Somali Government Research Articles

Uncertain partners: NGOs and the military

The 1990s witnessed an explosion of Western military involvement in complex emergency operations requiring cooperation with relief agencies. Recent operations include a failed attempt to reconstitute viable central government in Somalia, return of democratically elected government to Haiti, alleviation of human suffering in Rwanda and Zaire, operations to end conflict and to support multi-ethnic government in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and an effort to stop ethnic terror in Kosovo. In these operations US and allied militaries, UN agencies and various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have worked together to ameliorate the suffering caused by war and poor governance. Yet, despite this mounting experience, the military has failed to take adequate advantage of the skills and capabilities of relief agencies. As a result, operations are often needlessly chaotic. At best, this chaos leads to a waste of time and effort; at worst, the cost is measured in lives and suffering.

Practical applications of OR in an underdeveloped nation

This paper discusses 13 specific problematic situations, which were presented to the author by the government of Somalia, an underdeveloped nation in East Africa. These situations are totally different from the ones for which decision methods have already been developed by OR specialists. Each one of these emerged under extremely poor and harsh economic and political environments. The primary objective pursued in each case was to make the situation tolerable for as many people as possible. We could group these situations into two categories — 1) micro-level, and 2) national level. Each situation is described and analyzed in a separate subsection. First, the background conditions are highlighted; next, the government objectives for the situation are brought into focus. Before starting with the analysis, all the existing constraints and limits impinging upon the situation in question are elaborated upon. This is followed by discussions about the assumptions which had to be made for developing each model or decision methodology. Further, the paper outlines the possible surprises or management dilemmas which may pop up during implementation of the decision. Next, certain precautions or remedies to deal with such surprises are suggested. Finally, a realistic assessment of the effectiveness of each of these models or decision methodologies is provided. In conclusion, the paper adds a few comments in relation to some of the possible questions or arguments likely to be raised by some OR experts.

Factors Affecting the Treatment of Kenyan-Somalis and Somali Refugees in Kenya: A Historical Overview

This paper is an attempt to explain Kenyan authorities' inhumane treatment of Kenyan-Somalis and Somali refugees in terms of long-standing conflicts between Kenya and Somalia, and Kenyan authorities' reaction to what they perceived as a credible threat from North-Eastern Rovince. This long history of conflict and tension has created a distorted and hostile image of Somalis as enemies of Kenyan state. The image, real or imaginary, has continued to influence Kenyan authorities' behaviour towards Somalis, which has led to gross violations of human rights.' This, however, is not an exhaustive explanation for treatment of two groups. Other variables, not directly examined here include nature of postcolonial state, broader question of political legitimacy, nature of ruling class and role of violence as a response to state repression. In order to understand development of this image andits implications for Kenyan Somalis and Somali refugees in Kenya, it is .imperative to highlight some of critical elements of conflicts between Kenyan government and inhabitants of North-Eastern Rovince of Kenya (which is major part of what was formerly Northern Frontier District), and between Kenyan government and government of Somalia. The conflict has its origins in colonial era. At turn of century, Britain extended her control over this semiarid area. One of foremost scholars on region, A.A. Castagno, cites three reasons for this action: 1) to provide a buffer between Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia on one side, and East African railway Ogenga Otunnu is a doctoral candidate in Department ofHistoty at York University and a Researcher in Centrefor Refugee Studies. andthe white settlersin highlands on other; 2) to deter Ethiopian imperial power from annexing Boran and Gabro; and 3) to check the Somali south-westward expansion. To effect some of these policies and minimize ethnic and clan conflicts, administrative borders were redrawn, and in 1909 Somalis were not allowed beyond Somali-Galla line. However, these policies caused Somaliresistance to British colonialism to es~alate.~ The colonial regime responded by declaring (through its Outlying District Ordinance) Northern Frontier District (NF'D) a closed district in 1926. By this draconian ordinance, colonial administrators were given sweeping powers to deal with any form of dissent or This long history of conflict and tension has created a distorted and hostile image

Agony and struggle in northern Somalia

In May 1991, the breakaway Somaliland republic was established in what had been the northern regions of Somalia, with its first president, Abdirahman Ahmed Ali. But this attempt at creating a stable polity in a rapidly disintegrating situation is yet to be recognised by western powers.The creation of this new republic was a direct result of the civil war in Somalia. This had begun to tear apart the fragile state from 1982, when the first organised resistance to the tyrannical rule of president Siad Barre had been mounted in the northern cities of Hargeisa and Burao.By effectively redrawing the old colonial boundaries between what had been British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland before the brittle unity that had come with independence in 1960, the people of the new Somali land have declared their final dissatisfaction with the economic and cultural bias, the political structure and inbuilt inequity of the former Somalia. They are also systematically rejecting the brutal overlordship they have suffered fo...

