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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Making history in Somalia: humanitarian intervention in a stateless society
Author:Lewis, Ioan M.ISNI
Year:1997
Periodical:Horn of Africa
Volume:15
Issue:1-4
Pages:8-29
Language:English
Geographic term:Somalia
Subjects:military intervention
peacekeeping forces
Abstract:Since 1993, through its United Nations Operation in Somalia (Unosom II), the United Nations would appear to be exercising an undeclared trusteeship in Somalia which apparently has no other cohesive government. Traditionally Somalia has been a Stateless society in the anthropological sense. Its uncentralized political system was based on a segmentary lineage system in which political identity and loyalty were determined by genealogical proximity or remoteness. In this article the author traces the vicissitudes of Somalia in its introduction into and, lately, its rejection from the modern world. As a functioning economic and political enterprise, the fragile unity which was the Somali State had fallen apart before the overthrow of the dictator Siad Barre in January 1991. The situation which evolved was a return to that described by Burton and other travellers in the 19th century, a fact which seemed beyond the grasp of those trying to intervene to restore order like the United States, which endeavoured to set matters right by armed intervention. The whole situation is exacerbated by the interests of Islamic fundamentalists from various countries in the region who have their own agenda. Notes, ref.
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