Somali Conflict Research Articles

The Somali Civil War: Integrating Traditional and Modern Peacebuilding Approaches

This study seeks to assess how the conflict in Somalia has transformed over the years and examines the merits of adopting a hybrid approach to peacebuilding. The article argues that given the changes experienced in the conflict and the socio-political and cultural characteristics of the Somali Society, a hybrid peace strategy which combines the traditional Xeer approach and contemporary counter-terrorism strategies can fill the gaps previous peace efforts failed to achieve. This approach has the potential to re-establish the horizontal and vertical social contracts between the people themselves and with the government which had been lost prior to and during the conflict.

Educational, psychosocial, and protection outcomes of child- and youth-focused programming with Somali refugees in Dollo Ado, Ethiopia.

Child- and youth-friendly spaces have become a common feature of emergency humanitarian provision. This study reports on the outcomes of child and youth learning centres (CYLCs) in Ethiopia's Buramino Camp established for those fleeing conflict in Somalia. Eighty-five youths completed baseline assessments shortly after arrival and follow-up assessments three to six months later. Caregivers of 106 younger children completed similar appraisals. 693 children attending the CYLCs completed pre- and post-educational assessments, which indicated major gains-significant at p<0.0001-in both literacy (younger children, t=9.06; youth, t=13.87) and numeracy (younger children, t=13.94; youths, t=17.10). Children's CYLC attendance increased reports of met needs among caregivers (t=2.53, p<0.05) and youths (t=2.57, p<0.05), and, among caregivers but not youths, significantly moderated protection concerns (t=2.39, p<0.05, and t=-1.90, p=0.06, respectively). There was general improvement in psychosocial well-being over time for all children; CYLC attendance predicted greater reductions in reported difficulties only among younger children (t=2.51, p<0.05).

Bibliography

Bibliography

Missing the Mark: The Misalignment between Policy Responses and the Drivers of Conflict in Somalia

Somalia is a country locked in a complex conflict which has dragged on for almost three decades, displacing millions and leaving hundreds of thousands dead. The causes of the conflict are numerous and interrelated. This makes resolving the conflict that much more complicated. The situation is made worse by policies aimed at addressing the conflict which are often unclear, uncoordinated, or contradictory. This misalignment between drivers and approaches has left the country trapped in a state of perpetual chaos. What follows is an examination of some of the major historical events that led to the modern day conflict in Somalia, analysis of the major policy responses, identification of where these responses have missed the mark, and a series of lessons that should be learned going forward. This case study aims to examine Somalia’s seemingly perpetual conflict with a focus toward both informing policymakers and highlighting a need to more critically evaluate policy goals and objectives in Somalia to ensure policies are actually addressing the problems they are intended to address.

Peacekeeping and Social Conflict in Somalia: the Case of Amisom-African Union Mission in Somalia

Peacekeeping and Social Conflict in Somalia: the Case of Amisom-African Union Mission in Somalia

Parasitological, serological and molecular survey of camel trypanosomiasis in Somalia

BackgroundCamel trypanosomiasis or surra is of great concern in Somalia, since the country possesses the largest one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) population in the world. Civil war in Somalia has resulted in the destruction of educational, research, economic and social structures, making the country scores very low for most humanitarian indicators. Previous studies on detection of Trypanosoma species in Somali camels have only been performed during the 1990s using standard trypanosome detection methods (STDM). Considering the lack of state-of-the-art knowledge on camel trypanosomiasis in Somalia, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of Trypanosoma spp. in three districts of Somalia.MethodsA total of 182 blood samples from C. dromedarius from nomadic and dairy farms were evaluated using STDM, serological (CATT/T. evansi) and molecular (ITS1-PCR) methods.ResultsAll samples were negative for Trypanosoma spp. by STDM. A total of 125/182 (68.7%, 95% CI: 61.4–75.3%) camels were seropositive for T. evansi by CATT/T. evansi. Camels reared in nomadic system were more likely to be seropositive for T. evansi than those under dairy production system (OR: 5.6, 95% CI: 2.1–15.2, P = 0.0001). Five out of 182 (2.7%, 95% CI: 0.9–6.3%) camels tested positive for Trypanosoma sp. by ITS1-PCR. Sequencing of the ITS1 region of the Trypanosoma species detected herein revealed that camels were infected with T. evansi and T. simiae.ConclusionsTrypanosoma evansi is highly prevalent in camels from the Banadir region of Somalia, particularly in nomadic herds. To our knowledge, this is the first study to confirm infections with T. evansi and T. simiae in Somali camels through DNA sequencing. Our data highlight the need for implementation of adequate control measures aiming to reduce the impact on camel production in the country.

