The Genesis of the Civil War in Somalia: The Impact of Foreign Military Intervention on the Conflict

Description

This study explores the genesis of the civil war in Somalia by analysing the defeat of Somalia in the 1977 Ogaden war, asserting that this defeat, which was prompted by the intervention of the USSR, was a turning point which unleashed long term socio-political forces that led to the collapse of the central government of the country. Muuse Yuusuf analyses the history of the Somali civil war, from 1977 to the present, and the role played by various actors in the conflict such as local clans, warlords and foreign powers, and examines the present day by-products of the war, such as religious extremism. Crucially, Yuusuf looks beyond the mainstream explanation for the conflict – that of rival clans fighting over resources. By recognising the impact of foreign military interventions in Somalia, from superpower rivalry during the cold war to the war-on-terror, on the initiation and perpetuation of the Somali conflict, the book attempts to identify foreign military intervention as a new paradigm in the discourse around it. Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Breakdown of chapters Chapter 1: The historical context of the Ogaden war The Ogaden region Holy wars of Imam Ahmed Gurey Colonial powers divide the Somali nation Dervish resistance movement Colonial powers’ wars and birth of the Somali Youth League (SYL) The Republic and the issue of Greater Somalia Chapter 2: The Ogaden war: One of the biggest conflicts in Africa Diplomatic efforts to avert the war USSR undermines Somalia war efforts US policy and its role in the conflict The second phase of the war Chapter 3: Implication of the Ogaden defeat Loss of human, financial and military resources Refugee burden Political unrest: The 1978 military coup An overview of the Somali clan system Missed opportunity for political reforms Entrenched dictatorship: 1978–90 Education and gender equality for a just society? The rise of armed rebel movements United States prolongs the dictatorship Rampant corruption and virulent clanism The rise of Somali National Movement (SNM) and civil war in the north President Siyad Barre: Democrat or dictator? The rise of United Somali Congress (USC) and troubles in the south Manifesto group: Missed opportunity Shortcoming of the opposition groups End of the Cold War: The world abandons Somalia ‘Father of the Nation’ is evicted from his villa! Chapter 4: The ugly face of the civil war ‘Clan cleansing’ in Mogadishu Ali Mahdi as interim president and the fallout Deposed dictator fights back Djibouti reconciliation conference Mogadishu wars: Mooryaans, looting fuel the conflict Famine and foreign power intervention General Aideed factor and the manhunt debacle Black Hawk Down and the end of UNOSOM Critique of the UNOSOM mission Chapter 5: The rise of Somaliland and Puntland Somaliland: The hasty decision to secede The Borama conference Major civil war in the north Hargeisa conference heralds new dawn Final remarks Birth of Puntland state of Somalia Rahanweyns and their struggle for survival Top-down reconciliation conferences: The wrong medicine Djibouti conference: Cornerstone of the peace process Ethiopia undermines the Arte peace process Chapter 6: The war on terror prolongs the conflict Political Islam in Somalia: Al-Ittihad Al-Islami The rise and fall of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) The ICU attempt to overrun TFG, Puntland and Somaliland Khartoum talks: Missed opportunity US collusion in the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia Divided Republic Clan vendetta dimension of the conflict Birth of resistance movements Religious wars and the rise of Al-Shabaab Chapter 7: Positive news amid the ruins Emerging federal structure Economy without treasury survives Remittances by diaspora help trade Vibrant telecommunications sector Media and freedom of expression Education Conclusion The broken Republic in a changing world Post-conflict economic development Islam and customary law (Xeer) Somalism or clan identity The issue of Somaliland Restorative justice and accountability Glossary Notes Bibliography Index