Siad Bare's Fall Blamed for Somalia's Colapse into Civil War

[D-Runner]

Siad Barre’s Fall Blamed for Somalia’s Collapse into Civil War

Twenty years ago the overthrow of Somali president Mohamed Siad Barre left the country in chaos. Since then, Somalis have been through years of civil strife and one of Africa’s longest civil wars.

One observer says the country is weak because it is divided into clans. Hussein Warsame, a professor at Calgary University in Canada, says Somalia has never had a strong sense of nationhood, and the civil war exposed years of sectarianism.

In the 19th century, he says, other governments furthered their own interests by dividing Somalia into territories. Clan membership plays a central part in Somali culture and politics. There are at least five major clans, each with different interests, Warsame says, “Somali factions were always fighting each other and they never thought about statehood.”

Individual clans fought Siad Barre’s rule, but they never united. “The first clan group to organize against him were [the] Majeerteen. He came down on them hard, as if they were not Somalis, poisoning their wells,” says Warsawme.

“Somalis should have told Barre to stop the killing. In 1988, he started doing the same thing to another group in the far north, the Isaaqs, and again the Somalis should have reacted,” he says, but instead thought ‘They’re not killing my clan, so who cares?’”

After Siad Barre was overthrown 1991, the clans were so divided that they could not unite to form a government. Civil war erupted, leading to a humanitarian emergency. When relief agencies brought in food aid, Warsame says one of the many clans would burn it to prevent it from falling into the hands of its rivals.

Parts of the country, like Somaliland and Puntland, seceded.

“Those clans and their militias not having any common programs caused disintegration after Siad Barre had done his damage,” Warsawme says, adding that for the most part, the international community was distracted by the invasion of Iraq into Kuwait and failed to focus on Somalia until the humanitarian intervention of 1992.

He says the chaos and lack of government exacerbated the humanitarian emergency that followed Barre’s overthrow. Warsame says for all the bad things Siad Barre, he did some things very well; he oversaw the building of hospitals, schools and universities and handled humanitarian emergencies effectively in the 1970’s.

Somalia is now best known to the outside world for piracy and for being one of the poorest and most violent countries in the world. But Warsame says it should also be remembered as one of the first African countries to hold elections after independence and a peaceful transfer of power. In the 1967 presidential elections, Abdirashid Ali Shermarke beat out Aden Abdulle Osman Daar to become the second President of Somalia.

[Coeus]

He died in Nigaria like a coward. Mengitsu won after all...

[AhlulbaytSoldier]

[The_Emperior5]

He died in Nigaria like a coward. Mengitsu won after all...

Why are you insulting a man who died long time ago

[Coeus]

He died in Nigaria like a coward. Mengitsu won after all...

Why are you insulting a man who died long time ago

How am i insulting when i am merely repeating historical incidents

[The_Emperior5]

You are insulting a dead man by calling him a coward while he is no longer amongst us if he was alive it would've been oke

Mengistu did not won its just Mengistu opposition had a plan after they got rid of their dictator. USC SPM did not Mucaraadka uun ba kala fiicna.

[Cirwaaq]

AUN, Who is responsible for the 20years after him???

Who is still sabotaging every peace process?

[Coeus]

You are insulting a dead man by calling him a coward while he is no longer amongst us if he was alive it would've been oke

Mengistu did not won its just Mengistu opposition had a plan after they got rid of their dictator. USC SPM did not Mucaraadka uun ba kala fiicna.

Man he was a coward that is a fact. And Somaliland is a region in north Somalia, that is also a fact. I only deal with facts, so stop this emotional BS

[The_Emperior5]

You are insulting a dead man by calling him a coward while he is no longer amongst us if he was alive it would've been oke

Mengistu did not won its just Mengistu opposition had a plan after they got rid of their dictator. USC SPM did not Mucaraadka uun ba kala fiicna.

Man he was a coward that is a fact. And Somaliland is a region in north Somalia, that is also a fact. I only deal with facts, so stop this emotional BS

you doing it again why are you injecting Somaliland into a topic that is about Somalia you can't blame Somalias Colapse downfall all on Siyad bare thats not fair man he did his part But Somalida kale na did their part

[Coeus]

you doing it again why are you injecting Somaliland into a topic that is about Somalia you can't blame Somalias Colapse downfall all on Siyad bare thats not fair man he did his part But Somalida kale na did their part

Injecting what? Somaliland is Northwest Somalia, so i didnt inject anything. We are talking about Somalia in this topic, your little region included

[kadarre]

He should be forgotten. Let's move on. Let me go back to my country . Let us not Divide eachother but multiply . In the ideal world he would have loved to see great things happen for his country. I'm sure of that but his legacy has been destroyed and his name has been villified.

[Murax]

Shilling,

You contradicted Yourself. The article (An opinion article at that) that was slanted to begin with acknowledged that
A) Somalis never had a sense of nationhood, so how can He be accussed of killing something that wasn't there to begin with
B) The collapse of the Gov created a vaccum
C) MSB was still creditied with good as far as development

[The_Emperior5]

you doing it again why are you injecting Somaliland into a topic that is about Somalia you can't blame Somalias Colapse downfall all on Siyad bare thats not fair man he did his part But Somalida kale na did their part

Injecting what? Somaliland is Northwest Somalia, so i didnt inject anything. We are talking about Somalia in this topic, your little region included

oke iska walaaqo man i knw u love talking about sl markad jaanis u heshid

Laakin ogow Maxamamd siyaad bare danbiga iyo burburka somaliya oo dhan isagu ma lahayn qeyb bu laha qeybta kalene somalida kale ba laha

[Cirwaaq]

You are insulting a dead man by calling him a coward while he is no longer amongst us if he was alive it would've been oke

Mengistu did not won its just Mengistu opposition had a plan after they got rid of their dictator. USC SPM did not Mucaraadka uun ba kala fiicna.

Man he was a coward that is a fact. And Somaliland is a region in north Somalia, that is also a fact. I only deal with facts, so stop this emotional BS

You claim to support unity. Barre managed that ellusive Union you seek, perhabs learn to respect the greatest unionist of all time despite any wrongs he may have done he was the King of Union.

Go pray for another Barre for it is the only way on godforsaken Earth you will ever see another union

[AhlulbaytSoldier]

He should be forgotten. Let's move on. Let me go back to my country . Let us not Divide eachother but multiply . In the ideal world he would have loved to see great things happen for his country. I'm sure of that but his legacy has been destroyed and his name has been villified.

Thats the problem with somalis. They cant forget MSB, Caydiid(aun) and all the others, move on with their lives and try to build up their country.
khaariji fuad shongole said: the somali ppl rejected siyad barre, aideed, ali mahdi, then abdullahi yusuf geedi and now they oppose a government which endorsed shariahlaw. What do they want?

Qaatalahumullah, disgraceful nation that will endure more humiliations.