andmentobe admired.’27 Eitherway,itappearsthat,as longas youngpeople view piracyasthe onlyopportunity available tobettertheircircumstancesandaslongas those whorunpirate operationscontinue to see childrenasa valuable businessinvestment,the likelihoodof childpiracydecreasingisextremely low. Despite this,there iscurrentlylittlerecognitionof the problematthe international level.For example,‘there are nointernational legalinstrumentsinplace toprescribe the properhandlingof 25 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p6 26 Ibid 27 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p7
  • 8. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 8 childpiratescapturedatsea’28 and thisfact bringsits own worries.One of the mainproblemsisthe lack of consistencyincasesof capturedchildpirates,broughtaboutasa resultof piracybeinga crime withuniversal jurisdiction.Thusthe wayanapprehendedchildistreatedissubsequently dependentupon whichcountrycapturesthem.Asitstands,‘childrensuspectedof piracyare currentlyfacingtrial acrossthe globe inplacessuchas Germany,Kenya,andthe Seychelles’29 and theirexperiencesvarygreatly.Forexample,in2011 three teenage boysfacedthe possibilityof the deathpenaltyina Malaysianpiracycase30 ,an extreme punishmentincomparisontothose whohave beenapprehendedbynationsthatdonotsupportcapital punishment.Inalarge majorityof cases the lack of any legislationmeansthatmanychildrenare notarrestedwhenapprehendedbutmerely have theirweaponsconfiscatedbeforebeingreleased.Thisiswhatisknownasthe ‘catch and release’approachandithas beencriticisedforallowingchildrentoreturntoa hazardoussituation,a problemwhichthisessaywill discussingreaterdepthlater.Inotherinstanceschildrenhave been apprehendedinthe regionof Puntland,whichwasonce commonlyconsideredthe home of Somali piracy,and are nowbeingkeptinthe same prisoncellsastheirformerpirate commanders.The varietyof waysinwhichinstancesof childpiracyhave beenhandledrevealsalarge discrepancy betweencasesinthe absence of anyinternational legislationonthe matter,notto mention breachesof children’srightslaw, suchasthe CRC, inmost cases - an issue thisessaywill addressin more detail furtheron.Thisdiscrepancyiscausingadeeplyunequal andunfairresponse tothe same issue.Italsomeansthat children’slivesare frequentlybeingplacedindanger,whichhighlightsthe needforinternational regulationtobe established.Suchlegislationisessentialforensuringthat 28 Conradi,Carl,‘The InvisiblePhenomenon of Child Pirates’ 29 Fritz, Danielle(2012) Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, availableat: http://law.case.edu/journals/JIL/Documents/(16)%20Fritz%20Corrected.pdf p893 30 Lendon, Brad (2011) ‘3 teenage boys among 7 Somalis facingdeath in Malaysiapiracy case’,CNN, available at: http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/11/3-teenage-boys-face-death-in-malaysia-piracy-case/ (10/07/13)
  • 9. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 9 childrencapturedonsuspicionof piracyare treatedequally,andthateachchild’srightsare respected. Althoughthe inconsistencybetweencaseshashighlightedthe needforinternational legislationon thisissue,itisnot yetclearwhat thislegislationshouldbe.Thisessaywill now proceedtofocuson thisquestion,beginningwithanexplorationof the legal rightschildrencurrentlypossess, particularlythose outlinedinthe CRC.Thisisimportant,asunderstandingthe waysinwhichthe CRC failstoadequatelyprotectchildpiratesrevealsthe needformore specificlegislation,alongwith providingthe foundationsfromwhichtostart. The CRC and thelegal rightsof the children The CRC, whichisa setof non-negotiable standardsandobligations,waspassedbythe general assemblyof the UN in198931 and isthe ‘most ratifiedinstrumentof international law’32 .Itisbased on the belief thatchildrenare ‘moral andlegal subjects’33 ,whose rightsneedtobe protectedby special legislationbecausetheirlessdevelopedphysical andmental maturity34 makesthem fundamentallydifferenttoadults.Toput it anotherway,while adultsare generallyacceptedtobe fullydevelopedbeings,‘capable of independentthoughtandaction’35 ,childrenare consideredtobe 31 Fottrell, Deirdre, One Step Forward or Two Steps Sideways? Assessing the First Decade of the Children’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (The Hague, Kluwer Law International,2000) p1 32 Archard,David, Children Rights and Childhood 2nd Edition, (Wolverhampton, Routledge, 2004) p58 33 Ibid 34 Ibid,p60 35 Lee, Nick, Childhood and Society Growing up in Age of Uncertainty (Buckingham, Open University Press, 2001) p5
  • 10. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 10 ‘humanbecomings’36 .Thismeanschildrenhave notyetdevelopedthe self-possessionandself- control 37 that adultshave,makingthem more ‘vulnerable,dependentanddefenceless’38 ,inneedof legal protectionanddeservingof rightsthatadultsdonot hold.Thus,the UN developedthe CRC expresslytoaddressthe specificneedsof the child.The conventionitself isbasedonfourcore principles:‘non-discrimination;devotiontothe bestinterestsof the child;the righttolife,survival and development;andrespectforthe viewsof the child.’39 Itincludes54articlesdesignedtoprotect these principles,howeverthe lackof internationalagreementandthe multitude of waysinwhich statesdeal withapprehendedchildpirateshasresultedinregularviolationsof these articles. In some casesitis self-evidenthowstatesmaybe violatingthe rightsof apprehendedchildpirates. For example,ininstancessuchasthe Malaysianpiracycase, inwhichthree youthsare facingthe deathpenalty,itisclearthe prosecutinggovernmentisbreachinganumberof articleslaidoutinthe CRC. Most notablythese are Article 6,whichstates‘children have the righttolive’40 ,andArticle 37, whichspecificallysayschildrenwhoare detainedforcriminalactivity‘shouldnotbe sentencedto death’41 . Nonetheless,there are situationsinwhichitisnotas obviousthatthe rightsof the child are beingviolatedandthisonlybecomesclearoncareful inspection.One suchcircumstance isthe practice of catch and release,inwhichgovernmentsdonotinterfere withthe childpirate exceptto remove theirweapons,thusnotimpedingtheirlibertyorcausingthemeitheremotional orphysical harm inany way.Despite thisitcan still be arguedthatthe statesresponsibleforpracticingthe catch and release methodare failingintheirobligationstothe childreninquestion.One could 36 Ibid 37 Ibid 38 Archard,David, Children Rights and Childhood 2nd Edition, p61 39 UNICEF, Convention on the Rights of the Child, availableatwww.unicef.org/crc/ (17/07/13) 40 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p1 41 Ibid p4
  • 11. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 11 maintainthat,byallowingchildrentoreturnto Somaliawithoutputtingmeasuresinplace toensure theydo notsimplyreturntothe same pirate networkfromwhichtheycame, statesare ignoring theirdutyto ensure the bestinterestsof the child.Whatismore,childrenare beingallowedto returnto ‘workthat isdangerousor mightharm theirhealthoreducation’42 whichisinbreachof Article 32 of the CRC, as well asthe International LabourOrganisation(ILO) conventiononthe worst formof childlabour43 .Statesthatare party to thisILO conventionare requiredto‘preventthe engagementof childreninorremove themfromthe worstformof childlabour,protectingthem fromreprisalsandprovidingfortheirrehabilitationandsocial integration.’44 Thus,the veryinaction of a state is infact a violationof the rightsof the childpirate inquestion,since itallowsthe exploitationof the childtocontinue. Otherinstanceswhere childpirateshave beenseized,buthave notfacedthe possibilityof the death penalty,alsofail tomeasure uptothe standardsoutlinedinthe CRC.Once childrenare removedto anothercountryto face trial,theirrightscan be violatedinanumberof ways.Particularly,the previouslymentionedArticle 37requiresthatchildrenshouldnotbe putinprisonwithadults,nor be keptfrom contactingtheirfamilies45 .The holdingof childreninthe same cell asadultsisa commonproblem,mostnotablywithinKenyaandSomaliaitself and,whatisworse,the adultsthese childrentendtobe heldwithare those withwhomtheycommittedactsof piracy46 in the firstplace. Therefore,inthese situations,notonlyare childrenindangerof beingabusedormanipulatedby those withwhomtheyshare a cell,buttheyare more vulnerablebecause theyare heldwithadults 42 Ibid 43 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p11 44 Ibid 45 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p4 46 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p10
