Italian administrators pursued a divide-and-rule strategy to split Somalis into rival tribal states

Evidence

Thus the Somali clansmen of the Ogaden found themselves caught between the rival attractions of the two opposing camps, both of whom were competing for their allegiance. And because of the exigencies of the nomadic life and the circumstances of the Somali clan system in which any widespread political collaboration cannot long survive, they proved an easy prey to the two powers seeking their allegiance and territory. On the whole, the Italians were the more successful because they were more free with gifts and blandishments and because it was easy for them to pose as the champions of Islam when the Ethiopians made no attempt to conceal their anti-Muslim sentiments. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 301 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Though still uncompromisingly opposed to any return of their territory to Italy, and still the party with by far the largest following, the S.Y.L. had experienced a split in its ranks in its former stronghold of Majerteynia, where the infiltration of Italian interests had secured the promotion of a rival splinter group called the ‘Progressive Majerteyn League’. The Hizbia Digil Mirifle was more seriously divided internally: and all the other Somali societies had joined together in a catholic alliance called simply ‘The Conference’ – in which pro-Italian sentiments were fostered by Italian money. Nevertheless, despite the presence of this intrusive Italian influence, this configuration of interests had a basis in Somali political realities at the time. Notwithstanding the attempt to detach the important Majerteyn element, the S.Y.L. had now a strong Darod following and anti-Darod traditional interests were often suspicious of and hostile to the League. This was the case with many, though not all Somalis of the Hawiye clans, of whom an important group centring on Mogadishu tended to regard the Italians as potential allies against further Darod intrusion and pressure in their affairs. Similarly, many of the Rahanweyn and Digil tribesmen continued to accept Italian support in an effort to enhance and safeguard their interests against those of the predominantly nomadic clansmen of the north. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 342 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Italian provocateurs started a battle with the Somali Youth League.; Italian authorities suppressed early Somali nationalist meetings; Italy acquired its Somali protectorates through private treaties with clan sultans (+9 more)

Related

• Italians relied on rural tribalism to preserve their rule in Somalia (similarity 0.89)
• Somali clan fragmentation made clans easy prey for Italian and Ethiopian rivalry (similarity 0.89)
• The Somali clan system made Ogaden clans prey to Italian and Ethiopian competition (similarity 0.89)
• Somali clan rivalries shaped political alignments with Italy in 1948 (similarity 0.88)
• Somalis’ clan disunity prevented unified opposition to foreign rule (similarity 0.87)
• Somali clan maneuvering between rival empires weakened the Somali position (similarity 0.85)
• Somali clans playing imperial rivals off each other weakened their position (similarity 0.84)
• The 1908 Italo-Ethiopian treaty partitioned Somali clans arbitrarily (similarity 0.84)
• Ethiopia countered Somali nationalism by buying off clan leaders with higher salaries (similarity 0.84)
• Internal clan divisions fatally undermined the Western Somali liberation struggle (similarity 0.83)
• Italian provocateurs started a battle with the Somali Youth League. (similarity 0.83)
• Somali lands were divided among Britain, France, Italy, and Ethiopia into five domains (similarity 0.83)
• Colonial partition split Somali clans across borders and fuelled turbulence (similarity 0.83)
• Internal clan and ethnic divisions crippled the Western Somali struggle for the Ogaden. (similarity 0.83)
• Italian trusteeship administration pursued a divide-and-rule balkanization strategy against Somali nationalism (similarity 0.83)

Broader Connections

• Somali clan fragmentation made clans easy prey for Italian and Ethiopian rivalry #corroborates (0.60) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 301
• Somali clan rivalries shaped political alignments with Italy in 1948 #expands (0.55) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 342
• Somalis’ clan disunity prevented unified opposition to foreign rule #corroborates (0.55)
• Somali clan maneuvering between rival empires weakened the Somali position #exemplifies (0.50)