1. Somali Conflicts • Modern Somalia- “lawless state”? • Traditional conflict management • Culture of confrontation godob (revenge for cumulative grievances) • Council of elders (xeer) with powers of expulsion, holy men • Diya – blood money • Intermarriage between clans • Qat chewing • Poetry – expressing clan positions

2. Somali Conflicts 2 • Colonialism: British/Italian • Partitioning of Somali people • Issues of land ownership, productivity  disruption • Colonial military/bureaucratic elite • Imposition of colonial law • Independence = 1960 • Lack of gov’t diversity • Push for “development” – export crops • State-controlled military to replace xeer • Control of national resources

3. Somali Conflicts 3 • General Siad Barre regime (1969-91) • Personal power, clan exclusion • “modernization” • Cold War politics of arms and aid • 1991 coup • Outside involvement • United Nations • U.S./U.S.S.R • Ethiopia • “New World Order”

4. New World Order • collapse of USSR end of Cold war  “New World Order” • one size fits all model of state • “rule of law” replaces other authorities • international congregation of states, United Nations to “police” • collective security vs. peacekeeping

5. Somali Conflicts 4 • 1994-2006: Warlords, Moneylords • 1994: Transitional Federal Government (TFG), led by Abdullah Yusuf • Businessmen support clan militia leaders (NOT traditional elders) • For U.S., issue of terrorism, Somalis involvement in Kenya and Tanzania bombings • Union of Islamist Courts (UIC) • take over Mogadishu, 2005 • establish order, some peace

6. Somali Conflicts 5 • Dec, 2006: Ethiopia invades, with U.S. backing • growing Islamist insurgency • at present: Drought, displacement, looming famine, ongoing piracy • need for “security, reconciliation, capacity” • power sharing instead of a “victor’s peace”