Comparative Political Struggles in Somalia

The former Somali guerilla movements such as the United Somali Congress (USC), Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), and the Somali National Movement (SNM) in their pursuit of freedom from the military government in Somalia, each used violent and extreme ways to disengage and penetrate peaceful civilian settlements and government military barracks or garrisons

United Somali Congress

leading to the collapse of a nation that has been at peace with itself since the October 21, 1969 military takeover.

In their stiff struggles with other armed resistance groups, whether government troops or civilians guarding their towns, villages or livestock, former guerilla fighters left behind inestimable deaths and destructions in their paths. Since the devastations left behind by the combination of the former guerilla fighters have not been statistically recorded, theoretically, the indiscriminate deaths caused by the same armed rebellious groups could have exponentially surpassed the total 21 years of military rule in Somalia.

From the early sixties when the African Continent woke up to decolonization and armed struggles against European colonialism became the norm, the number of coups in Africa instigated by power-hungry military despots became so common that many totalitarian leaders were overthrown, killed or exiled. Since 1952, Sudan has been the leading in Africa in terms of attempted military coups. With 15 attempted military interventions, 5 have been successful, the latest being the ouster of Hassan Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

While Burkina Faso had 7 successful coups, in general, Africa has seen 206 coups followed by South

Somali Salvation Democratic Front

America that had 95 total attempts though only 40 were successful. Globally, since 1952, the world experienced 476 coups. The first coup d'etat in Africa happened in Togo. On 13 January 1963, Silvio or Sylvanus Olympio was overthrown and murdered by Gnassingbe Eyadema. Nicolas Grunitzky was chosen as his replacement. Son of a German father and a Yoruba mother, the Civil Engineer who was trained in Paris, was overthrown by Lieutenant Colonel Étienne Gnassingbé Eyadema who was behind his coronation in 1963, simply because he wanted to create a multiparty system of governance.

Now, going back to Somalia's political scuffles after the 1977-78 war with Ethiopia when guerilla movements were conceived by aggrieved, contemptuous, and scornful military commanders who felt betrayed by the military regime in Mogadishu, who do you think had more bloodstained hands, the military junta or the men who took arms because they could not hold their anger?

The claim by some tribal elements that they were indiscriminately targeted and bombarded with hired military jets commandeered by foreign mercenaries creates skepticism because, Baidoa that was a major breadbasket was nicknamed "the City of Death" by the international media since it experienced genocide of a wider scale, Kismayu experienced the worst forms of human decimations, today's Marka is host to new marauding settlers after the original owners became displaced, Gaalkacyo has beeen rendered a divided city, the masters of farm produce and agricultural production have been displaced from Jilib and Jamame, while Mogadishu, the "Pearl of Africa" and the "Seat of the Shah", has not seen stability since 1991.

The bloody wars of Somalia show no single trace of the definition of Islamic jihad. When each side sees the opposite direction that is contrary to Islamic definition of Jihad, both could be entombed in ignorance and arrogance of the highest order. The indiscriminate killing of peaceful, unarmed civilians is obviously a

Somali National Movement

gateway to hell, for Islam, in simple definition, means Peace or Submission to the Will of Allaah.

While some Muslim Ulamaa define Jihad to mean waging wars against the enemies of Islam in the forms of Offensive and Defensive approaches, it is different from Qitaal (killing) and Harb (struggling). Jihad connotes effort or struggle. To struggle to live by following the rules and regulations laid down by Islamic foundations and inculcating an internal effort that rhymes with Islamic way of life and building a reliable Muslim society are the first requirements of a Muslim. The dismemberment of the Somali nation into tribal regions is not the best way to create a united Muslim society.

Neither the Jihadists nor the armed warlords of the past and present time have understood the true meaning of the foundations of Islamic unification, Islamic governance, Islamic self-struggle, Islamic co-existence, Islamic advancement and finally ways of dealing with people of other faiths. In conclusion, Islam defines the significance of having Assembly and compromise.