  • 12. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 12 whoalreadyhave considerablepoweroverthem.Thus,byfailingtoseparate adultsfromchildren, manystatesare in breachof international law.Inaddition,manycountriesface problemswhenit comesto ensuringthose childrenwhoare heldforacts of piracy are able to contact theirfamilies. Thisis because the lackof a national governmentandthe continuedviolence inSomaliahasmade formal state recordsalmostimpossibletokeep.Couple thiswiththe factthatmanychildpiratesare awaitingtrial inpoorincome countrieswithlimitedresources,anditbecomesapparentthateven locatinga child’srelativesis problematicatbest. In addition,there isalsothe issue of questionable legal defencesandthe inadequaterehabilitationof those suspectedof childpiracy.While the CRC allowsstatestochoose the age at whichchildrencanbe consideredcriminallyresponsible fortheir actions,itstill maintainsinArticle 40that juvenilesshouldbe givenspecial protectionand allowancesnotawardedtoadults.Thisincludeshavingaccesstospecialisedlegalrepresentation fromthose whoare able to address‘the unique needsof children’47 ,howeverthisissomething whichoftendoesnotmaterialiseinreality.Forexample,inKenyalawyersare oftenexpectedto representwholegroupsof pirates,makingitimpossible toaddressneedsof individualadultslet alone those of children48 . As well asstatesfailingtolive uptothe standardssetout inthe CRC, applyingthe conventionalso suffersfromotherpressingproblems,the mostobviousof these beingthatSomaliaisone of only twocountries,alongwiththe USA,to have not ratifiedthe convention.Thisisobviouslygoingtobe an issue whenitcomestodecidinghowbesttodeal withchildpirates,asthe veryfact that Somalia isnot party to the CRC meanschildrenfacingtrial there willnotbe consideredashavingthese legal rights.Atthe same time,evencountriesthathave ratifiedthe CRCare failing,eitherthrough 47 Fritz, Danielle,Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, p899 48 Ibid
  • 13. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 13 negligenceorlogistical impossibilities,toadhere tothe letterof the law.It wouldappear,therefore, that the CRC doesnot provide anadequate enoughexplanationof whatexactlyshouldhappento childrenwhoare apprehendedduringpiratical activity,orwhichstate isactuallyresponsible for theirwelfare once theyare caught.Itseemschildren’srightsare indangerof beingviolated, regardlessof whichcourse of action istaken.In addition,since no‘provisionwasmade forindividual petitionsorinter-Statechallenges’49 duringthe draftingprocess,statesthatfail toadhere tothe obligationslaidoutinthe CRCface little prospectof beingheldaccountable forthis. Aside fromthe problemsof implementingthe CRCandthe lack of clarityaboutwhose responsibility it isto deal withapprehendedchildpirates,the conventionitself alsofacescriticism,particularly fromthose whobelieve itfavoursa westernmiddle-classviewof the child.Thiscanbe most clearly seeninthe waythe conventionapproachesthe issue of childlabouranditsconditionthatthey shouldnotdo anywork that inhibitstheirrighttoplayand relaxation50 .Thishasledmanytoclaim that thisisan unfairand unrealisticdemand,especiallyconsidering‘the economiccontributionsuch labourmakesto householdsalreadystrugglingtosurvive’51 ,andwithoutwhichthe childinquestion may endupsufferingfromamultitude of otherfactorsrelatedtopoverty.Inshort,those who criticise the CRC’sapproachto childlabourdoso because itdoesnot ‘take full accountof the social, political,andeconomicforcesthatsustainchildlabour’52 . 49 Fottrell, Deirdre, One Step Forward or Two Steps Sideways? Assessing the First Decade of the Children’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, p6 50 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p4 51 Lim, Hilary & Roche, Jeremy, Feminism and Children’s Rights: The Politics of the Voice, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, p54 52 Kent, George, Children in the International Political Economy (Basingstoke,Macmillan Press Ltd,1995) P51
  • 14. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 14 Nevertheless,whilethere maybe some truthto the criticismsthatthe conventionistoowestern and itsdemandsregardingchildlabourare unhelpful,thisdoesnotnecessarilyinvalidateits importance inthe case of childpirates.Whilstthe demandsthatlabournotinterfere withachild’s rightto playmightbe controversial,mostpeoplewouldagree thatallowingchildrentoworkin dangeroussituationsthatmayresultindeathisneveracceptable. Perhapsthe mostcompellingcriticismof the CRC,whichhighlightsthe needformore specific legislation inregardstochildpirates,isitsgenerality.While the CRCisbeneficial inthe overall debate surroundingchildren’srights,asitsetsoutthe basicrightsthat all childrenshouldbe entitled to, itdoesnot addresssome of the more specificneeds,whichonlycertaincategoriesof children have.For instance,althoughthe rightsinArticle’s37and 40 of the CRC shouldbe appliedtoall child offenders,there are specificneedswhichchildpirateswill have thatthe othersdonot,andthese are absentfromthe CRC. For example,those childrenwhohave beenapprehendedduringpiracy missionsneedtobe consideredasbothvictimsandperpetratorsof crimes,since theircommanders take advantage of theirvulnerabilityandmanipulate themintocommitting, insome cases,very seriousfelonies.Thismaymeanthat,insome instances,the apprehendedchildpirateshave specific psychological needs,associatedwithcrimestheyhave beenforcedtocommit,oras a resultof havingbeenachildsoldierbefore becomingapirate,andthese are not properlyaddressedthrough the provisionsinthe CRC.If these needsgounmetthenthe child’sdevelopmentintoadulthoodmay be hamperedbya multitude of factors,rangingfrompost-traumaticstress,tothe belief that, because theyhave committedsuchacts,theirnature isinherentlybad.This,inturn,mayimpede theirabilitytoact as a fullyfunctioningmemberof societyastheymature.Alongwiththis,since the CRC encompassesall children,itdoesnottake intofull considerationthe individual situationand conditionsthatleadjuvenilestobecome partof piratical networksinthe firstplace.Therefore,it
  • 15. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 15 couldbe possible forstatestooverlookthe veryfactthat childpiratesare victimsjustasmuch as theyare criminals.Thus,the CRCprovidesverylittle insightintothe specifichandlingof childpirates and howstatescouldadequatelymeettheirindividual needs.Also,the generalityof the convention isnot conducive totacklingthe issue of childpiracyoverall. Alongside this,anothermajorinadequacyof the CRC,particularlyinregardstochildpirates,isits failure toseta minimumage of criminal responsibility(MACR),whichisthe resultof the convention tryingto make allowancesfornational and cultural differences. The conventionconcedesthatthere needstobe a MACR, whichisthe age at whicha childcan be consideredtohave a ‘guiltymind’53 and be aware enoughtocommita crime withthe intentionof doingso,butitleavesitto the particular state to decide whatthisage shouldbe.Thishas ledtoa diversityof opinions,withMACR’sranging frombetweenseventoeighteenyearsold54 ,whichcausesproblemswhenitcomestoprosecuting childreninvolvedininternational crimes,suchaspiracy,since the judgementof whethertheyare criminallyresponsibleornotis completelydependentuponthe state thattriesthem.Thusthere is no actual international consensusonhow totreatsuch children,eventhoughtheyare involvedinan international crime.Thisisthe veryreasonwhythere needstobe specificinternational legislation on the issue of childpirates,otherwise the verydiscrepancybetweencasesthatthisessayistrying to addresswill simplycontinue.Ithasalsobeenarguedthata MACR cannotbe appliedtocasesof international criminal activity,sincethe sheerscale of the crime means‘childrenwill alwayslack capacityto committhem.’55 For example,one mayargue that,for a childto possessaguiltymindin regardsto acts of piracy,theywouldneedtobe proventohave a comprehensive understandingof 53 Happold,Matthew, The Age of Criminal Responsibility in International Law, availableat http://www.asser.nl/default.aspx?site_id=9&level1=13337&level2=13345 (17/07/13) p2 54 Fritz, Danielle.Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, P896 55 Happold,Matthew, The Age of Criminal Responsibility in International Law, p2
