Jack Lang's 25 Solutions to Piracy

Jack Lang delivered yesterday at 16 p.m. (New York time, 22 p.m. here) his report on the “ legal issues related to piracy » au secrétaire général de l’ONU. Rapport – dont “Bruxelles2” a pris connaissance – et qui sera discuté aujourd’hui (mardi) au Conseil de sécurité.

L’ancien ministre de la Culture de François Mitterrand, qui est également un juriste reconnu en droit international, préconise ainsi la création rapide de deux tribunaux spécialisés sur la piraterie : l’un au Puntland, l’un à Arusha (Tanzanie) qui serait une juridiction décentralisée somalienne. Jack Lang a cependant débordé du cadre strict qui lui était donné pour aborder l’ensemble de la problématique et proposer un ensemble de mesures visant tant l’aspect juridique que l’économie ou la sécurité. Son rapport comprend ainsi un ensemble de 25 propositions, dont “a global and multidimensional plan“, pour le Puntland et le Somaliland, composé de “three components undertaken simultaneously: economic, security and jurisdictional/penitentiary".

The situation is serious

For Jack Lang, the situation is indeed " reaction and calls for a " battery of convergent measures ». " Piracy has not seen any decline since its upsurge off the Somali coast in 2007. The year 2010 was marked by an intensification of violence and an extension of the duration of detention, a sophistication of the modus operandi and an extension of the area attacks in the south (as far as Mozambique) and east of the Indian Ocean. »

The economy of the region is affected. piracy, whose epicenter is in Puntland, has a destabilizing impact on Somalia and on the entire region (increase in prices, insecurity of energy supplies, loss of income). While global maritime traffic seems better controlled thanks to naval operations which play an essential role in securing, the number of victims nevertheless continues to increase (1900 people since the end of 2008 have been taken hostage). Ultimately, the entire world economy risks being affected. »

The legal aspect

Deux tribunaux : un au Puntland, l’autre à Arusha

Among the solutions, his preference goes to the creation of a " jurisdictional system comprising two specialized courts in Puntland and Somaliland and an extraterritorial Somali specialized court which could be located in Arusha. » The specialized court in Puntland and the extraterritorial Somali court are “ priorities given the possibility of providing for their universal jurisdiction. »

Prisons in Puntland and Somaliland

Penitentiary capacities in Puntland and Somaliland would also be enhanced by the “ immediate creation of two prisons, under protective status allowing international control, respectively in Somaliland (500 places) and Puntland (500 places). The first places would be available within 8 months. In the near future, a third prison should be created in Puntland. Total cost of this component for three years: less than 25 million US dollars. Which is, all in all, relatively low compared to the cost of piracy.

Use universal skill

Le rapport propose également de consolider le socle juridique dans les Etats membres . Ainsi, les Etats doivent “incriminer la piraterie telle que définie par la Convention des Nations unies sur le droit de la mer, se doter d’une compétence universelle pour connaître des actes de piraterie”.

Harmonize prosecutions

It is necessary " develop an international protocol template; facilitate the prosecution of the intent to commit an act of piracy; promote the testimony of victims ».

Et, les accords de transfèrement, d’abord aux fins de jugement, puis, aux fins d’incarcération, doivent être “multiplied“. Tandis qu’un “appropriate support” sera apporté aux Etats de la région.

The maritime and operational component

A certificate of good conduct for boats

Le rapport préconise de créer une “international certification” du respect de certaines règles de bonne pratique et de prévoir une information de l’Etat du pavillon en cas de non respect de ces dernières, ce afin “to extend the application of self-protection measures (good practices) by the merchant community".

Monitoring the Somali coasts

Jack Lang estime aussi nécessaire d’exercer “close surveillance of the coasts and the exchange of information with the regional authorities of Somaliland and Puntland“. Une solution qui va dans le sens des solutions proposées par l’Espagne il y a plus d’un an.

An economic and safe component

Economic development

"The creation of an economic component is essential to develop activities which cannot prosper in an environment of piracy, to ensure the sovereignty of the Somali authorities over their territory and to regulate the activities of the services so that their development does not participate in the rise of piracy” souligne le rapport. Plusieurs secteurs d’activité sont prioritaires, selon le rapport : “port and fishing activities, the export of livestock, the regulated development of telecommunication services".

Track down the sponsors and financiers of piracy

Il estime aussi nécessaire de remonter les filières. Il faut “strike the piracy networks at their heads, by attacking the sponsors, perfectly identified, but who shelter in territories where they are protected“. Il est donc “indispensable” de renforcer les “forensic investigation capacities of the States of the region, to facilitate the admissibility of evidence in court and to apply individual sanctions against the sponsors".

A coastguard corps

Jack Lang veut aussi “strengthen the capacity of the Somali authorities to ensure, through their sovereign forces, the security of their territory“. Il propose de “restore
police units in lawless areas" and of "former la fonction garde-côtes dans sa dimension terrestre”.

A structure for the fight against piracy

Une conférence des donateurs à haut niveau devrait permettre de lever les fonds nécessaires au financement du plan. Tandis qu’une nouvelle résolution du Conseil de sécurité pourrait reprendre les principaux points (d’ordre juridique et politique) contenus dans le rapport. Jack Lang préconise surtout la mise en place d’une “institutional structure” afin de faciliter la mise en oeuvre de cette résolution, sous “the aegis of a high-level personality with extensive experience within the United Nations".