Transformation of the Somali Civil-War and Reflections for a Post -Conflict Social Contract

2019 marks 28 years since the central government in Somalia collapsed, however, even today, subsequent generations of those who experienced the collapse continue to suffer its consequences. Relative to its prolonged manifestation, the crisis in Somalia remains a difficult one to forget given the continued internal suffering and external threat that it poses. Purposefully, this article will attempt to contribute to the existing peace efforts by adding the role of community/clan social contract in the peace process. The previous peace efforts prioritized state -building and establishing a central government without examining the attitude of people towards a central authority given their experiences and how the clans relate to each other. We argue that the complexity of the conflict in Somalia is due to the transformation of the conflict from a civil war to a chaotic mixture of clan-based violence, terrorism, and piracy. To solve this problem, we recommend a two-level social contract approach that will be people driven and address some of the major grievances of key actors through a constitutional process.

‘My body is burning with the shame of not belonging’: gender, violence and shame in diasporic Somali women’s writings

ABSTRACTLooking at recent writings by British-Somali female authors, this article examines the articulations of shame in relation to Somali women’s bodies and against the backdrop of the Somali civil war. The article evaluates the different levels in which shame operates, linking gender and postcolonial studies.

Relationship between Environmental Degradation, Resource Scarcity, and Civil Conflicts in Somalia

The purpose of this study was to examine relationship between environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and civil conflict in Somalia. Environmental degradation is disposed to increase the number of disputes emerging from duel over the scarce resources. Consequently, it makes the society such offensive that it is inclined to armed conflict.&#x0D; In this study we investigated five variables in which civil conflict was the dependent variable. Population growth, land degradation, water resource and the climate change were explanatory variables. Time series data, 1990-2015, from various sources was employed. Regression methods, Ordinary Least Square was used to estimate the model parameters. Augmented Dickey-Fuller test was used to examine stationary of the data as Johansen cointegration was used to detect the long run relation between the study variables.&#x0D; The study found that one million increase of the rural population will lead the likelihood of the civil conflicts by about 1.04%. The decline of every one hector of arable land will cause the likelihood of the civil conflict to increase by about 1.5%. The rise of the one kilometer cubic of fresh water decreases the likelihood of the civil conflicts to about 4.49%. Rise of the temperature came to be insignificant and has no contribution to the civil conflicts in Somalia.

The Perceptions of Physical Activity in the Somali Community of the Twin Cities of Minnesota [University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

This qualitative research investigates the perceptions of physical activity held by Muslim Somali men and women in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Following the civil war in Somalia in the early 90s, Minnesota received a large influx of Somali-identified people who eventually formed the largest Somali community in the country. As members of this community, we have observed the wide array of beliefs in how Somali people view physical activity and its importance. Little information exists in the literature about the physical activity levels of Somali-identified people since most of this health information is categorized by race. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Spring 2018 with participants recruited from local college campus’, mosques, and community centers. Questions probed at how factors such as age, gender, and immigration status impact physical activity. A total of eighteen adult participants were interviewed, eight males and ten females. Data analysis of transcripts included data reduction, conclusion drawing, and verification, using at least two independent reviewers at each stage to protect against bias. Preliminary results demonstrate that most participants conveyed that their religion and culture promote health, but may hinder rates of physical activity. Results also show that changes in lifestyle between Somalia and the US have a direct effect on the decreased rates of physical activity. Immigrant participants listed a different set of needs upon coming to the United States, and physical activity did not rank highly on that list for most. Implications for practice will be discussed, including the need for culturally relevant health promotion as a means of adaptation into the westernized culture and the need for interventions that allow students to incorporate physical well-being with their studies.

Partnership of the USA and African Countries in the Fight Against Terrorism under the Administrations of J.W. Bush and Barack Obama