  • 16. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 16 the damage such an actioncouldcause,not justto thembut to the international communityasa whole. Therefore,untilthere isinternational consensusregardingthe age atwhichchildrenshould be heldcriminallyresponsible forcrimesof international jurisdiction,the rightsof childpiratesseem setto continue beingviolated.Thisispreciselybecause stateswill have nootherchoice buttoapply theirownnational lawtoan international crime,whichwillonlyprolongthe inconsistencybetween individualcases. These criticismsare notto say that the CRC shouldbe completelyabandoned,butrathertheysimply showthat the CRC isa startingpointfromwhichfurtherlegislationcanbe developed.Thissection has shownthat,because itrecognisesthemasmoral and legal subjects,thereisthe potentialinthe CRC to ‘advance considerablythe rightsof childrenall overthe globe’56 ,includingchildpirates,butit cannot doso on itsown.This essaytherefore proposesthatthe CRCshouldbe seenas‘a beginning rather thanan endin itself.’57 Or,toputit anotherway,the CRC maybe seenasthe foundationon whichto buildmore specificinternationallegislationregardingchildpirates,whichwill focus specificallyontheirinterests.Bydoingthismostof the issuesoutlinedabovecanbe avoided,asin the majorityof casesthe problemshave arisendue to‘somanynationsgrapplingwiththe absence of a specificprovisiondealingwithpiracy’58 .Thus,if there isspecificinternational legislationinplace to guide state actors onthe bestcourse of actionwhentheyencounterchildpirates,thenthese problemscouldpossiblybe avoided,aseachissue canbe addressedindetail. Thisessaywill now move onto considerhowsuch legislationdoesnotneedtobe designedfromscratch.Itshall explore 56 Fottrell, Deirdre, One Step Forward or Two Steps Sideways? Assessing the First Decade of the Children’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, in D. Fottrell edited Revisiting Children’s Rights 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, p1 57 Ibid p2 58 Maritime Security Review (2011) Child Pirates, availableathttp://www.marsecreview.com/2011/03/child- pirates/ (17/07/13)
  • 17. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 17 how,because of theirsimilarities,the currentpracticesthatare employedtomeetthe needsof child soldierscanbe adaptedto frame the legislationsurroundingchildpirates. Dealing withchild soldiersand whatthis can tell us aboutchild pirates Adaptingthe currentpracticesusedbythe international communityinresponse tochildsoldiers, and applyingthemtocasesinvolvingchildpirates,offersareal solutiontothe problemsfacedbythe CRC. Thisisbecause the CRC,althoughbeneficial initsgeneral promotionof children’srights,failsto addressthe specificinterestrightsof those childrenwhoare involvedinpiracy.Thisincludes complex andwide-rangingneeds,suchaspsychologicalassessment,whichrequire special attention intheirownright.Therefore,thisessayproposesthatthe specificmeasuresappliedtochildsoldiers, whichhave theirfoundationinthe CRCbutalsorecognise the special needsof thisspecificcategory of children,offeramuchmore tailoredandbeneficialapproachtothe particularneedsof child pirates.Thisisbecause,asshowninthe firstsectionof thisessay,the casesinvolvingchildsoldiers and childpiratescanbe seenassimilar.Ittherefore standstoreasonthat‘if there isno major difference betweenachildsoldierandachildpirate’59 thenlegislationrelatingtobothgroupsshould be comparable.Thisessayhaspinpointed threecore processesappliedtocasesinvolvingchild soldiers,whichcanalsobe appliedtocasesof childpirates.These are:the commitmenttoarrestand prosecute those whorecruitchildrenforpiratical activity;the needforchildpiracydisarmament, demobilisationandreintegration(DDR) measures;andthe necessitytoaddressthe rootcausesof piracywhereverpossible. These three measuresare important,asthisessayshall shortly 59 Messaoudi,Sonia (2012) Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy, availableat http://piracy-law.com/author/soniamessaoudi/ (08/08/13)
  • 18. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 18 demonstrate,since theyeachhelptoensure thatthe same legal and moral rightsthatthe CRC seeks to protectare respected,aswell ascateringforthe more specificneedsof childpirates. It is alsoimportanttonote that, for suchlegislationtobe successful,the international community will needtoworkinconjunctionwiththe semi-autonomousregionsof SomalilandandPuntland. Whilstpiracyisa crime withinternational jurisdiction,inrealityall three of the measuresoutlined above will require the supportandcooperationof the nationstate fromwhichthe piratesoperate if theyare to be successful. Thiswill become clearasthisessayexploreseachof these measuresin turn.However,the veryfactthat the international communityneedstoworkwithSomaliahas createdtensionsurroundingdiscussionsof how besttotackle piracyoff the hornof Africa.Thisis because Somalia,whenseenasa whole,isconsideredtobe a‘failedstate’lackingastable governmentcapable60 of workingtoimplementsuchrequirements. Yet,thisinstabilityisnot reflectiveof all regionsof Somaliaand,assemi-autonomousregions,SomalilandandPuntlandhave a ‘relativelydemocraticgovernment,adevelopingeconomyandseveralotherfeaturesof afully functioningsociety.’61 Asaresult,thisessaysuggeststhat,if the internationalcommunityworksin partnershipwiththose whogovernthese twofunctioningregionsof Somalia,thenitispossible for workto be done withinthe countryitself,aswell asatthe international level,todeliverthe measuresoutlinedbelow. 1. The arrest and prosecution of therecruiters of child pirates 60 Andersen, Elizabeth; Brockman-Hawe, Benjamin; & Goff, Patricia, Suppressing Maritime Piracy: Exploring the Options in International Law, availableathttp://acuns.org/wp- content/uploads/2012/06/SuppressingMaritimePiracyExploringOptionsIntlLaw.pdf (08/08/13) p11 61 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State, p3
  • 19. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 19 There isa commonconsensusamongstthe international communitythatchildsoldiersshouldnot be heldcriminallyresponsible fortheiractions,butratherthe leaderswhorecruitchildrenforsucha purpose should62 .Thisisbecause,ashasbeenstatedinboththe firstand secondsectionof this essay,childrenare more vulnerable andeasiertomanipulate thanadults.Therefore,whilstchild soldiersare perpetratorsof crimes,theyare alsovictimsintheirownright.Theyare recruitedand exploitedbycommanders,whoabuse the factthatchildrenmaybe more ‘susceptible due tonotions of romanticdeath’63 anddo not fullyunderstandwhattakingalife maymean.Inadditiontothis, evenwhenachild’sdecisiontojoinanarmedgroupappearsto be ‘voluntary’,withoutanyoutside coercion,itisgenerallyunderstoodthis isanact of desperationbyachildwhose personal circumstance hasleftthemfeelingtheyhave nootheroption.Thisisbestexpressedbythe UN Special Representative forChildrenandArmedConflict’sstatementthat,‘eventhe mostvoluntaryof acts can be desperate attemptstosurvive bychildrenwithalimitednumberof options.Insuch circumstances,anyconsentgivenbythe childcannotbe regardedas trulyvoluntaryinthe full sense of the word.’64 So,due to theirlessdevelopedmental maturity,alongwiththeirlimitedoptions, childrenmustbe recognisedtohave the righttobe protectedagainsttheirownactions,aswell as those of others,especiallywhenthese actionsmaybe detrimental totheiroveralldevelopment – whichundoubtedlybeingasolideris.Furthermore,the failure toarrestandprosecute those who recruitchildsoldierswill onlyhelptoensure the cycle continuesas,inmostcircumstances,there are alwaysmore childrenwhoare desperate enoughtotake uparms. It ispreciselybecause of these reasonsthat the Rome Statute of the International CriminalCourt(ICC) deemedthe recruitmentor 62 De Silva,H; Hobbes, C; & Hanks,H (2001) ‘Conscription of Children in Armed Conflict:A Form of Child Abuse – A Study of 19 Former Child Soldiers’, Child Abuse Review 10:125-134 p131 63 IRIN (2010) SOMALIA: Children facing the worst, says UN, availableat http://www.irinnews.org/report/90977/somalia-children-facing-the-worst-says-un (08/08/13) 64 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p10