Stealing people from each other

Apart from killing and arresting opponents, the Somali government has at its disposal a formidable range of extra-legal sanctions to exert control. The most simple acts, such as mourning the death of a relative, become subject to 'political' controls. Military checkpoints, curfews, 'the tabeleh system' and house-to-house searches cripple freedom of movement and devastate privacy

The bird community of riverine forest in Somalia

BIOGEOGRAPHIA — vol. XIV - 1988 {Pubblicato il 31 dicembre 1990) The Biogeography of Somalia The bird community of riverine forest in Somalia BRIAN WOOD Ecology and Comervm.‘z'0Iz U/zit, Depmtmem‘ of Biology, Um'71e7'rz'ty College London, Gower Street, London W/CIE 6BT, UK. SUMMARY The area of riverine forest in the Jubba valley has been reduced by over 90% since 1960. Only two sizeable blocks now remain and these were studied by the Somalia Research Project in 1986. As part of these studies, over 500 birds were mist-netted in the forest understorey. A group of 47 bird species is considered to be dependent on riverine forest and all of these have very restricted ranges in Somalia. As yet, the substantial reduction in area of riverine forest does not seem to have caused a comparable reduction in bird species. The remoteness of the Jubba valley from Quaternary forest refugia appears to have exerted a more important control on its number of bird species. Competitive interactions between the species which make up this community are considered, as thay may also restrict the number of species that occur. There are several examples of guilds of species which seem to coexist through size separation. If the remaining forest was protected, most of the typical bird species would probably survive. How- ever, the threats from further clearance and from insecticidal sprays are considerable. There are also economic benefits to be gained by protecting riverine forest, since it is a source of medicinal plants, construction materials and honey from wild bees. Forest helps to reduce erosion and flooding of agricul- tural land. It is to be hoped that the Somali government will take this opportunity to demonstrate a committment to nature conservation by introducing effective protection measures as soon possible. INTRODUCTION Little riverine forest now remains in Somalia. At one time it clothed the banks of both the major rivers for most of their length (Pichi—Sermolli 1957), but only tiny fragments now exist along the Shabeelle. For the Jubba valley it has been possible to quantify the recent rate of loss of riverine forest by comparing aerial photographs taken on three different dates (Deshmukh 1987). From 1960 to 1987 a reduction from 9350 ha to 900 ha was recorded. Most of what remains is fragmented and there are now sizeable areas of riverine forest only in the Middle Jubba between Fanoole and Bu’aale. Even in this stretch, over 850 ha was cleared between 1983/84 and 1987, a loss of 63% in less than 4 years. Clearly, unless protection measures are rapidly introduced and enforced, there will be no forest remaining by the end of this century. A gradual and continuous erosion of the area of riverine forest has prob- ably taken place for as long as there have been settlements in the valley, but recent developments have given added impetus to its removal. A major dam is to be constructed north of Bardheere in order to generate electricity and 467

From "Growth" to "Basic Needs": The Evolution of Development Theory

There is no topic in the world today more important, or more subject to ideological mystification and obfuscation, than that of "development." To be clear about it is to be clear about the crucial issues, including the issue of peace and war, that are decisive for the future of humankind. Ibrahim Samater's article, which we are proud to publish as this month's "Review of the Month," goes directly to the heart of the matter. We commend its careful study to all MR readers. The author, a former finance minister and minister of planning in the government of Somalia and Somalia's ambassador to West Germany, is now a doctoral student in economics at the University of California, Riverside. - The Editors.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.

The Somali Peninsula: A New Light on Imperial Motives, with a preface by the Hon. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. Mogadishu and London: Information Services of the Somali Government, 1962. Pp. xiii, 137, maps. 20s.

The Somali Peninsula: A New Light on Imperial Motives, with a preface by the Hon. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. Mogadishu and London: Information Services of the Somali Government, 1962. Pp. xiii, 137, maps. 20s. - Volume 33 Issue 1

The Somali Peninsula. A New Light on Imperial Motives

Journal Article The Somali Peninsula. A New Light on Imperial Motives Get access The Somali Peninsula. A New Light on Imperial Motives. By the Information Services of the Somali Government. Preface by Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Prime Minister. Information Services of the Somali Government, 1962. xiii+137 pp. Map endpapers. Maps. Bibliog. Index. 20s. I. M. Lewis I. M. Lewis Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar International Affairs, Volume 38, Issue 4, October 1962, Pages 515–516, https://doi.org/10.2307/2609582 Published: 01 October 1962