The article examines the place of African countries in the US counter-terrorism strategy under the administrations of G.W. Bush and B. Obama. It is alleged that at the turn of the 2010-s the significance of this trend has increased due to the intensification of Islamists in the countries of West Africa and the new round of the civil war in Somalia. This led to an intensification of the military presence and tightened cooperation with the allies, on which the Americans also sought to entrust the main struggle against the radicals. There are several directions of counterterrorism policy: the provision of technical assistance to partner countries for the development of special forces; the building of subregional mechanisms for coordinating counter-terrorism actions; intensification of cooperation in the financial sphere; carrying out separate military operations, mainly by UAV forces. In the end, itwas the African direction that turned out to be the most successful example of Obama’s “leading from the behind” strategy. Despite the fact that under the influence of the Arab Spring and the rise of the ISIS in the Middle East in 2011-2014, there was an escalation of violence in the region, in general, the main goals of combating Islamist terrorism by the end of 2016 were achieved by the USA. In Somalia, Nigeria and Libya, Americans relied on the local forces concerned, restricting participation by coordinating allies, providing intelligence and striking individual blows. The French intervention in Mali in 2013 enabled the Europeans to shift the main burden of fighting local Islamists. In addition, Egypt, receiving abundant military assistance from the United States, did not allow the expansion of the ISIS’s zone of operations in the Sinai Peninsula, but it was not possible to fully cope with the small local branch due to the instability of relations with local tribes that remain outside the control of the central government.

LIBYA – SOMALIA AT THE GATES

Since the collapse of the Gaddafi regime and the end of NATO-led Operation Unified Protector, the security situation in Libya has deteriorated significantly. Lacking comprehensive post-conflict stabilisation and state-building, the country has become a de facto failed state which made the rise of different Jihadists groups possible. In comparison with the history of al-Shabaab on the Horn of Africa, it seems that the country is on a good way to become a new Somalia. This analysis examines which similarities can be discovered in the two crises. It will not explore the conflict in Somalia and Libya in details, but the paper will focus on the main parallel aspects of them. These will be the lack of strong basics, namely functioning central government and national identity, which easily led to the collapse of the state; the missed post-conflict stabilisation, which is the historical responsibility of both local and international actors; the deepening and atomized conflict which covered the interests of only a tight elite; and the rise of radical Islamists, who offered universal solutions for the woe of the neglected citizens

Unexploded Ordnance Management.

The purpose of this Clinical Practice Guide is to provide details on the procedures to safely remove unexploded ordnance from combat patients, both loose and impaled, to minimize the risks to providers and the medical treatment facility while ensuring the best outcome for the patient. Military ordnance, to include bullets, grenades, flares, and explosive ordnance, retained by a patient can be a risk to all individuals and equipment along the continuum of care. This is especially true from the point of injury to the first treatment facility. Management of patients with unexploded ordnance either on or in their body is a rare event during combat surgery. Loose munitions are usually noted and easily removed prior to the patient receiving medical treatment. However, impaled munitions provide a significant challenge. These are usually caused by large caliber, high-velocity projectiles. Patients who survive to arrive at a treatment facility must be triaged safely and simultaneously treated appropriately to ensure both the survival of the patient and the treatment team. Between WWII and the Somalia conflict, there have been 36 reported cases of unexploded ordnance from U.S. soldiers. Since 2005, there have been six known cases during the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and one additional case in Pakistan. Optimal outcomes require a basic knowledge of explosives and triggering mechanisms, as well as adherence to basic principles of trauma resuscitation and surgery.

From Pre-Colonial Past to the Post-Colonial Present: The Contemporary Clan-Based Configurations of Statebuilding in Somalia

Abstract:This article is driven by an empirical paradox over where Somalia came from (pre-colonial clan-states) and where it ended up (return to pre-colonial clano-territorial conflicts). Existing academic studies on contemporary Somalia, which were supposed to provide critical analysis, continue to applaud the creation of clan-states within the failed state of Somalia. Based on a variety of unique primary sources, this article offers a new perspective on the current state formation processes occurring in the purview of the Somali State. Somali clans are determined to come to terms with the state collapse by averting the return to political power of the detested military regime, which was led by one clan-based leadership that tended to terrorize other rival clans and denied any equal power- and resource-sharing framework. Conceptualizing the contemporary Somali state as similar to pre-colonial clan-sultanates, this article argues that contemporary Somalis are reverting to a pre-colonial realm where each clan had its clan sultan seeking for a clan-state of its own right. Where else do clan-states compete against each other in entering into “treaties” with external entities intent on exploiting war-torn Somalia astabula rasa? It is towards the objective of answering this question and of providing a better understanding of the Somali conflict that this article is offered to add a comparative empirical understanding of the different trajectories of state formations in Somalia.

CHALLENGES IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS THERE A SOLUTION?

CHALLENGES IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS THERE A SOLUTION?

