National solidarity collapsed into exclusive Marehan reliance a decade on

Evidence

At the close of the period we review here, the political situation had changed dramatically from that a decade earlier at the time of the Ogaden War. Then Somalia nationalism had been buoyant and confident, and General Siyad had been able to mobilise sentiments of national solidarity which, with the exception only of one northwestern clan (based in Jibuti), effectively embraced all the nation’s major clans. In such an expansive context the President’s MOD power base represented a security net. Now, ten years later, with the collapse of national solidarity and an unparalleled growth of inter-clan strife, the MOD framework had been abandoned as General Siyad fell back defensively on the support of the most loyal segments of his own Marehan clan. At the same time, of course, with the ample means at his disposal Siyad continued to exploit other clan connexions and antagonisms. He thus distributed money as well as arms to mobilise ‘friendly’ groups. But since the configuration of inter-clan alliances kept changing, this dangerous policy led to a general proliferation of small arms which readily found their way into the hands of the President’s adversaries. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 610 (#expands, via linked claim)

Thus, while soldiers and civilians accused of complicity in the abortive April coup were being tried in Mogadishu in August 1978, there were widespread reports that the Majerteyn clan was holding hostages belonging to the Marehan clan of the President. The Head of State, whose most recent appointments and promotions suggested an increasingly defensive dependence on his own clansmen, was also said to be negotiating clandestinely with Majerteyn clan leaders in an effort to avert a situation which, some local Somali commentators claimed, threatened to lead to widespread tribal war. Perhaps this was an exaggerated view. Certainly, there was much more openly voiced criticism of Siyad’s government in Mogadishu in the summer of 1978 than there had been four years previously, before the 1975 drought and 1977 Ogaden War. This seemed less indicative of a deliberate relaxation of previous security measures, although there may have been an element of this, than of an increasing lack of firm central control. Talk of the need for a change of government was, if anything, more rather than less insistent following the unsuccessful Majerteyn attempt to overthrow the regime. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 587 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Half the Somali army officer corps belonged to the Marehan by 1987; The collapse of national solidarity reversed a decade of Somali nationalist unity; By 1988 Siyad had abandoned the MOD coalition for his own Marehan clan — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 610 (+1 more)

Related

• Half the Somali army officer corps belonged to the Marehan by 1987 (similarity 0.92)
• By 1988 Siyad had abandoned the MOD coalition for his own Marehan clan (similarity 0.92)
• Clan conflict between Majerteyn and Marehan escalated after the failed coup. (similarity 0.90)
• Siyad retreated into clan-based rule after the Ogaden defeat (similarity 0.86)
• Siyad’s clan consolidation shattered the old three-clan MOD alliance (similarity 0.85)
• The collapse of national solidarity reversed a decade of Somali nationalist unity (similarity 0.83)
• The Ogaden defeat’s divisive forces corroded Somalia’s political stability (similarity 0.83)
• Siyad’s weakened state created two rival governments and clan-based army dominance (similarity 0.82)
• Post-Siyad Somalia reverted to Burton’s clan republics but with modern arms (similarity 0.81)
• Siyad fled Mogadishu in January 1991, and clan divisions became Somalia’s only security structure (similarity 0.79)
• Somali nationalism burned out and clan divisions violently reasserted themselves (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• The collapse of national solidarity reversed a decade of Somali nationalist unity #corroborates (0.80)
• By 1988 Siyad had abandoned the MOD coalition for his own Marehan clan #expands (0.75) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 610
• Clan conflict between Majerteyn and Marehan escalated after the failed coup. #complicates (0.30) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 587