Somalia Civil War §

(F) Day of the week: Tuesday Created Time: June 8, 2021 2:39 AM Database: Evergreen Database Date: June 8, 2021 2:39 AM Days Till Date: Passed Last Edited Time: June 30, 2021 7:42 PM Tags:#Civil-Conflict Type: Permanent Notes

Background §

Somalia presidential election was the first in Africa (after independence)

• President Abdirshid ali Sharma’arke
  • Eroding country & democracy
    • Nepotism
    • Corruption
    • Clan Competition
  • assassinated
    • Violence
    • Mass Movement
• Content: Mohamed Siaad Barre
  • Blood less coup (21 Oct 1969)
  • Scientific Socialism
  • Soviet financed Somali military, most powerful in sub Saharan
  • War with Ethiopia
    • Lost

Origin of Civil War §

1. Colonial Administration System: Division into sovereign territory ◦ Centralized State System: Goes against traditional social structures ◦ Italy + British colonial traditions: source of tension for elites ◦ Unequal clans representation of elites

2. Clan System ◦ Competition over resources, income, foreign aid ▪ Elites represented interest of their clans ◦ Government biased treatment of different clans ▪ Created 12 Opposition groups/political organizations against Siaad

3. Impact of Cold War: ◦ Soviet financed Somali military for Ogadan War, most powerful in sub Saharan ▪ State’s Development: 100% foreign aid ▪ Recurrent Budget: 50% foreign aid

4. Repressive Government of Siaad Barre ◦ Government turned authoritarian ◦ Foreign aid mostly used for military and influential purposes (not economy) ◦ Socio-Economic unequal treatment between clans and violence ▪ Cabinet 32% → 50% represented by Darood Clan ▪ Created clan based organizations against the government

References §

1. The Somalia Civil-War from 1988-1991