  • 20. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 20 conscriptionof childrenunderthe age of fifteenintoanarmedgroupto be a war crime65 .The international communitywastherebygivennotonly the jurisdiction,butalsothe responsibility,to prosecute those whowouldseektoenlistorforce childrentobecome amemberof an armedgroup. As itstandsthe recruitmentof childpiratesisnotthatdifferent.Ithasalreadybeenshownhow,in bothinstances,childrenmaybe takenadvantage of due totheirmore vulnerablenature,orhow theirpersonal circumstance mayleave themfeelingasif piracyis theironlyoption.Furthermore, justas in the case of childsoldiers,‘foreachpirate captured bythe authorities,there [are] dozensof desperate youngmenonshore readytorush inand fill the void.’66 Therefore aslongaspirate commandersare allowedtooperate,the problem of childpiracywill continuetogrow,allowing more children’srightstobe violated.Thishasledsome,suchasfounderof the ChildSoldier’s Initiative RoméoDallaire,toclaim‘if there isnoreal quantifiable difference betweenachildsoldier and a childpirate…the employmentof childreninpiracyisa crime for whichthe International Criminal Courtshouldhave jurisdiction.’67 There are certainlyadvantagestomakingthe recruitment of childpiratesamatterfor the ICC, particularlyinlightof the factthat those responsible for recruitingchildrenandorchestrating actsof piracy oftenavoidprosecutionbyremainingonshore, avoidingcapture68 .Thus,makingthe recruitmentof childpiratesamatterof internationallaw would place those withoverall responsibilityforthe operationinaprecariousposition,since theywould become the focusof international arrestwarrantsandextraditioncharges69 .So,alongwithhelping 65 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 66 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, p23 67 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p8 68 Snow, Anita, ‘UN envoy: rehabilitatechild pirates’ 69 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p8
  • 21. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 21 to protectthe rights of the child,thismeasure wouldalsobe beneficial intacklingpiracyoperations inthe regioningeneral. However,unlikethe case of childsoldiers,itisnotas clearthat the recruitmentof a childpirate can fall underthe jurisdictionof the ICC,as itdoesnot technicallyconstitute awarcrime.While the circumstancessurroundingbothgroupsshare commonalities,andeachisan example of the violationof the rightsof vulnerable children,forachildpirate tofall completelyintothe categoryof childsoldieritwouldhave tobe proventhattheywere partof a ‘regularor irregulararmedforce or armedgroup’70 .Thisis unconvincingfromalegal pointof view because pirate groupsinSomaliafall intoa numberof differentcategories,whichhave evolvedoveratwentyyearperiod,asdiscussedin the firstsectionof thisessay.Sayingthat,there are those whoargue that piracy itself maybe consideredacrime punishablebythe ICC,as itis notonlya crime of international concern,butalso involves‘manyof the same violentandcruel acts—suchasmurder,kidnapping,andhostage-taking by force and byuse of sophisticatedanddangerousweaponry’71 thatare usedinthose crimesthat the ICC doeshave jurisdictionover.Therefore,inthissense,usingchildrenasaninstrumentto commitsuch crimesisjustanothersimilaritybetweenpiracyandcrimesdealtwithbythe ICC,such as a crime againsthumanity.However,the realityof the situationisthatitisunlikelythatpiracy,or the recruitmentof childrenintopiratical activity,will become acrime punishable bythe ICC, especiallyconsideringthere isalreadyextensive international law relatingtoactsof piracy,suchas the UnitedNationsConventiononthe Law of the Sea.Evenso, the fact still remainsthatthere is 70 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 71 Dutton, Yvonne M (2010) ‘BringingPirates to Justice: A Casefor IncludingPiracy Within theJurisdiction of the International Criminal Court’,One Earth Future Foundation, availableat http://www.oneearthfuture.org/siteadmin/images/files/file_52.pdf (08/08/13) p4-5
  • 22. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 22 currentlynolegislationregardingthe recruitment,orinvolvement,of childrenwithinpiracy networks. Thisdoesnot mean,however,thatthe internationalcommunityshouldavoiditsresponsibilitytotry and bringthose guiltyof recruitingchildrentojustice.Afterall,astate’sresponsibilitiestochildren doesnotend at theirownborders,as‘where there are large scale failurestolookafterthe needsof childrenandnational governmentswill notorcannotdo whatneedsto be done,the international communityhasa positive obligationtoact’72 .This isbecause,aspreviouslydiscussed,childrenare legal andmoral subjects,whose interestsare protectedbythe articleslaidoutinthe CRC.Thus, because childrenhave the righttobe protectedandto developintofree andequal adults,itisthe responsibilityof the internationalcommunitytoprotectthose rightswhenthe state,forwhatever reason,cannot.To put thisanotherway,justas the international communityhasaresponsibilityto ensure the protectionof the universal humanrightsinregardstoall adults,regardlessof their nationality, theymustalsodothe same withregardstochildren’srights.Thisisparticularly important,because statesthatare party to the CRC have legal obligationstoensure children’srights are protected.However,howthe internationalcommunityshouldmove forwardwiththis,if those responsible are unlikelytobe involvedinthe actual act of piracyor calledbefore the ICC,still needs to be addressed. Thisessayproposesthat,inorderto arrest and prosecute those responsible forrecruitingchildren intopiratical activity,the internationalcommunitymustworkalongsidethe justice systemswithin SomalilandandPuntland,creatingahybridcourtspecificallyforthispurpose.Toputit anotherway, 72 Kent, George, Children in the International Political Economy, pxi
  • 23. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 23 the international communitymustputtogetherasystemthatcombines‘elementsof botha domestic,national courtandan internationaltribunal’73 ,todeal specificallywiththose whorecruit and abuse childreninsucha way.Thisapproach has a vast numberof attractive features, most notablythatcourts which workwithlegal agenciesfromSomalia,butwhichhave the backingand resourcesof the international community,are more likelytobe successful atbothcapturingand prosecutingthose whoare guilty.Thisisevidentbythe successful arrestandprosecutionof the formerLiberianPresidentCharlesTaylorforrecruitingandusingchildsoldiers,whichwasadirect resultof workdone by the Special CourtforSierraLeone74 ,a hybridcourtconsistingof a mixture of the ICC and domestic,national courts. Inaddition,giventhatinmanyareasof Somaliathere isan underlyingresentmentandsuspicionof the international community75 ,whohave ahistoryof repeatedlygettinghumanitarianinterventionwithinthe countrywrong76 ,itisself-evidentthat workingwith domesticcourtsisgoingtobe essential.Thisisespeciallytrue whenone considersthat courts withinSomalilandandPuntlandare inagreaterpositiontodooutreachwork,explainingto the local populationthe reasonswhypirate leadersneedtobe broughttojustice,andwhythe international communityshouldbe apart of thisprocess.Thus,a hybridcourt wouldgive the domesticlegal organisationsthe abilitytoexplainwhyprosecutingthose whoemploychildrenin pirate networksisimportant,butit wouldalsohave the international skillsandresourcestoensure prosecutionisafeasible possibility.Perhapsthe greatestadvantageof operatingthroughahybrid court withinthese regionsissimplythatitisthe mostrealisticwaytoapprehendpirate commanders,since theygenerallyremainonshore andare unlikelytobe capturedduringapiracy 73 Andersen, Elizabeth; Brockman-Hawe, Benjamin; & Goff, Patricia, Suppressing Maritime Piracy: Exploring the Options in International Law, p11 74 The Special Courtfor Sierra Leone, The Prosecutor vs. Charles Ghankay Taylor, availableathttp://www.sc- sl.org/CASES/ProsecutorvsCharlesTaylor/tabid/107/Default.aspx (12/08/13) 75 Burnett, John, Where Soldiers Fear to Tread, p2 76 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State, this theme is explored through this book.
