Africa Confidential. 14 June 1991. "Somalia: One State or Two?"

 

Somalia: Information on SNM policies pertaining to non-Isaaq clans in northern Somalia

Publisher	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Author	Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada
Publication Date	1 December 1991
Citation / Document Symbol	SOM9931
Cite as		Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Somalia: Information on SNM policies pertaining to non-Isaaq clans in northern Somalia, 1 December 1991, SOM9931, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac42c.html [accessed 14 April 2022]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

 

According to information received from the London office of the Secretariat for Foreign Relations of the Somali National Movement, the current government includes six non-Isaaq members: two Gadabursi, two Dulbahante, one Issa, and one Warsangali. In addition, a Somaliland legislative assembly has been formed in which 30 percent of the members are non-Isaaqs, according to the SNM (Somali National Movement, 10 December 1991).

At least three reports in June 1991 contradict the SNM statistics on government ministers in that they do not account for an Issa minister (Africa Confidential, 14 June 1991; Le Monde, 8 June 1991; Délégué aux Réfugiés, July 1991, 23). Most reports on the legislative assembly, also referred to as the "constituent committee," actually indicate that the proportion of non-Isaaqs is about 55 percent (Jeune Afrique, 18 June 1991; Indian Ocean Newsletter, 25 May 1991).

The London office of the SNM states, "The question of a policy by Isaaq towards other clans never arose and does not exist. All are in the same [Legislative] Assembly and have the same right (Somali National Movement, 10 December 1991). Nevertheless, in the early part of 1991, there were reports of fighting between the SNM and armed Gadabursi and Issa in northwestern Somalia, near the borders with Djibouti and Ethiopia (New African, May 1991; Africa Events, March 1991; The Indian Ocean Newsletter, 23 February 1991). On 5 February, according to the radio network of the SNM, the movement "launched a full-scale war on Boorama" against remnants of the Somali Armed Forces and followed up the next day with "mopping-up" operations throughout the region of Awdal. Boorama was "heavily shelled" in the attack and by the end of the month, 30,000 refugees, the majority of them Gadabursi, had fled to Ethiopia. The Gadabursi have been "traditionally at odds with the Isaak [as written]" clan. (Africa Research Bulletin, 1-28 Feb. 1991; FBIS-AFR-91-025, 6 Feb. 1991a; FBIS-AFR-91-025, 6 Feb. 1991b)

According to a March report of The Indian Ocean Newsletter, representatives of the Gadabursi-dominated Somali Democratic Association stated that four Gadabursi had been executed in Berbera. The report provides no further details as to the circumstances of their execution (The Indian Ocean Newsletter, 9 March 1991).

 Bibliography

Africa Confidential. 14 June 1991. "Somalia: One State or Two?"

Africa Events. March 1991. Wilson, Hamish. "Unsettled Dust."

Africa Research Bulletin. 1-28 February 1991. "Refugee Crisis Reaches pic Proportions." Vol. 28, No. 2. Délégué aux Réfugiés. July 1991. "ODR Bulletin d'Information: Somalie."

FBIS-AFR-91-025. 6 February 1991a. "SNM Fighters Destroy `Enemy' Force in Boorama," Radio of the Somali National Movement [Clandestine], 5 February 1991.

FBIS-AFR-91-025. 6 February 1991b. "SNM Conducts `Mopping-up' Operations in Awdal," Radio of the Somali National Movement [Clandestine], 5 February 1991.

The Indian Ocean Newsletter. 25 May 1991. "Somalia: Northern Somalia Proclaims its Independence."

The Indian Ocean Newsletter. 9 March 1991. "Horn of Africa: Federal Option."

The Indian Ocean Newsletter. 23 February 1991. "Horn of Africa: Repercussions of Somali Rebellion."

Jeune Afrique. 18 June 1991. "La sécession après la guerre."

Le Monde [Paris]. 8 June 1991. "Somalie: Les sécessionnistes du Nord ont formé leur gouvernement."

New African. May 1991. "Why SNM Spurns USC Overtures."

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