Somalia

Colonial Africa

Africa was divided based upon European needs

not considered were ethnic groups, economic structures, historical cooperation or conflict

Somali divided among Italy, Britain and FranceFor larger image click the following link:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/willow/history-of-africa3.gifCompany: 1998-2009, How Stuff Works, Inc.

Somali Independence

1900—began fighting against European domination

1960—independence from Britain North and South United Wanted to reclaim ‘Lost Lands’

Ogaden Province of Ethiopia: home to ethnic Somalis, Ogaden Clan

Northern Frontier Province of Kenya Djibouti “Somalia is the only state in Africa all of whose

members share a history, language, and culture.” (B. H. Selassie, p. 98).

Copyright: NationMaster, 2003-2009.

For large image click the following link: http://images.nationmaster.com/images/motw/africa/somalia_ethnic_2002.jpg

Organization of African Unity, 1964

Meets in Cairo Recognized the colonial inherited

borders Somali objects

Right to self-determination of those Somalis in other countries, particularly Ogaden Province, Ethiopia

http://www.mideastweb.org/mnafrica.htm

Cold War Tensions

United States: Supports Ethiopia Somalia requests arms from US, 1962

Refused Somalia begins receiving Soviet Aid, 1964

Soviets trying to build up their navy Mogadishu’s Army 20,000 strong equipped with

Russian tanks and squadrons of MiG fighters Somalia joins the Arab League

Islam is practiced; however, Somalis are not Arab

General Siad Barre

October 21, 1969 takes over power

1970: Claims Scientific Socialism for Somalia—aligns with the Soviet Union

Unifies the varied clans in pursuit of nationalistic goals For large image click the following link:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~hmohamed/somalis.html

Ogaden War, 1976-1979

Proxy Conflict of the Cold War

West Somali Liberation Front training in Ethiopia

Somalia could claim it was supporting the rights of ethnic Somalis in EthiopiaCopyright Unknown. If the reader knows

who holds the copyright, please contact Oscar Chamberlain at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Ogaden War (Con’t)

February, 1977 fighting breaks out Somali forces initially successful June, 1977 Ethiopia claims a full scale

Somali invasion September, 1977 Ethiopia severs

diplomatic ties with Somali

End of the Ogaden War

Soviet Union begins leaning towards Ethiopia December 1978 withdraws military advisor from

Somalia and reassigns to Ethiopia Crucial Somali military information regarding troop

capabilities and deployment US and France announce no further arms

shipments to Somalia Ethiopia gains the upper hand Somalia withdraws summer 1979

More subtle strategy for the Lost Territories…had alienated all neighbors

Humanitarian Crisis

Famine 1972-1974 Drought 250,000 seek refuge in camps Resettled in fishing and cultivation schemes in the south

One Million refugees from the Ogaden War Constitution 1979: Somali Democratic Republic

Nearly unlimited power to the president Disparity of economic development favors the South over

the North Clan affiliation all-important

Growing Opposition

General Barre using more repression

Clan based affiliations and alliances offer political and armed resistance to Barre

1989 United States cut off foreign aid completely

MogadishuClick link for larger picture and more information on that day’s actions from BBC News Online. At http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/937424.stm

Uprising in the North, spring 1988

Political and economic considerations North produced surplus livestock

Largest share of export earnings Barre Gov’t invested in the south

Somali National Movement Opposition in the North Wanted connections with the populations in

Ethiopia and Djibouti Barre government bombed the north

The Manifesto, May 1990

Calls for: National conference to reconcile various

movements and ethnic groups Blamed the government for atrocities committed

during the clan uprisings Suggested the abolition of repressive laws Multiparty system, constitutional changes Proposed a caretaker government and election

preparations General Barre arrests many of the

signatories; conflicts continue

The Collapse of the Barre Government

December 1990 Egypt and Italy host conference January 5, 1991 US rescues Americans and other

Westerners from Mogadishu United Nations staff evacuated

January 21, 1991 Barre flees Mogadishu Clan leaders begin to form their own governments November 1991-March 1992 fighting in Mogadishu

30,000 dead during the fighting 500,000 without basic services 300,000 dead of hunger and hunger related diseases 500,000 flee to camps in Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti

Clan Leadership

Somali National Movement – Abdul Rahman Tur.Somali Salvation Democratic Front – Colonel Tusuf.**United Somali Congress (Aideed faction) General Mohammed Farah Aideed.**United Somali Congress (Ali Mahdi faction) Ali Mahdi Muhammed.Somali National Front – General Mohamed Said Hersi Morgan.Somali Patriotic Movement – Colonel Omar Jess.