From Al-Itihaad to Al-Shabaab: how the Ethiopian intervention and the ‘War on Terror’ exacerbated the conflict in Somalia

External intervention has frustrated and continues to frustrate peace and stability in the Horn of Africa and Somalia, adding various adverse layers to an already complicated and complex conflict. The level of forceful military engagement intended for regional domination has profoundly affected negatively the efforts of peacebuilding and statebuilding in Somalia. This article examines how the earlier Ethiopian policies towards Somalia has reshaped the (post)-Cold War politics of the Horn. In doing so, it traces the roots of the Ethiopian intervention in Somalia vis-à-vis new non-state armed groups to chart the changing political dynamics of the conflict in Somalia. By using historical approach, the article argues that Ethiopia’s agenda is central to understanding why the ‘War on Terror’ has strengthened and subsequently midwifed armed militant movements (e.g. new insurgency groups) in Somalia, starting from Al-Itihaad to today’s Al-Shabaab. In focusing upon various regional actors and groups, the article moves from the emphasis of internal systems to external power structures, considering the wider historical and political factors in the region that must be closely examined if the regional and local conflicts are to be deeply understood. While it is a context-specific study, the article aims to contribute fresh perspectives and insights to ongoing discussions on the consequences of the Ethiopian intervention in Somalia.

Counter-Insurgency Operations of the African Union and Mitigation of Humanitarian Crisis in Somalia

AbstractThe protracted armed conflict in Somalia has engendered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis; one that makes it a leading storehouse of the worst humanitarian conditions in the world. The intervention of the African Union (AU) through its third Peace Support Operation- the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)- was aimed at supporting the Transitional Federal Institutions in the stabilisation of the country, advancing dialogue and reconciliation as well as facilitating the provision of humanitarian support. The achievement of the humanitarian component of the mission’s mandate is largely contingent on the first two mandates. Essentially, this study interrogated the interface between the implementation of the humanitarian component of AMISOM mandate and the control of the worsening conditions of Somali internally displaced persons and refugees. Anchoring analysis within the classical approach to national security, the study found that the restoration of relative stability in the polity has not widened access to economic and humanitarian assistance in the terror-laden state of Somalia. Thus, greater commitment of major stakeholders, especially the United Nations (UN), the United States as well as the AU is required in the transmutation of AMISOM and Somalia National Armed Forces into a force that is entirely indigenous to the people of Somalia. This will serve as an elixir to the ever-constricting humanitarian corridor that has exacerbated the conditions of the victims of forced migration in Somalia.

Současné politické konflikty v oblasti Afrického rohu

Violent conflict is very old in human society. The development of military technology brought with itself the worst tragedies loss of human live and material devastation in the second half of 20th century in the Horn of Africa. This region is one of the centers of various political violent conflicts in the world, according to length of these violent conflicts, the number of death of people, mainly civilian, refugees and internal displaced persons (IDP). This study elucidates the root causes of long wars in the Horn of Africa focusing mainly on South Sudan and Somalia. It also illustrates how the Super Powers during the Cold War helped their client states to prolong the suffering of people in the region. When Socialist system disappeared from Eastern Europe, Mengistu Haile Mariam’s and Siyad Barre’s regime ignominiously collapsed. In Ethiopia Amhara power elite, who ruled the Empire state from 1889 to 1991 lost their state power and Tigrian guerrilla fighters captured it through the power of the gun, Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia, South Sudan is emerging from long heinous war to independence. The violent conflict in Somalia transformed after the old regime demise in 1991 and the new leaders unable to build new central government. Somalia is fragmented and became the good example of failed state in the theory of contemporary political sociology. The paper tries to explain these complex violent conflicts in this part of Africa.

Trends of Tuberculosis in Somaliland’s Young Children after the Conflict and the Role Khat Marfishes Play Its Transmission

After the fall of the central government and the emergence of the recurrent civil conflict in Somalia, many new sociocultural phenomenons that have appeared across the country contributed to the spread of many infectious diseases including TB. One of these social phenomena is a wide spread use of the illicit drug Khat which is predominately used by the Somali males. Mostly khat is chewed in small overcrowded, unhygienic and unventilated makeshift huts known as Marfishes. These Marfishes became the launch pad and the breeding grounds of many infectious diseases that have affected the lives of many Somalis including children. Under-five mortality in somalia is estimated at 200 deaths per 1000 births, which is one of the highest in the world. Approximately one third of these are neonatal deaths, occurring during the first month of life, pneumonia and diarrhea are the main killers each contributing 20-25 percent of all under-five mortality. While these diseases still remained the top major killers, communicable diseases including TB are also a leading cause of death. This paper investigates the incidence and the trends of tuberculosis among the Somali children by using time series statistical models.

Book review: Media, diaspora and the Somali conflict

Book review: Media, diaspora and the Somali conflict