Modern+Piracy

The United Nations has given piracy the definition of //“Any illegal act of violence or////detention, or act of [|depredation]committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship directed on high seas.”// Due to this definition, people that claim they were attacked by pirates must prove that two things were true. The first thing is that the victims were attacked for private gains. The second thing is that they were on high seas when attacked. If the attack was near shore, than the attack wasn’t in international waters, and therefore it wasn’t in the high seas. That makes that attack //not// piracy. Also, if the so-called “pirates” were attacking the victim for a special group, cause, or organization, then it wasn’t private, and the definition states that it must be. This also wouldn’t be declared piracy.
 * Modern Piracy**

This definition often makes it harder to catch pirates in modern times. The pirates can sneak out of being called pirates by just simply staying within the boundaries of a country or by having a special group or organization back on land that they are working for. Although the U.N. definition makes it harder to catch pirates, other codes and laws issued by other countries and organizations may make it easier.

How does piracy start in modern times? The piracy often occurs because of two reasons. The first reason is that there is no way to earn a living, because the country in which the pirates are from might be experiencing hard economic times. The second reason is that there could have been a collapse of government, so there are not any officials to enforce the law. This is what leads to lawlessness, or piracy! For example, Somali pirate attacks have been a problem since the 1990s, when the Somali government collapsed. By: Jackson

**Modern Pirate Bases**

Some of today’s most dangerous waters are dangerous due to pirates. Dangerous locations with pirates include the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The South China Sea is heavily loaded with pirates, and it has been said that this area is the most dangerous sea. There, the pirates dress up as Chinese officials, and “greet” cargo ships coming into the bay. Then they hijack the ships.

Some of Malaysia’s tourist kidnapping is done by pirates from Malaysia. In 1998, a group of heavily armed pirates attacked a fisherman and killed him. The same pirates then looted his ship, and took valuable items and money. They also robbed other nearby fishermen’s ships. A gun battle followed between police and these pirates, but the pirates escaped. Recently, Chinese officials executed thirteen pirates that had killed twenty-three crew members aboard a vessel. The pirates may have taken that vessel and repainted and renamed it to make it into a pirate ship, but it is unknown. Needless to say, pirate attacks are a growing problem. By: Jackson