• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Abdisalam M Issa-Salwe
Towards Decentralisation Structures:Puntland Experiment
Paper for the Seventh International Congress of Somali Studies,York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
July 8-11, 1999
 
 
Abbreviations
 IGAD Inter-governmental Authority for DevelopmentNES Northeastern RegionNSC National Salvation CouncilSNA Somali National AllianceSNM Somali National MovementSSDF Somali Salvation Democratic FrontUSC United Somali Congress
 
1. Introduction
The violent overthrow of General Siyaad Barre of Somalia in January 1991 sent Somaliaspinning out of control. The subsequent crisis resulted in the disintegration of the Somalistate. The ensuing civil strife has claimed more than three hundred thousand people dead andwounded, with roughly four fifths of its population displaced. Nearly one fifth of thepopulation fled to the neighbouring countries and other parts of the world for refuge. Thesedisplaced people have lost their past and their future and that of their children.The country has been divided into fiefdoms ruled by separate clan groups. Each clangroup (or clan-family as is better known) is thronged in a clan-security area.The international community as well as the Somalis are still pondering and exhausting onhow the Somali state will be revived (on a different platform). The memories of the dreadfulfratricidal war still linger on in the minds of the Somalis, thus, creating major obstacles topeace. None of attempted peace processes are based on the reality of today's Somalia and thebackground of the tragedy.However, since late 1993, a new trend seems to be emerging in Somalia where stablelocal administrations/states are being established. One of these is Puntland State of Somalia.The announcement of the formation of Puntland State of Somalia in August 1998 has openeda new political trend in the shattered political landscape of the Somali nation, which is stillsuffering from the effect of the civil war. This came after the people of five northeasternregions declared to form a new mini-state within Somalia.Is this trend a solution to the Somali dilemma, or is it just another setback? Is thisinitiative an insular clan-state setting or nation-state building? This paper will attempt toprobe some of these issues, and analyses whether what Puntland has started is just thebeginning of a wider reaction by the Somali people throughout the country. Since theoutbreak of the civil war, the Somali nation has been disintegrating into a radicallydecentralised state system. Puntlands lead will surely inspire other groups/regions in Somaliato form their own administrations, which will, in turn, integrate them together in a consortiumof a federal system.After the conclusion, the paper will lay down some recommendations about what theinternational community and Somali Diaspora can contribute to solve the Somali problem.
2. The Background
When Somalia got its independence in 1960, it took a unitary state system with arepresentative democratic form of government. The legislature was unicameral and composedof deputies elected by universal direct and secret suffrage for a term of five years andrepresenting the whole people. Though the system was based on liberal democracy, it did notdefine well the separation of power (e.g., the system did not separate the executive from thelegislative). The system was completely alien to the Somali people as it required a centralisedsystem of government. Ironically, Somalis led a decentralised tradition for centuries.Soon the system degenerated into anarchy and paved the way for the military take overwhich soon transformed the Somali state into a police state.
3. The Centralisation Trend
Behind the centralisation of the system were the former colonial powers, namely Britain andItaly, as they aimed to manipulate the traditional Somali institutions to their advantages. Forexample, to ease the running of their administration in the territories, both British and Italiancolonial authorities appointed a chief for each clan. Clan leaders opposed the introduction bythe British Administration of the Local Authorities Ordinance in British Somaliland in 1950,as the system challenged their authority (Samatar, 1988: 49). This practice, also known as the
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...