Did you know that May 21st is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development? The following is a short story by Abubakar, written through the eyes of a Somali pirate. How does this story challenge your assumptions? How does seeing the world through the eyes of someone else change your perspective?
My name is Abdikarim Hashi and I am part of the badaadinta badah, “saviours of the seas” – or, as the rest of the world calls them, burcad badeed , or “ocean robbers.” My brother, Saleh Hashi, is the second-in-command to Abdulhadi Igaal, the leader of the Somali pirates in Harardhere. I am a young boy that had nowhere to go in life and would have ended up dead sooner rather than later. My father was killed when the war broke out and my brother has been taking care of me and my ill mother ever since. I eventually found my way on the streets with the ciyaal suq, the “market kids.” When my mother died, my brother began telling me about his life with the pirates and how they are trying to rebuild our nation. He told me that the ships that pass by our ocean are ebing reckless with our waters, dumping toxins that harm us. I was astonished by his words and felt like I must join this cause to protect my nation.
I started following my brother around to see what’s in store for me in the future. I tried khat, a weird plant-drug, which you must chew on; this was nasty, however I felt really buzzed and it made me feel like a champion! I was amazed by the calm nature of many of the pirates; they were sitting in circles, playing cards and talking to each other about our nation’s people having a better life. I am now part of something bigger than myself, bigger than all of us. Our mission is a crucial one because of the weak state our country is in. Somebody must protect us.
One of our scouts had spotted a cruise ship and I was very nervous for my first run at action. We geared up and headed off to intercept the ship; I was handed an AK-47 and two grenades. I have never been trained in combat, so I had no idea how I was going to conduct myself when we got onto the ship. When we finally arrived, we quickly took control of the ship and successfully captured a hostage. We looted the ship and headed back on our way with our hostage. We took the hostage back to the mainland to hold him for ransom against the US government.
This kidnapping had to be done because we needed to feed our people and this man did not have to endure the struggles we go through on a daily basis. Once we got back to our base, we took good care of the hostage. We are the same people that just looted a cruise ship and kidnapped a man without blinking and now we are treating the same man as if he were a guest visiting our home. I found my brother to talk to him about my mixed feelings about what is going on. My brother told me this: “We are treating this man with respect and dignity because it is his right, he is in a terrible situation and we must help him cope with it the best way we can.” These words gave me a sense of hope. I learned we must treat others with the utmost respect even if we consider them our enemies.
While waiting for the ransom money, two helicopters flew by and landed a mile away. Eleven men were chosen, including my brother, to bring the hostage to them and receive the money. I followed them along anyways, without them knowing. I was hiding in a bush a few yards away and I could tell my people were not being very patient. Suddenly, without warning, my brother raised his weapon at the Marines. The last image I saw before I passed out was all my people on the floor, still, and the helicopter was flying away. I will avenge my people.