Army Times, December 14, 1992

UNOSOM I

United Nations Security Council Resolution 751(1992)

January, 1992 Complete arms embargo called by the UN

February, 1992 Cease-fire agreed to by Somali Clans

March, 1992 Establishment of UNOSOM Monitor the cease-fire Assist with humanitarian relief 50 military observers, 500 member infantry unit Immediate assistance to 1.5 million people, and help for

an additional 3.5 million people

UNOSOM

Close protection party, Somalia 1993-4 (UNOSOM)

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74401&page=2

UNOSOM Compound, Mogadishu

Problems for UNOSOM I

Continued fighting between Aideed and Mahdi

Humanitarian aid and medical supplies looted

Pakistani troops could not respond; general UN rules of engagement

UNOSOM could not carry out its mandate Famine in the interior continued Somali land in the north declares its

independence

Creation of UNITAF

United Nations Security Council Resolution 794(1992) Member states to use all possible means Establish secure environment for humanitarian relief

President George H. W. Bush Humanitarian tragedy continuing Operation Restore Hope: December 4, 1992 American troops land: December 9, 1992 Bush has lost the ’92 election to Bill Clinton

Goals of United Task Force: Multinational coalition of military units Command and control--American Traditional military organization

UNITAF

Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egypt

Assisted General Barre’s regime

Aideed distrustful of Boutros-Ghali; Mahdi supported Boutros-Ghali

Announces UN force of 3,000 Was only to be 500 Security situation in

Mogadishu deteriorates Armed groups of Somalis

begin to harass the relief efforts

Boutros Boutros-GhaliPhoto: United Nations Website

UNITAF

“The United Sates has undertaken to take the lead in creating the secure environment which is an inescapable condition for the United Nations to provide humanitarian relief and promote national reconciliation and economic reconstruction, objectives which have from the outset been included in the various Security Council resolutions on Somalia.” -UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali to President Bush December 8, 1992

UNITAF

Approximately 28,000 US soldiers and 17,000 soldiers from 20 other countries

Securing: Air and seaports Food distribution points Open and free passage

of relief supplies Convoys for relief

organizations

A US soldier serving with the Unified Task Force (UNITAF) in Jilib, Somalia - April 1993UN 159831 M. Grant

Close protection party, Somalia 1993-4 (UNOSOM)

UNITAF Transition

March, 1993 President Clinton wants to transition back to UN control

UN wants more security first UNOSOM II

Should have enforcement powers Establish secure environment in Somalia Rebuild economic, political and social life

through national reconciliation

United StatesRangers and Delta Force

Separate military agenda from UNITAF UNITAF was humanitarian military relief Rangers and Delta Force were political

Looking to weaken or topple the Aideed organization Engaged in raids leading to the capture

of Aideed’s men Utilized helicopters and quick assaults

Somalia, 1993

American soldiers and journalists walked openly and casually down the streets of

Mogadishu

Lt. Col. Johnson of the 22rd ARW Public Affairs Office interacts with Somali

children

http://www.flickr.com/photos/virtualsugar/1502670392/in/set-72157594529957406/

October 3, 1993 1

Mission to capture two of Aideed’s lieutenants Informant identified location of meeting across from the

Olympic Hotel near the Bakara Market; heart of Aideed’s territory

Men and Machines 4 AH-6 Little Bird helicopters initial sweep and rear security 4 MH-6 Little Bird helicopters carrying Delta Force 8 Black Hawk Helicopters carrying Delta Force, Rangers, CSAR

(Combat Search and Rescue Team), and mission commanders 9 Humvees and three 5-ton trucks carrying Delta Operators,

Rangers, SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) Team Six 3 surveillance birds and 1 spy plane 160 men total

http://www.empereur.com/nations/somalia/rangerlocation.gif

Bloodiest battle in any UN peacekeeping operation:

*18 American soldiers dead, 78 wounded

*An American and a Nigerian Captured

*Approximately 500 Somalis killed, 1000+ wounded

-Bowden, 1999

October 3, 1993 2

Chalk 4 roped in one block north of drop point

Private First Class Blackburn fell 70 feet to the road Needed to be evacuated

Initial success of mission Delta found targets in building

October 3, 1993 3

All chalks begin taking fire Humvee convey evacuating Blackburn hit,

suffer one casualty, but make it out Road blocks begin to be erected by Somalis Chief Warrant Officer Cliff Wolcott’s Black

Hawk Super Six One is hit Delta has detainees and is re-loaded on

Humvees

October 3, 1993 4

Rescue attempt begins Heavy fire, poor communications

“Lost Convoy” Ground forces become pinned down

http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Restore_Hope/mog.jpg

October 3, 1993 5

Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant’s BlackHawk Super 64 Responsible for Chalk

1 deployment Providing support Took over Wolcott’s

route when he went down

Hit by RPG, goes down

From: Bowden, M. Black Hawk Down.