  • 24. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 24 attack. One couldalwaysraise concernsregardingsuchan approachon the basisof Somalia’slackof functioninggovernment77 ,nonethelessthisessayhasalreadyaddressedthe reasonswhythisceases to be a problemif sucha court workswithinSomalilandandPuntland. Thissectionhasoutlinedthe reasonswhythose whorecruitchildpirates,ratherthanthe children themselves,shouldface prosecution.Likechildsoldiers,childrenbecomepiratesbecause theyare vulnerable andeasilymanipulated,orbecause theirpersonal circumstanceshave leftthemfeeling theyhave no otheroption.Inaddition,arrestingandprosecutingchildrendamagestheiroverall development,while atthe same time allowingthe cycle of recruitmentandabuse tocontinue.This sectionhasalsoexploredthe waysinwhichthe international communitymightfeasiblybe able to prosecute those whorecruitchildren.However,itisstill notclearwhatshouldhappentothose childrenapprehendedwhilstcommittingactsof piracy.Therefore,thisissomethingthisessaywill nowaddress. 2. Child piratesand DDR measures The current lackof guidance onhowbestto respondto childpiratescanbe harmful,notjustto the childbutalso tothose adultswhoare confrontedwiththemduringapiracyattack. Thisis because, much like soldiers,thosewhoface childpirates,suchasnaval forces,are oftenleftwithamoral dilemmaregardinghowbestto respond.Inone sense the childis‘someone whoisvulnerable, 77 Andersen, Elizabeth; Brockman-Hawe, Benjamin; & Goff, Patricia, Suppressing Maritime Piracy: Exploring the Options in International Law, p11
  • 25. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 25 impressionable,frequentlyirrational andworthyof protection’78 ,butatthe same time theyare also a pirate,whoismost likelycapable of,ormayalreadyhave committed,extremelyseriouscrimes. Therefore,if thisfactisignoredthenitmaybe damagingtothose whoapprehendthem - since misjudgingthe dangermayresultintheirdemise.Moreover,if the crimesthatchildrenhave committedare completelyignoredonce theyare capturedthenthismaybe damagingto their overall developmenttoo,since childrenneedtoacceptthe actionstheyhave takenandthe context inwhichtheyhappened.Thisisimportant,aschildrenneedtobe able todeal withbeingbotha victimandperpetratorof violence if theyare tomove pastand make sense of whathas happenedto them,whichissomethingthisessaywill elaborate onshortly.Hence childrenshouldnotjustbe releasedfreely,butstepsmustbe takentoensure childrenface uptoand work throughthe crimes theyhave committed.Alongwiththis,the logistical problemof whatexactlyshouldhappentothe childonce theyare caughtand whichstate shouldtake responsibilityfortheirwelfare hasyettobe resolved. So,if the above issuesare tobe avoided,measuresneedtobe putin place to ensure the safetyand bestinterestsof everyone involved.Withregardstothe moral dilemmafacedwhenone is confrontedwithachildpirate brandishingagun,the solutionismuchthe same as inthe case of childsoldiers.Namely,stepsshouldbe takentoproperlytrainthose whoare likelytobe insucha situation,givingthemthe correctskillstoproperlyengage the childandavoidbloodshed.Unlessthis happens,those likelytobe confrontedwithchildpiratesinaconflictsetting,suchasnaval forces, will mostlikelyreactemotionally,whichmayendupputtingall partiesindanger.Withregardsto the longertermtreatmentof childpiratesandthe ramificationsfortheirdevelopmentif theyare 78 DalhousieMarinePiracy Project, Children and Youth in Marine Piracy: Causes, Consequences and the Way Forward, p12
  • 26. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 26 not forcedto confrontwhattheyhave done,the solutioncanbe adaptedfromthe DDR programme developedinthe 1990s tohelpex-childsoldiers.Thisprogramme,whichhashelpedmore than 100,000 childrensince 199879 , notonlyoffersa viable suggestionof how to treatchildpiratesfairly and ina waythat respectstheirright,butalsocontainsa solutiontothe problemof where children shouldbe takenonce theyhave beenapprehendedduringapiracymission,aswill become clearer whenthisessayconsidersthe demobilisationandreintegrationmeasuresof the DDRprocess. The firstpriorityof those whocapture childpiratesshouldbe disarmament,the removal of the child’sweapon,whichiswhyappropriatetrainingisessential asanindividual mustbe properly equippedtoensure theyare able todothiswithoutemotioncloudingtheirjudgement. Disarmamentisnotjustimportantinensuringthe safetyof all involvedbut,whenchildrencanbe convincedtogive uptheirweaponswillingly,itisalsoa hugelysymbolicmoment.Inthe case of a childsoldier,‘puttingdownthe gunsymbolizesthe endof hostilitiesandmarksthe beginningof the transitionoutof militarylife’80 .Thisisnodifferentforthose childrenwhoare linkedtopirate groups, as theirweaponis the mostsignificantthingthattiesthemto,andidentifiesthemaspartof,a pirate group.So willingdisarmamentismore thanjustthe handing overof a weapon,insteaditalso representsgivingupthe itemthattiesthemmoststronglytothe armedgroupor pirate network fromwhichtheyhave come. Once a childhasbeendisarmed,those whohave apprehendedthemare facedwiththe dilemmaof whatshouldhappentothe childnext. Ashas beendiscussed,currentlynomatterwhatmeasure is takenchildren’srightsare violatedinone wayoranother.Eithertheyface trial away fromhome,are 79 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 80 Wessells,Michael,Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p158
  • 27. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 27 heldinthe same cell as those withwhomtheycommittedactsof piracy,or theyare releasedback intothe same dangeroussituationfromwhichtheyhave come,thusrenderingthe disarmament redundantanyway.Alternativelytheycouldbe handedovertothe Somali governmentbut,since theyare notparty to the CRC and do nothave the same legal responsibilitiestoprotectthe rightsof the childas otherstatesdo,there is noguarantee the child’sinterestswillbe properlycaredfor. However,byadaptingthe demobilisationandreintegrationmeasuresthatare usedinthe casesof recentlydisarmedex-childsoldiers,the international communitycanavoideachof these problems. It isperfectlyfeasiblethatbothdemobilisationandreintegrationforex-childpiratescouldbe achievedwithinSomalia,asbothSomalilandandPuntlandhave recentlybeenmakingeffortsto enacta fairjuvenilejusticesystemtotryand deal withapprehendedchildpirates81 .Thus,thereisan existentopportunityforthe international communitytoworkalongside these regions,alongwith children’sagenciessuchasUNICEF,to tailorsuch juvenile justice soitfocusesonthe demobilisation and reintegrationof the child.Suchaprogramme couldbe run inconjunctionwithbothlocal and international children’sagencies,thusgivingthe international communitythe opportunityto oversee the process,ensuringthe interestsandrightsof the childare constantlybeingaddressed and respected. Once disarmeditisthenextremelyimportantforrecentlyapprehendedchildpiratestogothrougha processof demobilisation.Firstlythisisbecause practicallyithelpstoensure the child’ssafety,as theyare placedina secure location,protectingthemfrom the possibilityof beingfoundandre- recruitedbythe pirate commandersfromwhomtheyhave escaped.Furthermore demobilisation offersindividualchildrenthe chance tohave theirspecificneedsmet,while atthe same time 81 Fritz, Danielle,Child Pirates from Somalia: A Call for the International Community to Support the Further Development of Juvenile Justice Systems in Puntland and Somaliland, p917
