International Mediation

According to Samatar (The Somali Challenge, Samatar: 119), two attempts were made by the international community to save Barre.

• Under the auspices of Italy and Egypt. A meeting in Cairo was called between the Barre’s regime Vs. SNM and USC. The latter refused to attend, may be because they knew they would have the power. (He did not give a specific time)
• On Dec. 25, 1990, the government announced that a free, multiparty election would be conducted in Feb. 1991. Such measure had a purpose of to keep Said Barre on power safely until the election, during which he could reorganize his remain force.

According to Lyons (Lyons and Ahmed I. Samatar: Somalia: State Collapse, multilateral intervention, and Strategies for Political Reconstruction P.28), Italy made several attempts (I think they are the ones that Samatar mentioned in the above):

• Italy tried to start a mediation between Manifesto Group and Siad Barre in mid-1990 without success. (Lyons: 28, quote from Horn of Africa Bulletin)

• Italy encouraged Egyptian Minister Boutros-Ghali to hold last minute talks between Barre and opposition in Cairo in December 1990, yet SNM and USC refused to talk with Barre. (Lyons: 28, quote from AFP Dec.1990)

• No rebel faction had the wherewithal, or de facto powerful enough to take the lead. No leader could be accepted by the overall rebel movements to be the new head and to fulfill the core Somali government.
• They did not have a well planed agenda. The consensus among rebel movements could not reach beyond the end of Barre regime.
• Each one had its own little plan, which is to be President, but has no vision about an alternative state.

Siad Barre left Mogadishu in a tank on January 27, 1991, to Gedo region (In Somalia, Graves and Devastation, New York Times, January 30, 1991, p. A2). Barre retreated to his home country in the Gedo region of Somalia. From his new headquarters, he planned to take back Mogadishu, yet he had lost his last support from Darods. To defend them selves, Darod people regrouped in Kismaayo and formed Somalia National Front (SNF). Under the command of General Xuseen Xasan, they launched a massive offensive against USC’s position, but their attacks were too weak.

Barre’s son, General Maslah and son in law "Morgan" went abroad through Kenya on an arms purchashing mission. According to the report of The Minority Rights Group based in Britain (Samatar, Somalia: a Nation in Turmoil Aug, 1991. P.21.) "They purchased $27 Million worth of arms and petroleum at various black markets".

The problem between Ali Mahdi and Mohamed Aided

Mahdi (a Hawiye), was named by some USC civilian leaders, without any consultation with any other clans and oppositions to become the new president. He sworn in on Jan. 29, 1992, and appointed a northerner, Umar Arteh Ghaalib as the new premier. However, in addition he is a lesser known member of both the last elected parliament and Manifesto Group; therefore, he had a poor authority. During the ceremony, Mahdi was also side by formed senior members of Barre regime, including General Hussein Kulmiye Afrah, and Mohamed Osman.

Mahdi is businessman who was very successful in Motel Business. He is a member of Hawiye’s Abgal clan, dominant around the area surrounding Mogadishu, he did not do much for the fall of Barre. General Aided was a Hawiye of Habar Gidir clan, located mainly at the outskirts of Bannadir and further north of the capital, he did lots fighting. The root cause of USC’s division lies also in the traditional clan rivalities. Mahdi’s Abgal clan is a mainly sedentary life. Aided’s Habar Gidir has a nomadic life. The preliminary presidency of Mahdi reflected the fear of his clan vis-à-vis of pastoral domination.

In the North

In the former Somaliland, in February, the SNM convened a conference in Berbera, participants including elders and notables from various clans such as the Dhulbahante, Warsangali Daarood, and Godabbirsay. Later the meeting issued a join declaration, which indicates that they will boycott the coming USC organized conference (Somalia: a Nation in Turmoil. Aug, 1991). On May 17, 1991, SNM declared the region of north an independent Somaliland Republic.

