Somali Conflicts
• Modern Somalia- “lawless
state”?
• Traditional conflict management
– Culture of confrontation  godob
(revenge for cumulative
grievances)
– Council of elders (xeer) with
powers of expulsion, holy men
– Diya – blood money
– Intermarriage between clans
– Qat chewing
– Poetry – expressing clan positions
History
• Many wars with Christian
Ethiopia and Europeans
Colonial Era
• Somalia fell victim to the
scramble for Africa in the 19th
century
• North Somalia was British and
Italy invaded Ethiopia and
Somalia in the 1930s
Somali Conflicts 2
• Colonialism: British/Italian
– Partitioning of Somali people
– Issues of land ownership,
productivity  disruption
– Colonial military/bureaucratic
elite
– Imposition of colonial law
• Independence = 1960
– Lack of gov’t diversity
– Push for “development” –
export crops
– State-controlled military to
replace xeer
– Control of national resources
Post colonialism in
1960s
• After World War II, Italy lost
Somalia
• Independence from Britain in
1960 Somali Republic
• 1960s saw civil war and wars
with Ethiopia -Decade ended
with a coup d'étatGen.
Mohammed Siad Barre came to
power in 1969 Created new
socialist Somalia • Built roads •
Improved literacy
• Grew stronger until war with
Ethiopia to create “Greater
Somalia”
Somali Conflicts 3
• General Siad Barre regime
(1969-91)
– Personal power, clan
exclusion
– “modernization”
– Cold War politics of arms and
aid
– 1991 coup
• Outside involvement
– United Nations
– U.S./U.S.S.R
– Ethiopia
– “New World Order”
Black Hawk Down
• In 1993, the US/UN decided to
arrest warlords
• Mohammed Farah Aidid was
the worst
• US soldiers raided Mogadishu
to capture him
• The raid ended in failure,
scenes of US soldiers dying
forced the US out
3 major wars pre 1991
• Ogaden War with Ethiopia in
1977–78
• 1. war between the Somali
military and the Somali
National Movement (SNM) for
control over northwest
Somalia.
• 2 The SNM was formed in
1981 by some members of the
Isaaq clan following the
Ogaden War.
• embattled government forces
against a growing
• SOMALIA 1992-94 T, N,
B U.S.-led United Nations
occupation during civil
war; raids against one
Mogadishu faction.
New World Order
• collapse of USSR end of Cold
war  “New World Order”
• one size fits all model of state
• “rule of law” replaces other
authorities
• international congregation of
states, United Nations to “police”
• collective security vs.
peacekeeping
Somali Conflicts 4
• 1994-2006: Warlords,
Moneylords
• 1994: Transitional Federal
Government (TFG), led by
Abdullah Yusuf
• Businessmen support clan militia
leaders (NOT traditional elders)
• For U.S., issue of terrorism,
Somalis involvement in Kenya
and Tanzania bombings
• Union of Islamist Courts (UIC)
– take over Mogadishu, 2005
– establish order, some peace
Somali Conflicts 5
• Dec, 2006: Ethiopia invades,
with U.S. backing
• growing Islamist insurgency
• at present: Drought,
displacement, looming
famine, ongoing piracy
• need for “security,
reconciliation, capacity”
• power sharing instead of a
“victor’s peace”
US military raid in
Somalia
SOMALIA 2006-? Special
Forces advise Ethiopian
invasion that topples Islamist
government;
• AC-130 strikes , helicopter
raids,
• Cruise missile attacks vs.
Islamist rebels; naval
blockade against "pirates" &
insurgents
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/w
orld-africa-15336689
New state in Somalia
• "The International Monetary
Fund recognises the federal
government of Somalia, headed
by President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud, paving the way for
the resumption of relations after
a 22-year interval,"
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wor
ld-us-canada-22132469
Somali diaspora in the
USA
• .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
/magazine-19548520