Somali Pirates Explained

Here's an interview by Shaun Assael of Andrew Mwangura, a man who agitates on behalf of sailors near Somali waters and who often acts as an intermediary in negotiations between pirates in the Gulf of Aden and those who finance them through paying ransom.
There are several interesting observations by Mwangura, one of them being that once upon a time he begged large shipping companies and European governments not to pay ransom. They did and we now live with the inevitable results -- a drastic rise in the kind of piracy that holds sailors, ships, and cargoes for ransom.
It's also interesting to note the organizational structure of the Somali pirates, especially the legitimate sounding names they give themselves. Must be easier on the conscience that way:
One of the groups in Somalia, the Kismayu group, is known as National Volunteer Coast Guard and focuses on small boats close to the shore. They do not use the word “ransom.” They call what they collect a “fine” for illegal acts. The Merkah group has fishing boats with longer-range fire power. And the most sophisticated groups have names like the Central Regional Coast Guards, Ocean Salvation Corps and the Somali Marines. They have a capacity to operate at greater distances off the coast. We believe they are responsible for 80 percent of the attacks in 2008....more..http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/196236.php