United Somali Congress

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

United Somali Congress
Commander/leaderMohamed Farrah Aidid,[1]
Ali Mahdi Muhammad
Founded1987 (1987)
Dissolved2000 (2000)
HeadquartersMogadishu
IdeologyAnti-communism
Anti-Siad Barre
Islamism
Somali nationalism
Greater Somalia
Hawiye interests
GroupHawiye
Colours  Green

The United Somali Congress (USC) was one of the major rebel organizations in

Transitional National Government
(TNG), a process of disarmament was put in motion and some moderate ex-USC leaders were incorporated into the new interim administration.

History

USC 1990 Political Programme
USC 1990 Political Programme

With its base centered on the

SODAF, SSDF and SNM, the USC in Rome had its own political program that offered a decentralised system to address the growing discontent with central rule after 10 years of rebel opposition.[2]

"The USC shall formulate national policies, strategy and plans of action to effectively establish and consolidate a Federal Central Government and a democratically elected parliament that truly represents all the Somali citizen. As well as establish the principle of regional self government. This will help create a systematic decentralisation of governmental institutions and support local planning and decision-making, community initiative and participation which will eventually lead to the people self-reliance in all aspects of their political, social and economic lives"

The contested USC military wing was formed in late 1989 in

Hussein Mohamed Farrah, by which time the Aidid faction of the organization was also known as the Somali National Alliance
(SNA), often the USC/SNA.

The USC was formed in response to severe acts against the Hawiye tribe by the government of Mohamed Siad Barre. During the period of 1989 to 1991, President Barre launched massive crackdowns and use of force against the Hawiye in their homeland in Southern and Central Somalia. The most notable incidents were in Central Somalia in the area near

Mohammed Farah Aidid quitting his post as Somali Ambassador to India and joined the USC training camps in Mustahiil
, Ethiopia.

Military successes by the USC[4]

Daniel Arap Moi[8][9] before he was offered by the then-OAU to retire in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite the victory however, the USC had failed to manage a political settlement with its rivals, the SNM, SPM and the SSDF, and also fragmented within its own leadership after Ali Mahdi Muhammad
was declared interim President.

Upon the naming of Ali Mahdi Muhammed as President, the USC split into two. The USC/SNA emerged under Mohammed Aidid and the United Somali Congress/Somali Salvation Alliance (USC/SSA) of Ali Mahdi Muhammed. The USC/SNA came under the control of Mohamed Aidid's son,

Hussein Mohamed Farah Aidid after the father's death in 1996. The USC/SSA eventually came under control of the Deputy Chairman, Musa Sudi Yalahow
.

Both USC factions made peace with each other in June 1997, though this caused a violent split between Yalahow and Ali Mahdi Muhammed, and fighting continued in Mogadishu. Eventually, both Hussein Aidid and Yalahow reconciled and joined the

Omar Muhamoud Finnish (also known as Mahmud Muhammad Finish), who continued to support the TNG. Fighting between the two caused many deaths in Mogadishu.[10]

In 2001, Hussein Aidid founded the

Transitional National Government (TNG) and the Juba Valley Alliance
(JVA) in the 2001–2004 period. However, it eventually settled its differences with the government in 2003, with some moderate leaders incorporated into the new interim administration.

Notable personnel

Timeline of the USC

See also

References

  1. OCHA
    . 1998.
  2. ISBN 9789057270383
    .
  3. OCHA. December 1998. p. 105. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on January 24, 2004.
  4. ^ Of Immigration, Board (1993). Somalia: Information on the situation in Baidoa and El Wak from 1991 to 1993, and in El Wak in 1996.
  5. ^ Alasow, Omar (2010). Violations of the Rules Applicable in Non-International Armed Conflicts and Their Possible Causes.
  6. ^ Duyvesteyn, Isabelle (2010). Clausewitz and African War, Politics and Strategy in Liberia and Somalia.
  7. ^ Report, Daily (1992). Daily Report Africa (Sub-Sahara) Issues. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. p. 4.
  8. ^ Review, The Weekly (1992). The Weekly Review. Stellascope Limited. p. 36.
  9. ^ Review, The Weekly (1992). The Weekly Review. Stellascope Limited. p. 37.
  10. ^ "SOMALIA: At least 12 killed in Mogadishu fighting". IRIN. February 26, 2002. Retrieved February 7, 2007.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_Somali_Congress&oldid=1218777423"