October 3, 1993 6

Durant went down south of the fighting BlackHawk Landed upright Air rescue already in at the first crash site No ground reinforcements could get to Durant Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart and Master

Sergeant Gary Gordon Delta snipers On BlackHawk Super Six Two circling Durant’s site Rope in to provide support to the crash site

October 3, 1993 7

Durant and Co-pilot Ray Frank regain consciousness Durant: broken leg and crushed vertebrae Frank: crushed vertebrae

Shughart and Gordon get Durant, Frank and Staff Sergeant Bill Cleveland and Sergeant Tommie Field out of the BlackHawk

Somalis closing in on the position Only additional support coming from the air No ground support Site is quickly over-run All are killed except for Durant who is captured

October 3, 1993 8

Rescue: 10th Mountain Companies, UN’s Pakistani and Malaysian forces Initial confusion over responsibilities US controlled the mission, but UN forces were

unpredictable Many US soldiers had to run out of the fight

Return to the Pakistani base of operations Receive medical treatment

Mike Durant

Winn Mahuron, Tommie Field, Bill Cleveland, Ray Frank and Mike Durant

Mike Durant giving thumbs up to photographers.

For more information about Mike Durant and to view larger images of the above pictures, click the following link and go to Media: http://www.mikedurant.com/

Mike Durant

Initial capture Mo’alim Jousuf Dahir, Aideed faction Striped of his clothing, kicked, hit, rifle butt to the face, blind-folded

Taken by rebels Driven around Held for initial hours as a hostage, not prisoner of war Takes ricochet bullet to the shoulder

Asked to make videotape, responds “No” Durant: “No, I’m not a Ranger.” Interviewer: “You kill people innocent.” Durant: “Innocent people being killed is not good.” Given basic medical treatment

Aideed pays ransom Abdullahi Hassan “Firimbi” Propaganda minister for Aideed Durant is moved

Mike Durant

Decent treatment Aideed wanted to trade with the US

Received visitors after five days International Red Cross Reporters from The Guardian and Liberation “Too many innocent people are getting killed.

People are angry because they see civilians getting killed. I don’t think anyone who doesn’t live here can understand what is going wrong here. Americans mean well. We did try to help. Things have gone wrong.” –Michael Durant

http://www.mikedurant.com/

Release

US would not negotiate with Aideed Either release or a

rescue effort would begin

Aideed believed the release would show

the goodwill of his faction

Turned over to Red Cross officials Brought to airport and

transported to Germany

'http://img336.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mikedurant9rx.jpg'><img src='http://img336.imageshack.us/img336/3494/mikedurant9rx.th.jpg' border='0'/></a>

United States Political Realities

US distracted by other events Clinton new to office European ‘issues’

Humanitarian mission Famine and drought

Clinton announces troop withdrawal by March, 1994 US mission scrapped

United Nations Response

Aideed called for a cease-fire November 1993 UN Resolution

Suspension called for the arrest of Aideed Mimicked US policy Somali reconciliation: Military troops were

removed Somalis would need to provide security to aid

workers on their own UNOSOM runs until March, 1995

Since March, 1994

Aideed dies Somalia is a Collapsed State Lawlessness

Street crime Kidnapping

Armed Conflict Clan fighting continues

Lack of a Central Government Many powerful warlords prefer the current system Somalis fear a strong-armed government Private business owners profit from the chaos

Somalia Today

“The bottom line is that, unless the United States works aggressively with Somali, regional actors and the international community to create stability in Somali, that country will remain what it has been since the early 1990s, a haven for terrorists and warlords and a source of instability in a critical region.” --Senator Russ Feingold, Committee of Foreign Relations, 2008

Government Structure

Transitional Federal Institutions Established 2004 to run until 2009 Elections for a permanent government to

be held in 2009 Transitional President Abdullahi Yusuf

Ahmed, parliamentary legislative branch, no functioning judicial branch

Union of Islamic Courts