Jack Sparrow Had Nothing On These Somali Buccaneers
The AP has an interesting story about pirates in Somalia. Unlike the pirates of old, these guys don't bury their treasure and suffer mysterious curses. Instead, well, they buy Land Rovers:
Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying beautiful women -- even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food for their hostages...Yo Ho Ho, sounds like a mighty fine pirate life to me.
...towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. Residents also use their gains to buy generators -- allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia.
There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in Somalia, but they must number in the thousands. And though the bandits do sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a better life...
The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish and roasted meat that will appeal to a Western palate. They also keep a steady supply of cigarettes and drinks from the shops on shore.
2 comments:
A few month ago some Somali pirates took a French Yacht and the French government had to get involved in order to get it back. According to my Somalian friend, these pirates aren't very dangerous and they do this because they know they will get paid, and usually paid big.
Sounds like an excellent plan to me! Wanna become pirates?
Lets do it! Arghh!
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