The Djibouti Conference

The government of Djibouti alarmed by the situation in Somalia held two conferences in June and July 1991. (see Abdisalam M. Issa Salwe, The Collapse of the Somali State, 1994. P85-86)

• The first preparation for a conference of national reconciliation took place when former president Aadan Cismaan (1960-67), former Prime Minister Cabdirisaaq Xaaji Xuseen (1964-67) and Maxamed Xaaji Ibraahim Cigaal (1967-69) met in Djibouti. Under President Abtidoon of Djibouti.
• The first meeting was from June 5^th to 6^th 1991; representatives of SSDF, SPM, USC and SDM participate.
• Djibouti also asked the UN to participate, but the latter declined (Callahan, CSIS Africa Notes, March 1994, P.227.).

• They agreed to hold another meeting in Djibouti next month, in July 1991, and invited also SNM, SDA and USF.

• The meeting was participated by USC, SPM, SSDF, SDA, SDM, and USF. But SNM did not participate.

• The conference was also attended by delegations from USA, Italy, Egypt, France, Germany, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Yemen, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Oman, the USSR, the Arab League, the OAU, OIC, EC and IGADD. (NO UN)

• They also made six important recommendations (Abdisalam M. Issa Salwe, The Collapse of the Somali State: 1994: 86).

1. To implement a cease fire from Friday 26 July 1991
2. The unity of Somalia be sacrosanct
3. To promulgate the 1960 constitution for not more than two years from the day when the government was formed
4. To form a government involving the opposition groups
5. To establish a legislature of 123 members
6. To enact regional autonomy

• The meeting had created new clan hostility between Hawiye against Darod, and Inter Hawiye. (Taken from Amnesty International, Somalia: A Human Rights Disaster, AL-Index: AFR 52/01/92, August 1992, P.6.) Alliance during the conference was USC+SDM, SSDF+SPM, SDA+USF, SDA and USF kept a low profile.
• According to Africa Confidential (9, August 1991), during the discussion, the main issue was not only the statue of the presidency (individual or collective) but also the premier. "USC wanted an Issak, SSDF and SPM wanted a Darod." Italian Ambassador, Mario Sicca had suggested for a Darod.

• Mahdi, which is a part of the problem, was still in power.
• Aided declined to attend so long as Mahdi is still claming as interim president (Lyons, 1995: 29).
• SPM later repudiated its representatives (Lyons, 1995: 29).

• It gave credit to the undemocratic development, perplexing the country. (Taken from Mohamed Ali Direh, The Process of Restoring Peace and National Reconciliaiton in Somalia: A Handbook for Inter Clan Dialogue, 1/4/92, P.25)
• "Many Somalis regarded the Djibouti talks as an Italian attempt to move its new allies in the Manifesto Group, including Ali Mahdi…"(Lyons, 1995: 29).

• In February 1992, representatives of Aided and Mahdi signed cease-fire in NY.
• Signed the official cease-fire in Mogadishu in March. (Yet, Lyons argue that it involved only SNM clans in Mogadishu and neglected the other neutral factions elsewhere)
• April 24, 1992, creation of UN Operation in Somalia (UNSOM), which is 6 weeks after the cease fire signed in NY.

• An ensuing security assessment mission took place between 7 and 11 May.

• A UN inter-agency mission visited the north and central of Somalia from 26 June to 4 July.
• In August, UN emergency relief staffs were present at Berbera and Boroma (UN year book 1991).

• The Council adopted resolution 1991/3, appeals to member states and international governmental and non-governmental organizations to maintain their work.

• Then, resolution 46/176.

For instance, when Ali Mahdi requested a special session of the Gen. Assembly be dedicated to Somalia in Oct 1991, James Jonah (Under Sec for Pol-Affaire) sent a message urging the Nairobi office "to endeavor to discourage at the local level any idea for holding a special session on Somalia. (Callahan, CSIS Africa Notes, March 1994. P.227)"
 
   
 
 

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