Jamal Osman, the Kingston Univeristy student who gained exclusive footage for Channel 4 on the problem of piracy, is returning to a Somalian danger zone to make more TV reports.

Jamal Osman, a Kingston University journalism student, is flying back into a Somalian danger zone next week to make more TV reports for Channel 4.

The third year undergraduate has already won critical acclaim from lecturers and students alike after gaining exclusive footage for Channel 4 news showing the growing problem of piracy in a remote village in Somalia. The report was aired in November.

Osman travelled to his home country to gain footage of pirates operating in the fishing village of Eyl, generally regarded as Somalia’s pirate stronghold.  Now aged 29, Osman saw part of the country’s civil war before leaving in the early 1990’s, when he was 14 years old.

Professor of Journalism Brian Cathcart described Osman as: “A very brave man who has made fantastic progress through really hard work and natural ability. We are very proud of him.”

Osman will fly out to Somalia once again on Monday 22nd to cover another story for Channel 4 news, although he is not allowed to talk about what it will involve. However he did tell RiverOnline this will be more dangerous that his previous visit and he feels a mixture of nerves and excitement at the prospect of going.

On his previous trip to Eyl in November Osman said it was important for him to build a relationship with the pirates first. “I told them who I was straight away and they were quite relaxed about it. They only asked that I did not film their faces, and that I told them whenever I was filming them, which I agreed to.”

Osman has been working for Channel 4 news since August, and had previously reported from Ethiopia when he suggested covering the rise of piracy in Somalia and the idea was commissioned by the programme. 

While in Eyl, Osman met with some of the growing number of professional workers who are turning to piracy, including a journalist who claimed to have earned 50,000 US Dollars after three weeks work.

Media reports have claimed that Government officials are making money from the pirates’ work, and this is something Jamal agrees with. He said: “They work with them, although not publicly. But they are involved and getting some of the money. By working with the pirates they are millionaires.”

Interest in the rise of piracy attacks on ships has grown recently after the biggest pirate hijack in history of the Sirius Star on 15th November 2008, a Saudi Arabian owned tanker that was carrying 100 million dollars worth of oil cargo on board.

Originally the pirates demanded a ransom of 25 million US dollars (approximately £67 million) although this was later reduced to 15 million US Dollars. Negotiations with the pirates on board the Sirius Star currently remain ongoing.

Osman saw firsthand the effect piracy is having on the village on his recent visit. While filming a view of Eyl he was approached by a man pointing a gun at him. The man repeatedly told Osman to stop filming, and it was only when he was restrained by another person that his gun was taken away.

Despite this experience, Osman maintains that many people who turn to piracy have little other choice. “I know what they are doing is wrong,” he said, “but there are reasons that force them. They have no money, nowhere to sleep, no hope, and I can understand why they do it.”

Osman’s work has raised considerable interest on campus. Joanna Lamont, a 2nd year Human Biology student said: “It’s really good to get the public to understand who the pirates are and why they do what they do.”

On 17th December it was reported that despite increased patrols by countries desperate to control the number of ships attacked by pirates three more vessels were successfully hi-jacked just off the coast of Somalia, taking the tally to 42 since the beginning of the year.

Osman told RiverOnline that until there is an effective Government that can control the pirates on Somalia’s land; they will never be controlled at sea. He said: “Piracy affects everyone; there are a lot of people complaining about it now. In the past very few people knew what was happening, but now they are beginning to ask what they can do to help. The international community must realise that unless they do something the pirates won’t go away. “

Picture credit: Rex Features