  • 28. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 28 encouragingthemtoface up to the realityof the crimestheyhave committed.Inthe case of recentlydemobilisedchildsoldiersitisrecognisedthattheyare ‘fragile andcarryraw emotional wounds’82 ,andthere isnoreasonwhyrecentlyapprehendedchildpiratesshouldnotbe considered inthe same light.Justaschildsoldiershave oftencommittedorseenterrible acts,whichhave left themvulnerable emotionally,sotoohave childpirates.Insome casesa childwill have come straight intoa pirate networkafterescapinganarmedgroup,meaningtheymayneeddemobilisation measuresthatallowthemtodeal withthe scars of bothbeinga soldierandapirate.The special nature of the childsolider,orpirate,beingbothavictimanda criminal mustbe addressedduring thisstage,as well asduringthe reintegrationprocess,if the childistomove pastthisexperience and focuson theirfuture.Forexample manychildrenmayexperience shame orguilt83 uponleavingan armedor pirate group,especiallyif theyhave beeninvolvedinthe harmingorkillingof another person.Thiscouldresultinthe childsufferingfromamultitude of psychological problemsincluding nightmares,panicattacksor aggressive behaviour.Some mayevenbelieve theirinvolvementinsuch atrocitiesmeansthattheyare inherentlyevil andunable tobe helped,nomatterwhatcourse of actiontheytake.Thus,at thisstage,the focusshouldbe onallowingchildrentoarticulate their emotionsinaway withwhichtheyfeel comfortable.Thiscanbe achievedbyallowingthe childto communicate howthe experiencehasleftthemfeeling,whichcanbe done through‘expressive activitiessuchasdrawing,song,dance,storytelling,andotheractivitiesconducivetoexpressing emotionsinculturallyappropriate ways.’84 While demobilisationisrelativelyshortterm, reintegrationisalongerprocessthatensureschildren are able tore-entercivilianlifeanddevelopintoactive citizens.Thisisbecause demobilisation 82 Wessells,Michael,Child Soldiers FromViolenceto Protection, p159 83 Ibid,p126 84 Ibid,p159
  • 29. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 29 requiresimmediateactiontoaddressthe mostpressingproblemsfacedbychildrenuponleavingan armedor pirate group,whereasreintegrationisanon-goingprocesstoensure children‘transition back intocivilianlifeandchildhood’85 .Reintegrationisessential afterdisarmamentand demobilisationhave takenplace as,withoutit,childrenare athighriskof returningtothe pirate networkstheyleft,becausethe factorsthatledto themdecidingtojoinupinthe firstplace will remainunchanged.Inaddition,the CRCliststhe rehabilitationandreintegrationof bothchildvictims and criminals86 asbeingof upmostimportance inanylegislationrelatingtothem. There are five areas thatare identified87 asimportantinthe reintegrationstrategyforex-childsoldiers,all of which can be adaptedtofitthe needsof childpirates. The firstis to reunite,whenpossible,the childwiththeirfamily,whichisinkeepingwithcurrent international law relatingtochildren’srights.Forexample,there isaheavyemphasisonthe importance of the familyinArticles8,9 and 10 of the CRC88 . Thisisbecause,inmostcases,it is withinthe child’sbestinteresttopartake inordinaryfamilylife,asthe familyisusuallyidentifiedas the bestsource of protectionandthe mostlikelytocare for the child.Alongwiththis,throughbeing part of a familyunit,childrenare able tomake sense of theirrootsand where theycome from.This isespeciallysignificantforSomali childrenas,intheirculture,kinandclanidentitiesare extremely important89 andchildrenshouldnotbe deniedthe opportunitytobe apart of this.However,itwill 85 Williamson,John (2006) ‘The Disarmament,Demobilisation and Reintegration of Child Soldiers:Social and Psychological Transformation in Sierra Leone’, Intervention 4(3): 185-205,p189 86 Happold,Matthew, The Age of Criminal Responsibility in International Law, p5 87 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p160 88 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, p1 89 Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, Somali Cultural Guide Building Capacity to Strengthen the Well-Being of Immigrant Families and Their Children: A Prevention Strategy, availableat http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/CulturalGuide- Somali.pdf?utm_source=June+newsletter&utm_campaign=June+Newsletter&utm_medium=archive (30/07/13) p1
  • 30. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 30 not alwaysbe possible forachildtobe reunitedwiththeirfamily,eitherbecausethe familyispartof the pirate groupfrom whichthe childhasescapedor because,evenwiththe supportof children’s agencies,the childisjudgedtobe insignificantdangerof beingre-recruitedif placedbackwiththeir family.Inbothinstancesstepsshouldbe takentoplace the childwithafosterfamilyof the same clan,and theirwelfare withinthisfamilyshouldbe placedunderkeenobservationtoensure they are notbeingmistreated.Thisisimportant,sincethe CRCstatesthatchildrendeprivedof the family environmentare still entitledtobe ‘lookedafterproperly,bypeople whorespecttheirethnicgroup, religion,cultureandlanguage.’90 Inaddition,ininstanceswhenchildrencannotbe placedwiththeir family,due toconcernsregardingthe riskof re-recruitment,the childshouldstill be allowedtokeep inregularcontact withtheirfamily.Thisisbecause,insuchcases,the problemiswiththe securityof the child,notbecause the familyisguiltyof mistreatingthe child.Thereforethere isnoreasonwhy the familyshouldnotretainameaningful relationship. The nextarea to addressisensuringchildrenare placedintoeducation.Itisverydoubtful that, whilstworkingaspartof a piracy group,childrenwill have keptupwithregularstudiesanditisalso more than likelythat,forsome of these children,school maynothave beenpartof theirlivesbefore theybecame a memberof a pirate group.In the lattercase thislack of educationmayhave left childrenfeelingtheylackedotheroptionsbesidesbecomingapirate,thusmakingita decidingfactor intheirrecruitmentinthe firstplace.Addressingthisisespeciallyimportantfromapractical pointof view,since childrenneedabasiceducationtoequipthemwiththe skillsrequiredtodevelopintoan adultcapable of providingforthemselves,whichinturncouldalsohelpcombatformerchildpirates returningtopiracy inlaterlife.Alongwiththis,accordingtothe CRC,childrenhave the rightto 90 UNICEF, UNICEF Fact Sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 20, p3
  • 31. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 31 developtheirpotential91 ,forwhicheducationisessential. Itisalsoimportantforteachingchildren the value of humandignity,alongwiththeirrightsandthose rightsof others92 .Inadditiontothis,it couldbe arguedthat denyingchildrenaneducationmakesthemmore susceptibletopropaganda. Thisin turnmakesit iseasierforpirate commanderstotake advantage of themonce againand ensuresacontinuingcycle.There are therefore amultitude of reasonswhyprovidingex-childpirates withan educationuponleavingan armedgroupis essential,especiallyif the international communitywantstoensure childrendonotendupback withinthe piratesnetworkfromwhichthey have recentlyescaped. In conjunctionwiththis,if childpiratesare tosuccessfullymake the transitionbackintocivilianlife thentheywill needtohave accessto employmentopportunities.Thisisespeciallytrue for adolescentswhodonothave a familytohelpsupportthem, astheywill have tobe able to support themselves.Withouthavingaccess toemploymentopportunitiesyoungpeople will struggle tohave financial security,thushinderingtheirdevelopmentopportunitiesandpossiblypushingthemback intothe piracy lifestyle.Inadditiontothe financial securitysuchemploymentoffers,italsohelps formerchildpiratesastheyreintegrate intothe society.Thisisbecause ex-childpiratesmaystruggle withthe banalityof everdaylife uponleavingapirate groupand mightalsofeel that,because of the actionstheyhave taken,theyare now irrevocablydamagedandwill be unable tofunctionwithina normal societyagain.So,byprovidingchildrenwiththe opportunitytotake ona role withinthe community,itwill helpyoungpeople tosee themselvesasmore thanjustan ex-pirate,aswellas challengingthe banalityof civilianlife andprovidingthemwithanoutletfortheirpentupenergy. Therefore,anotherrequirementof the reintegrationprocessisthatformerchildpirates,alongwith 91 Ibid,Article28, p3 92 Ibid,Article29, p3
