The Country That Does Not Exist: A History of SomalilandThe Somali people are fiercely nationalistic. Colonialism split them into five segments divided between four different powers. Thus decolonization and pan-Somalism became synonymous. In 1960 a partial reunification took place between British Somaliland and Somalia Italiana. Africa Confidential wrote at the time that the new Somali state would never be beset by tribal division but this discounted the existence of powerful clans within Somali society and the persistence of colonial administrative cultures. The collapse of parliamentary democracy in 1969 and the resulting army--and clanic--dictatorship that followed led to a civil war in the 'perfect' national state. It lasted fourteen years in the "British" North and is still raging today in the 'Italian' South. Somaliland "re-birthed" itself through an enormous solo effort but the viable nation so recreated within its former colonial borders was never internationally recognized and still struggles to exist economically and diplomatically. This book recounts an African success story where the peace so widely acclaimed by the international community has had no reward but its own lonely achievement. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Somalia From Independence to Civil War | 17 |
3 Founding and Fostering the Somali National Movement SNM | 37 |
The Slow Growth of an Odd Guerrilla Force in the HardEdged Cold War Landscape | 57 |
The MogadishuSNM StandOff in an Indifferent World 19841988 | 73 |
6 And Suddenly All Hell Broke Loose 1988 | 93 |
7 The Local War in the North Goes Global 19891991 | 113 |
8 North and South Break up and Fight Among Themselves | 133 |
9 Independence Humanitarian Invasion and Sailing into the Unknown | 149 |
Somalilands Fragile Peace on the Edge of Somalias War Without End | 175 |
What is the Need for a NationState in Somaliland? | 195 |
Notes | 219 |
| 255 | |
| 257 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Abdi Abdirahman Tuur Abdullahi Yusuf Adadley Adan Addis Ababa Aden Africa Ahmed allies Arab armed army arrested attack Awdal Aydid became Berbera Borama border British Somaliland Bura'o civil civilians clan family clanic Colonel colonial conference conflict coup culture Darood developed Dhulbahante diplomatic Djibouti Eritrean Ethiopian fighters fighting forces foreign former Gaddabursi Greater Somalia guerrilla guns Habr Yunis Hargeisa Hashi Hassan Hawiye independence Interview Islam Islamist Issa Italian Kenya killed later leader Mahdi Majerteen Marehan Mengistu military Minister Mogadishu Mohamed Ibrahim Egal movement Musa Muslim non-Issaq northern October officers Ogaden Omar operation organisation pan-Somali peace political population President problem Puntland rebel refugees regime region Sanaag Saudi Sheikh shir Siad Barre Siad Barre's Silanyo situation soldiers Somali National Somali world southern SSDF started sub-clan territory tion took troops trucks trying United UNOSOM wanted warlords Warsangeli WSLF Xeer