Somalia

Controversy around the Presidential Envoy on Somaliland

Saturday’s presidential appointment of Abdirashi Guled as special envoy for Somaliland relations sparked an outcry among the Somali public who sees it as poor leadership and gross injustice towards the victims of Hargeisa’s secessionists in the Sool region.

Journeying Through Awdal: Roots, Resilience, and Urgent Need for Investment

As a young and proud Somali from Awdal, I was thrilled to embark on a seven-month journey with my family to explore the breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Awdal, Somalia…

How Ethiopians’ abhorrent antics distort Somali history

As an ardent pansomalist who categorically opposes any hegemonic agenda of the Ethiopians, formerly known as Abyssinians, I would like to address the revisionism of our history by chauvinistic Amharas who are trying to rewrite history of our ancestors…

Why Mogadishu is Grappling with Out-of-Control Violence

Mogadishu, the Somali capital, with a population of 4.5 million, is plagued by out-of-control violence that is going crescendo. Unlike what most people believe, violence is no longer the preserve of the usual suspects: Al-Shabab insurgents. In fact, extremists compete with youth gangs and government forces. Day and night there are assassinations, suicide bombings, police […]

Breaking the Barriers: Women’s Struggle for Political Participation in Somaliland

Somaliland, a self-declared state in the Horn of Africa, has long struggled with issues of gender inequality and misogyny within its political system.

Las Anod: Under a Rain of Bullets and Shells

Since Monday, the day when the public consultation conference chaired by the local Garaads, traditional chiefs, was preparing to make public their agreement on the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) region self-rule, the city of Las Anod has been subjected to a rain of bullets and shells. The shelling of Las Anod and surrounding fighting […]

Canadian Forces Abuses In Somalia, 29 Years Later (15,945)
Canadian soldiers sent to Somalia as part of the global humanitarian effort captured a 16 year-old child named Shidane Abukar Arone and viciously tortured him to death in their camp.
The Reason Behind the Erroneous Assumption that Somalis are Caucasian (15,510)
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a belief known as the Hamitic theory gained popularity as an anthropological and linguistic theory.
Dila Massacre 1991 (14,683)
The Dila Massacre, the focal atrocity, involved a series of clan-based mass executions carried out by rebels of the Somali National Movement (SNM), dominated by the Isaaq clan, against the townspeople just after the collapse of the Somali government in early February 1991.
Borama Massacre: The Right To Remember (13,789)
After three decades, the right to remember the victims of the Borama massacre and to speak publicly about the killings committed by the SNM militia is still banned by the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
How Foreign Lobbying for Somaliland Ignores a Tinderbox (10,867)
Foreign lobbyists campaigning for Somaliland base their arguments on carefully selected clichés or guided tours in Hargeisa...
Why the 1969 Revolution is still relevant today (8,627)
Today is the anniversary of the October 21, 1969 revolution that put the armed forces in control of Somalia. It all started with a bloodless coup after the assassination of the first democratically elected president, Abdirashi Ali Sharmarke, on October 15, 1969.
How Las Anod Killings Initiated SSC Self-rule (7,258)
By attempting to violently stifle the power of the people, the oppressive secessionist regime of Somaliland not only hastened its downfall but began the countdown to self-rule for Sol, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC).
The Flag Martyrs Of Somaliland (7,101)
Young people, girls and boys, who were celebrating the country's independence on June 26 outside the city of Borama were seized by police and then were taken to Hargeisa, Gabiley and Mandera Prison...
Factors Impeding Somalia-Somaliland Talks (6,970)
the issues I have discussed will provide readers with valuable insights into the factors impeding Somalia–Somaliland talks. I believe this will empower them to challenge the political elites who benefit from the status quo...
Awdal to Break Free from Somaliland (6,895)
Now that Las Anod regained its freedom, all eyes are on Awdal to break free from Somaliland oppressive choke-hold.
The 4.5 Clan Model: A Somali-owned Solution (6,418)
For decades, Somalia has been using a clan-power sharing model known as “4.5”. Some believe the model has an external origin (Sodere, 1997) and was institutionalized in the Arta (2000) peace process, in Djibouti. In reality, the initial shape of this model was locally devised in January 1991.
How Roble Prepared For His Coup Attempt (5,935)
Few people expected that Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, described as a peacemaker for his apparent neutrality and his apolitical past, would be at the origin of this new crisis.
Somalia Elects Parliament Speakers Amid Controversy (5,929)
Following a tumultuous week, the two chambers of the 11th Somali parliament, whose members were sworn in on April 14, finally elected their speakers...
How Abiy’s Red Sea Speech Aims to Reshape the Horn of Africa (5,832)
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's obsession with access to the Red Sea came to light after the broadcast, on October 13, of a speech to parliamentarians...
The Irir Samaale Ploy to Divide and Perpetuate Chaos (5,747)
The clan-based political alliance around Irir Samaale, hatched by the Djiboutian president and his allies in Somalia, the president of the federal government and the head of the separatist region of Somaliland, has recently caused concern among the Somali public...

Somalia

Controversy around the Presidential Envoy on Somaliland

Journeying Through Awdal: Roots, Resilience, and Urgent Need for Investment

How Ethiopians’ abhorrent antics distort Somali history

Why Mogadishu is Grappling with Out-of-Control Violence

Breaking the Barriers: Women’s Struggle for Political Participation in Somaliland

Las Anod: Under a Rain of Bullets and Shells

Awdal to Break Free from Somaliland

How Las Anod Killings Initiated SSC Self-rule

Political Crisis In South-West State And Looming War

Chaos in the Chamber: Somalia’s Parliament Under Fire