  • 32. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 32 havingaccessto education,mustbe equippedwithemployabilityskills,suchasvocational training, to helpthemgainan occupation.Thisinturn will helpformerchildpiratesbothearntheirown income andbecome active membersof theirsociety. The fourtharea to be addressedisthe child’sneedfor psychological support,whichshouldbuildon the initial supportgivenduringthe demobilisationperiod.Thisisconsideredtobe of paramount importance forchildsoldiersbecauseitwill ‘helpquiettheirmemoriesof the furiesof warand construct civilianidentities’93 .Thisisalsotrue forchildrenwholeave piracygroups,asmostof them will,inone wayor another,have beenpartytoviolentevents.Inaddition,aspreviouslymentioned, some of these childrenwillbe bothex-soldiersandformerpiratesandmayrequire greater psychological supportasaresultof havingswappedone aggressive roleforanother.This psychological supportshouldbe focusedonhelpingchildrentorationalise the actionstheyhave takenas part of a piracygroup, alongwiththe reasonswhytheyfelttheywere the best,oronly, choicesavailable tothematthe time.Throughdoingthischildrenwillbe encouragedtoface upto, admitand take ownershipof the crimestheyhave committed.Itwill alsoencourage childrento recognise thatitwas due to the desperationtheyfelt,andnotbecause theirnature isinherently bad,that theywere more susceptibletothe manipulationof pirate commanders.Bydoingthis childrenwill acceptsome ownershipof theiractions,butalsocome torealise thattheyshouldnever have beenputinthat positioninthe firstplace. Obviously,justasinthe case of childsoldiers,the level of psychological supportwill vary.Forexample,ajuvenilewhohasbeenforcedtokill duringa piracymissionmayverywell needmore psychological supportthanachildwhoremainedonboard the pirate shipas the attack took place.Whatall thishighlightsisthatpsychological supportis 93 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p160
  • 33. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 33 essential forall childrengoingthroughreintegration,butthe needsof eachchildwill be variedand individual–somethingthatmustbe rememberedthroughoutthisprocess. The final part of the reintegrationprocessiscentredonthe child’scommunity,ratherthanthe child themselves.Inthe case of childsoldiersthisstepfocusesparticularlyoncommunitycohesionand healing,whichisessentialwhenone considersthe actsthatchildrenhave oftenbeenforcedto commitagainsttheirownfamilymembersorneighbours.Since actsof piracyare committedagainst foreignersratherthanmembersof the child’scommunity,itcouldbe arguedthatthisshouldnot carry the same weightinthe reintegrationprocessinthiscase. However,unlessthe communityis part of thisprocess,there isscope forpeople tomisunderstandthe circumstancesandfactorsthat cause childrentobecome piratesinthe firstplace.Forexample,inSomaliaatthe momentitisnot unusual forindividualmembersof the communitytoassume all involvedinpiracyare either addictedtothe substance khat94 ,or interestedinspendingwhateverransommoneytheyreceive on fastcars or luxuries95 .Itisveryrare to findthose whorecognise thatsome piratesare young children,oradolescents,whoeitherneedtosupporttheirfamily,orturnedtopiracy outof necessity as a resultof the effectsfamineandwarhave had on theirlives.Therefore,itisessential that reintegrationprocessesalsoworkwithinthe communitytochange perceptionsof whatlife islike for these childrenandhowtheyendedupinvolvedin piracy.Thiswillalsohelpthe communitycome to betterunderstandandidentifythose childrenmostatriskof enteringintopiracy,therefore providingopportunitiestohelppreventchildrenfromjoiningupinthe firstplace. 94 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, this sentiment is frequently repeated throughout this text 95 Ibid
  • 34. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 34 However,althoughtheymayhave successona small scale,itisdoubtful thatthe communitywill be able to make muchdifference tothe overall problemof childpiracy.Thisiswhythe nextareaof legislationproposedbythisessayisforstepstobe takento tackle the root causesof piracy. 3. Tackling theroot causesof piracy As importantasit isto ensure thatchildrenwhoare caught duringpiracymissionshave theirrights protected,there alsoneedstobe more done totry and preventchildrenbeinginthatsituationin the firstplace.Takingstepsto preventchildrenfromenteringintopiracyisextremelyimportant,as the bestthingfor a child isto avoidbeingina situationwhichrequiressuchDDRmeasuresinthe firstplace.Therefore,more needstobe done totackle the root causesof piracy,since ‘[i]tmakes little sense tostandbackand allowthe damage tooccur, pickingupthe piecesafterward.’96 Undoubtedlypartof thismustinvolve arrestingandprosecutingthose whorecruitchildreninthe firstplace,as dealtwithinthe firstmeasure thisessaysuggested,howeverthere are othersteps that mustalsobe taken. To start withthe emphasisoneducational andemploymentopportunities,laidoutabove aspart of the reintegrationsectionof the DDRstrategy,mustnot onlybe appliedtothose childrenwhohave escapedpiracy,butrather toall children.If youngpeople are deniedtheseopportunitiesthenthey may feel theyhave nootherchoice butto turnto piracy to supportthemselvesortheirfamilies.If thisisone of the factors that pusheschildrenintopiracy,itseemscounterproductive toonlyensure 96 Wessells,Michael, Child Soldiers From Violence to Protection, p232
  • 35. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 35 childrenhave properaccesstoappropriate opportunitiesaftertheyhave joinedapirate network.In addition,manySomali childrenhave sufferedinrecentyearsasa resultof the international community’sdecisiontolimitthe amountof aidthe countryreceives.While thisisunderstandable if one considersareassuchas the country’scapital Mogadishu,where continuedconflictmeansthere are considerableriskinvolvedinsupplyingaid,itislesssowhenone considersthe relativestability and independence of bothPuntlandandSomaliland,where the securitythreatisnogreaterthanin otherareas of the world.So,althoughitmay be impossibletoprovide aidincertainareasof Somalia,itcan be peacefullyandeffectivelydistributedtothose inSomalilandandPuntland,and perhapsmore can be done from withinthese regionstoensure some assistance isofferedtothose inthe more war torn partsof the country. It isalso importantthatoutreachwork,whichfocusesspecificallyonpreventingchildrenfrom becomingpirates,iscarriedoutwithinSomalia.Justasthe final reintegrationmeasure,outlined previously,focusedonengagingthe adultcommunity inthe realitiesof childpiracy,sotoomustthis outreachwork.Thisshouldbe done through‘advocacyand supportingcivil societybyraising awarenessof childrightsthrougha varietyof media’97 .Aswell asbeingaimedatadults,such outreachmustalso be targetedat children –to show themthat, althoughpiracymayseemthe best optionavailable tothem,thisisnotnecessarilytrue.CurrentlyinPuntlandagrassrootsversionof thisveryoutreachis alreadyinexistence inthe formof ex-pirates,whohave repentedof theirways, goingintoschoolsanddissuadinglocal youthsfromfollowingthe same pathastheydid98 .Therefore, inthisinstance the groundworkhasalreadybeendone,the international communityjusthasto ensure sucha programme isreachingas manyvulnerable youngpeople aspossible.Alongwiththis, 97 Messaoudi,Sonia, Child pirates: A key issue for respecting child’s rights and halting piracy 98 Bahadur,Jay, Deadly Waters Inside the Hidden World of Somalia’s Pirates, p111
