Short history of Somalia
Early History
Early Somali History, like that of many African countries, continues To be shrouded in mystery. The writer evidence of Somali history Relies on the methods and research of finding any historical linguistic Oral tradition and assorted techniques. Somali have inhabited the Horn of Africa for centuries, occupying An area near the Gulf of Aden, south of Tana River in Kenya and west to Harar of Ethiopia. Somali ivory, ostrich feathers, leopard skins, frankincense and Myrrh were carried as far as china. By language lifestyle and social institution Somali belong to a wide family of African people who were know to linguists by the label Cushitic (Hemitic) The identityof the Somali people and there settlement in the Horn of Africa can be traced back at least two thousand years to the land of punt. There are many versions concerning the origins of Somali people one version talks of two brother called soomaal and Sab other view of the origin of the word Somali involves some camels Some Foreigners heard some local Somali people milking there camels and saying ‘soomaal’ in fact ‘soomaal’ means in Somali language milk the camel and so foreigners called the region of ‘Somalia’ There are other versions of how the Somali people came to be a branch of Sab Soomaali , ancestors of present day Somalis left east and southern Arabia to populate The Somali peninsula and occupied the entire Horn of Africa if there existed any earlier population on the peninsula they were either driven away or absorbed both culturally and linguistically by around 1000 A.D, if not earlier. World of Camel Husbandry Somali lived in a world of camel husbandry and clan families as liable to be at war with one another as to assemble under as acacia tree in order to settle their differences And exchange oral poetic contests that sometimes lasted for days The most important thing is that the Somalis share common customs, history religion languages and culture although they have traditionally a strong sense of culture linguistics unity they did not form a nation, they did from a state.
WORLD OF CAMEL HUSBANDRY
Somali lived in a world of camel husbandry and clan families as liable to be at war with one another as to assemble under an acacia tree in order to settle their differences and exchange oral poetic contests that sometimes lasted for days.
the most important thing is that the Somalis share common customs, history, religion, language and culture. Although they have traditionally a strong sense of culture and linguistic unity, they did not form a nation, but they did form a state.
ISLAM IN SOMALIA
Islam was first introduced in the ninth century by Arab sheikhs and traders. Nearly all Somalis are Sunni Muslims. All towns have mosques, many in the coast ports such as zeyleh and berbera. The mosques are hundreds of years old, and some of Mogadishu are over a thousand years old. a group of refugees from al-asha near Bahrain are said to have founded Mogadishu and barawa in the eleventh century.
Arabs controlled the southern coast of Somalia between the ninth and nineteenth centuries, with the sultan of Oman ruling as far as south Zanzibar. There is an archaeological evidence of the establishment of permanent settlement along the coast of east Africa.
THE COLONIAL INFLUENCE
in the 19th century, the Somalis were partitioned into colonial zones of influence among three European powers: Britain, France, and Italy; and one African one. Ethiopia.
In Somalia the British entered into various treaties with the elders of the northern Somali clans. From 1884 onwards the British established themselves and created the British Somaliland protectorate. The British wanted to reserve northern Somalia as a supplier of meat for her Aden garrison which was vital for the defence of India. Further to the North West, the French occupied the gulf of tajura n the red sea, a piece of territory inhabited by Somali and afar tribesmen. France needed a coaling station on the red sea to strengthen naval communications with their indo-china dominions. in 1880 the Italian government established a foothold in two strips territory in the horn of Africa, one was Eritrea and the other was in southern Somalia.
Meanwhile, manlike 11 of Ethiopia demanded a piece of the imperial action ending up with possession of haud graing ground, along with many Somali clans in the western Somali ogadeen reigon. The result is that there are today more than an estimated 3 million Somalis in western Somalia, where Somali clans have been treated badly under the Ethiopian conquest. The legacy of the colonial partition of Somali people is one of root problems of the horn of Africa.
THE GREAT SOMALI MULLA
The Somali resistance foreign interference in their affairs started under the command of imam Ahmed gray ibn Ibrahim between 1528 and 1535 who successfully conquered the Abyssinian empire. Only with the help of Portuguese the Abyssinian sent the Somalis back and defeated them.
When euro-colonialists conquered and divided Somaliland another resistance started and led by sayed Mohamed Abdulla hassen. The Somalis felt that the colonialists were trying to christnise their children.
The Somalis opposed colonialism and still have strong feelings about the era. A rebellion launched by sheikh Mohamed Abdullah hassen “the great Somali mulla” in 1900 against Britain, Italy and Ethiopia and lasted until 1920.
Although it failed to intensify Somali nationalism, it eventually led to independence and sheikh Mohamed is considered to be the father of Somali nationalism.
THE BIG FOUR POWER STATES AND SOMALIA
After the defeat of the Italians by the allies in 1941, the Somali region came under British military rule, with the exception of Djibouti. The big four states Britain, France, united states of America and U.S.S.R., had negotiations on the future of the ex-Italian colonies. Britain originally proposed the formation of a great Somali state under the United Nations trusteeship and British administration, but this proposal was rejected and unfortunately the Somali nation again faced partition.
Ernest Bevin, the British foreign secretary, recommended all Somali territories be put under one political unit under trusteeship. The plan known as the Bevin plan was bitterly opposed by the U.S.S.R as well as the USA and France who were suspicious of the British proposal.
THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM
The Somalis won their freedom from Britain and Italy after a hard and bitter struggle. The political leaders in both British Somaliland which became independent on 26th June 1960, and Italian Somaliland decided to form an independent Somali republic on 1st of July 1960 with Mogadishu as the capital.
The Somali republic which was founded after a hard struggle was an incomplete state because it did not contain the whole Somali nation. Three parts remained under foreign rule in Ethiopia, Djibouti and the northern Somali in Kenya. Djibouti gained its independence from France in June 1977. The population of the Somali republic is estimated to be about 10 million. Somali society is organized into large extended families. There are 4 large clans: darod, hawiya, dir, mirif.
THE CIVIL SOMALI ADMINSTRATION 1960-1969
Free Somali republic founded its administration on 1st July 1960, when the Italian Somaliland and British the British Somaliland took their independence, and formed a unitary state. The British protectorate became independent on 26th 1960. Five days later, the Italian trust territory of Somalia gained its independence, on 1st July 1960. The two new states united as a Somali republic. The dominant political party in the south was Somali youth league
(Syl), while the Somali national league (snl) and the united Somali party (usp)
Were the leading parties in the northern reigon. So the (syl) party formed the government and the first civil elected president was adan abdullahi osman. His first prime mister was Abdul rashead Ali shermerke. Somalia at that time became a model of good democracy in Africa.
SIAD BARRE REGIME
On October 21st 1969, major general Mohammed siad barre, leading a group of military and police officers, overthrew the elected civil government in a bloodless coup, and there was feeling that the army had rescued the country from plunging into turmoil. The people were happy and gave their support to the army. Siad barre renamed the country to the Somali democratic republic. General Mohammed siad barre became president and suspended the constitution. In 1970 barre declared Somalia a socialist state and the following year most of the country’s economy was nationalized. Many ethnic Somali living in neighbouring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya clashed over borders which were common for many years. The large Somali monitory in Ethiopia and Kenya wished to join their kin people across the borders in the republic, but that was not allowed and this created wars between Somalia on one side and Ethiopia and Kenya on the other side.
