Turmoil consumed Somalia in 1991 when opposing clans overthrew socialist president Siad Barre and subsequently failed to effectively negotiate a successor. Since then, the absence of a central government has resulted in lawlessness and exacerbated famine and disease, causing up to one million deaths. Transitional administrations failed to establish national unity, and throughout the 1990s consensus was very difficult to achieve because political loyalties were still based on twelve competing Somali clans. The north-western region of Somalia attempted to secede from the state, naming itself the independent Republic of Somaliland.

This chaotic situation became even more complex in 2006 when the Union of Islamic Courts gained control of Mogadishu and much of the south of Somalia, forcing out the incumbent warlords. Fighting in Mogadishu was vicious, especially between rival militias, and civilians suffered most of the casualties. The UIC did manage to improve order, although court decisions were inconsistent and some Somalis argued that the personal freedoms of secular Muslims and Somalis who practiced Christianity and traditional African religions were at risk. Certain professionals were targeted for assassination, including businessmen, civil society activists, and intellectuals. The transitional Somali administration joined its forces with Ethiopian troops to conquer the UIC towards the end of 2006. However, violence then increased, and over half the population of Mogadishu fled, sparking a major refugee crisis. Members of major clans, including the Darood, Hawiye and Issaq, are at risk of inter-clan violence, and minority ethnic groups such as the Bantu face insecurity as well as daily discrimination. Intermarriage is often prohibited, and women of the Bantu ethnic group, for example, are at higher risk for rape and sexual assault than other Somali women. Overall, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights describes Somalia as “characterized by widespread insecurity, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, threats to press freedom, violations of the human rights of women and children and infringements on economic, social, and cultural rights.”

*Map Credit: UN DPKO

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