Attempts at reconciliation in Somalia (1991–2004)
Date | 1991–2004 |
---|---|
Location | Transitional Federal Government |
Many factions opposed to Siad Barre set aside tribal and political differences to unite in purpose to overthrow his regime.[citation needed] After the collapse of Siad Barre's government in 1991 the nation fell into a long period of increasingly chaotic conflict between forces of clans, militias, warlords, separatist, religious functions and rebellion movements, other nations, and even the United Nations peacekeepers.
The powers that overthrew Siad Barre were composed of various clan-predominated factions, from the Hawiye-based United Somali Congress (USC) , the Isaaq-based Somali National Movement (SNM), the Ogadeni-based Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), and the Majerteen-based Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).
Reconciliation and disarmament efforts
Various peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts were attempted, but all were destined for failure until most all parties had agreed to the formation of a new international community-backed
1991: First attempts at reconciliation
During the Somali civil war, a "Manifesto" was produced and supported by many of the rebel leaders. From this "Manifesto", a rebel government was formed in January 1991. Because the "Manifesto" was mostly supported by the United Somali Congress, this governmental movement became known as "USC 91". However, since not all rebel leaders were signatories, and because many other factions did not wish to submit to the USC's leadership, the "Manifesto" or "USC 91" government failed to be recognized as legitimate by all parties and was not recognized by the international community.[1]
The first attempt at Somali national reconciliation was conference was held in Djibouti, between 5 and 11 June 1991 (Djibouti I). Four factions participated. A second conference (Djibouti II) was held in Djibouti in July 1991, but neither produced significant results.[2]
1992–1995 UN missions to Somalia
In late 1992, UN Secretary General
As Oakley astutely observed, the UN missions to Somalia would not result in the disarmament of the many factions of the Somali Civil War. Too many warlords, as well as too many common Somalis, wished to keep their weapons, and to keep their feuds alive. In 1995, the last of the UN peacekeepers were pulled out of Somalia.
UN Security Council intervention in Somalia's Civil War went back to Resolution 733, an arms control provision which established a weapons embargo on the country.
The list of UN missions to Somalia, and their US operations names, are as follows:
UN mission | US operation | Start date | End date | UNSC resolution |
---|---|---|---|---|
UNOSOM I[4] |
Operation Provide Relief | April 1992 | March 1993 | 751 |
UNITAF |
Operation Restore Hope |
December 1992 | May 4, 1993 | 794 |
UNOSOM II[5] |
Operation Continue Hope |
March, 1993 | March 1995 | 814 |
1993 Conference on National Reconciliation
In early 1993, concurrent with the UNOSOM I humanitarian mission, fifteen of the warring parties of the
1997 National Salvation Council
Organized by
1997 Cairo Peace Conference / Cairo Declaration
1998 Baidoa Conference
The conference was postponed indefinitely and then cancelled after continuous fighting in the city throughout the early part of the year made it impossible to ensure security. Cholera had also broken out in Baidoa around that time. By June, Osman Hassan Ali "Ato" declared the Cairo peace process "dead".[10][11][12][13][14]
2000 Somalia National Peace Conference
Officially dubbed the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC), and sometimes called the Djibouti conference, this was a series of meetings held in Arta, Djibouti, on April 20 - May 5, 2000. The conference was aimed at bringing together representatives of the warring factions of Somalia to end the civil war that had claimed over 300,000 lives.[15] The name Transitional National Government (TNG) was selected for the movement at this time.
Annex II of the program for the conference dealt with cease-fire, disarmament and security. It emphasized:
The desire of the Somali people for peace and security through disarmament is unambiguous. This call is heard repeated throughout the country from all segments of the Somali society, who have consistently demand [sic] an end to violence. Unless this is realized, the entire process of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction would be jeopardized, if not stillborn. One of the first responsibilities of Somalia's new transitional government will be to insist on an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire, together with binding, complete and simultaneous disarmament of al [sic] militias throughout the country consistent with the agreements they signed from 1991 to 1997, but never implemented.
It took another six years before the transitional government was in a position to implement such a cease-fire and disarmament.
2001 National Commission for Reconciliation and Property Settlement
On May 6, 2001, an effort to create a 25-member working body, dubbed the National Commission for Reconciliation and Property Settlement (NCRPS), was damaged when Abdirizak Haji Hussein, former prime minister, was named as its head. The Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) and Puntland leadership objected strongly. Hussein later resigned on July 25, 2001.
2002 Somali Reconciliation Conference
The 2002 Somali Reconciliation Conference held in Eldoret, Kenya, this conference was attended by most TFG supporters. However, at the time, the Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) was still hotly contending with other factions, including warlord Adan Madobe-Habsade, who captured Baidoa. The RRA accused the Juba Valley Alliance of assisting the warlord, an accusation denied by the JVA leader Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale.[16]
2004 Nairobi Conference
In January, 2004 a productive conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya, at which the
2004 presidential elections
On 10 October [2004], the president of
References
- ^ Hirad, Abdalla Ahmed (2009-02-09). "Djibouti's Fourth Somali Peace Conference Is It the End of Political Partisanship?". WardheerNews. Archived from the original on 2009-04-16. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ Mukhtar, Mohamed H. "Somali Reconciliation Conferences: The Unbeaten Track". holler Africa!. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
- ^ "The Dilemma of Disarmament". Time.
- ^ Somalia - UNOSOM I UN
- ^ Somalia - UNOSOM II UN
- ^ a b Somalia: From Permanent Conflict to More Peacefulness? Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine Searching for Peace in Africa, Jos van Beurden
- ^ AI Report 1998: Somalia Archived January 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Amnesty International
- ^ Security Council Welcomes Results of Somali Leaders' Meeting in Cairo UN Security Council
- ^ Somalia/Ethiopia Archived February 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine CountryWatch
- ^ Horn of Africa, Monthly Review, January 1998 UNDP
- ^ Horn of Africa, Monthly Review, February 1998 UNDP
- ^ Horn of Africa, Monthly Review, March 1998 UNDP
- ^ Horn of Africa, Monthly Review, April-May 1998 UNDP
- ^ Horn of Africa, Monthly Review, May-June 1998 UNDP
- ^ Somalia National Peace Conference Program, hosted at Banadir.com
- ^ Somalia: Interview with Barre Adan Shire, chairman of the Juba Valley Alliance (JVA) IRIN
- ^ a b UN in Somalia Archived February 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)