  • 36. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 36 such outreachworkmay benefitfromthe involvementof those childrenwhohave beenthroughthe DDR process.Theywill have the benefitof first-handexperienceandpersonal testimoniesregarding the realitiesof beingapirate,whichwillmake thembettersuitedtodispellingthe mythsthatmake piracyso appealingtotheirpeers.This,inturn,mayhelpthose childrenwhoare strugglingtoadjust to civilianlife.Itwill givethemsomethingpositive toworkon,as theywill be able touse their personal experience tohelpotherchildrenavoidsufferingthe same exploitationastheythemselves encountered. Inmanysensesthismaybe viewedasa formof restorative justice,assuchoutreach workmay be consideredasa communityservice,whichhelpstobridge the gapbetweenex-child piratesandtheircommunities. So far the measuresoutlinedabove have largelyfocusedonpreventative measureswithinSomalia, whichrequire boththe international communityandthe authoritieswithinSomalilandandPuntland to workin partnershipwithone another.There isone action,however,thatthe international communitycancommitto do off land,whichmighthelptodecrease the numberof childpirates. Namelytheycantake action andprosecute illegalfishtrawlersinSomali waters.Afterall,piracyoff the coast of Somaliagrewinitiallyinresponse tothis.Byarrestingandprosecutingthose whoabuse Somalia’sdefencelessnessinthismatter,itmay helptotackle some of the causesthat leadto childrenbecomingpirates.Firstly,itwillcounteractthe bitternessthathasflourishedasa resultof the continual arrestof Somalisforpiracywhilst,atthe same time,those whoenterSomali water uninvitedandsteal the country’smainsource of income andfoodremainatlarge.It will alsoallow Somalia’sfishermentore-enteritswaters,withoutfacingthe possibilityof losingtheirequipmentor life.Atthe same time,if trawlersare removedfromthe waterthenthe fishstockmayreturnto normal,meaningthere willbe more fishforthe Somali people tocatch,thusprovidingasteady income andfoodin timesof famine.Byprosecutingthose whoplunderSomali watersillegally,the
  • 37. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 37 international communitywill be removingthe excuse givenbypirate commandersindefence of theiractions.Inalmostall casespiratesclaimtheyare actingto protecttheirwatersagainstsuch trawlers99 ,evenwhentheyare attackingprivate yachts,aidconvoys,oroil tankers.While itmaybe easierforadultsto spotthe flawinthisargument,childrenmaynotbe as capable of doingso - at leastnotwhile the problemof illegal fishtrawlersandthe angertowardsthe restof the worldfor failingtoaddressthisissue remains.Therefore,byremovingthe actual problemof illegalfish trawlers,the international communitywouldbe removingthe group’sentire excuseforwhythey commitacts of piracy,whichmayotherwise be usedtomanipulate childrenintojoiningforceswith pirate ranks. While itisnevergoingtobe possible topreventchildpiracyfromhappeningoverall,there isthe opportunitytodecrease instancesof itoccurring.Of course the chance of preventingpiracyin Somaliaiscurrentlyhamperedbythe limited areainwhichthe international communitycanwork. Justas there has beendifficultyintryingtocombatthe militaryrecruitmentof childsoldierswithin the DRC and Uganda while fightingisstill prevalent,sotoowill itbe difficulttoimplementmeasures that tackle the root causesof childpiracywhile fightingandthe use of childsoldiersremainsareality inmost of Somalia.However,thisdoesnotmeanthatthe internationalcommunityshouldnottry and do whatit can to tackle the causesof child piracy.In addition,there isnoexcuse forfailingto implementthese measuresinSomalilandandPuntland,asbothregionsare stable withsome form of governmentandrule of law. 99 Harper, Mary, Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State, p149
  • 38. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 38 Overall,thissectionhasshownthatif the internationalcommunityisseriousaboutprotecting children’srightsanddoingwhatisbestforthe child,thenitshouldadaptthe currentprocedures usuallyfollowedincasesrelatingtochildsoldiers.Inparticularithasshownwhychildrenshouldnot be prosecuted,butratherthose whorecruitthemshould.Inaddition,ithasalsoexplainedwhythe bestwayto achieve thisisto setup a hybridcourt,whichwill be able toworkwithinSomaliabutwill have all the powerof an international tribunal.Asforchildrenwhoare apprehendedduringpiracy missions,theyneedtobe part of an adaptedDDR procedure and,since thisprocedure isalreadya triedandtestedmethod,tailoredtohelpchildrenwhoare escapingsimilarcircumstances; itavoids the problemsthatarise if the international communityreliespurelyonthe CRC. That beingsaid,this essayhas arguedthat purelydraftinglegislationtofocusonwhat shouldhappenonce achildhas beenapprehendedisnotgoodenough,asmore needstobe done to try and preventchildrenfrom beingrecruitedaspiratesinthe firstplace.Therefore,anylegislationthatdealswithchildpirates mustinclude preventative,aswell asreactive,measures. Conclusion Overall itisclearthat the problemof childpiracyisnot goingto go awayanytime soon,whichmeans the likelihoodof differentnationsapprehendingthose below the age of eighteenisincreasingly likely.Despitethisthe issue islargelyignoredinthe publicsphere anditisleftupto those who capture such childrentodecide onthe bestcourse of action,whichisfar from ideal,especially consideringthatthishasregularlyresultedinthe violationof the child’srights.Therefore,the questionof howtoproperlyaddressall the needsof childpiratesmustbe tackledatthe international level,throughspecialisedlegislationthatsetsoutan overall standard.Thiswill have to account forthe fact that childrenare legal andmoral subjects,whoare inthe processof developing
  • 39. Registration Number: 120205918 Word Count: 13,292 39 intorational adultsandwill thereforerequirealevel of special protectionnotawardedtoadults.In additionthisessayhasalsoarguedthat,althoughthe CRC isa goodstartingpointfromwhichto begindraftingsuchlegislation,onitsownitis notenough.Especiallyasthe generalityof the conventionmeansthe uniqueneedsof childpiratesare inadequatelyaddressed.Nottomentionthe failure toseta MACR for crimesof an international nature hasinsome waysaddedtothe discrepanciesthathappeninthe tryingof childpiracycasescurrently. However,legislationrelatingtochildpiratesdoesnotneedtobe designedfromscratch,as solutions can be drawnfromthe currentapproach the internationalcommunitytakestochildsoldiers,since the situationsurroundingthe recruitmentof both setsof childrenissimilar.Moreover,the current treatmentof childsoldiersistailoredtotake intoaccountthe special needsof thisparticulartype of child,whichcanbe helpfullyadaptedinthe case of childpirates,whose needsare notthat dissimilar.Thisessayhaschosenthree specificmeasureswhichare generallyusedtotryand help childsoldiers,andthenproceededtoexplainwhyanylegislationregardingchildpiratesmustinclude an adaptedversionof these.These measuresprotectformer childpiratesbyreintegratingthem back intotheircommunities,while atthe same time focusingoncapturingandprosecutingthose pirate commanderswhorecruitandexploittheminthe firstplace.Inaddition,because the third measure focusessolelyon tacklingthe overallrootcausesof piracy,itis notjust the rightsof ex-child piratesthatwill ultimatelybe protected,butratherthose rightsof all whommaybe indangerof beingrecruitedinthe future.
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