In January 1991, Mohammed Siad Barre’s government was toppled when rebels from the United Somali Congress toppled the Red Berets, in a culmination of a struggle that began in 1986. Since then, Somalia has been in a state of civil war. It has displaced over 1 million people within the country, and over 1 million more are living abroad in the Somali diaspora, either as registered refugees or undocumented migrants. We’re joined by Fadumo Dayib, a social justice activist, Somali politician and the first woman to vie for president of Somalia (in November 2016) to discuss being Somali in Somalia, as well as the diaspora.
What was the cause of the civil war, and what factors have allowed it to continue for almost 30 years? What has the effect of having international intervention been? What factors make it possible for Al Shabaab to exist within Somalia and East Africa, and recruit from throughout the region? What has this conflict meant for the rights of Somali women and girls? How has it affected their rights, freedoms and access to opportunities? And, what is the way forward when it comes to resolving this conflict? Press play to find out!
Resources
Siad Barre’s Fall Blamed for Somalia’s Collapse into Civil War
Understanding Civil Militia Groups in Somalia
Somalia: a history of events from 1950 to the present - in pictures
The Rotation Convention: the real scandal of Somalia’s 4.5 power sharing system
The Business of Fear in Boomtown Mogadishu
Ethiopia ends Somalia occupation
WikiLeaks Reveals U.S. Twisted Ethiopia’s Arm to Invade Somalia
Ethiopian troop withdrawal from Somalia exposes peacekeeping problems
Explaining the differences in Al-Shabaab expansion into Ethiopia and Kenya
Understanding Drivers of Violent Extremism: The Case of al-Shabab and Somali Youth
Explaining Transborder Terrorist Attacks: The Cases of Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab
History of Al-Shabaab and its link with Kenya
Somali militants al-Shabab threaten Kenya retaliation
Somalia: Why is Al-Shabaab Still A Potent Threat?
Why is Al Shabab making inroads into Kenya?
Why is Kenya an al-Shabab target?
Somalia's Al Shabaab: Clans vs Islamist nationalism
What Kenya has to show for sending troops into Somalia seven years ago
PROXY WARS: The intrigues leading to Kenya’s invasion of Somalia
What's Wrong With Kenya's Invasion of Somalia
Kenya and Somalia: landscape of tension
Corruption and Terror: Somali Community in Kenya Caught in the Crossfire
Women’s Rights in Somalia: Women’s Role in Conflict Resolution
Human Rights Brief: Women in Somalia
Somalia: A state of male power, insecurity and inequality