A History Of The Ogaden Western Somali

The Ogaden region/Somali state is inhabited by Somalis and is geographically and administratively part of Ethiopia, but its political status remains unsettled. The war between Ethiopia and the resistance began with the Ethiopian incursion into the territory and intensified after the completion of the occupation but has never stopped. Because the inhabitants rejected the Ethiopian annexation, successive Ethiopian regimes pursued repressive policies to continue the occupation. This repression and the ensuing resistance to both the occupation and subsequent violations of human rights has meant that the region has not seen real peace since its forced incorporation into Ethiopia. The consequences of this protracted war and the subsequent crackdowns have adversely and severely affected the lives and livelihoods of the inhabitants. As a result of this insecurity and the persistent repression by successive Ethiopian governments, normal life has become unattainable there, and instead, persistent hunger, refugee crises and human rights abuses have become the norms. The inhabitants are constantly displaced internally and externally. Over a million people fled to neighbouring countries during the 1970s and 1980s. This historical analysis consists of two parts. The first part begins with the root causes of the Ogaden conflict, highlights the different stages of the fighting and its impacts on the living conditions of the inhabitants, and ends with a discussion on the prospects for a resolution to the conflict. The second part picks up the history from where the first one ended, casting light on the progress and political and humanitarian consequences of the conflict for the inhabitants of the Somali Region and for the wider Horn of Africa. It concludes with a prediction of the future scenarios for conflict resolution. The Ogaden conflict is the main source of the wars and instability that persist in the Horn of Africa region. Because of this conflict's wider impacts on that part of the African continent, a resolution to this conflict will not only lead to the alleviation of the suffering of the inhabitants of the Ogaden region but will also immensely contribute to peace in the Horn of Africa. As a foundation for the study of Somali society in the Ogaden region, this historical book aims to shed light on the main issues affecting the conflict to contribute to the understanding of the problem and thereby hopefully to the resolution of the conflict.

The history of the Somali Ogaden region is dominated by the conflict between its Ethiopian occupiers and the resistance of its Somali inhabitants. This book discusses the struggle for self-determination and the impacts of the conflict.

History records that as early as AD 100, there was a small feudal kingdom in an enclave called Axum located in the Horn of Africa. It was known as Abyssinia, and its inhabitants were Abyssinians-the Amhara and Tigrai peoples. Today, it is these two groups that monopolize power in the present mythical Ethiopia. But how did they rise to such power, and what does that power mean or the people of that land? In The Ogaden, author Jama Mohamed Ghalib challenges myths of Ethiopian imperialism and sheds some light as to how the Abyssinians collaborated with European colonisers in the scramble for the African continent. They expanded their previously small enclave of Axum into the territories of the free African nations of the Afars, Arusi, Benishangul, Borana, Gambella, Gurage, Hararis, Oromos, Somalis, and others. In this way, they created the mythical Ethiopian empire as it is known today, resulting in conflict within the occupied nations that has been ongoing for decades.

This is a thorough and sophisticated study of one of the most critical current issues in world politics. Bruce Porter examines Soviet policy and behaviour in Third World conflicts in the postwar period, focusing particularly on five examples: the Yemeni civil war, the Nigerian civil war, the Yom Kippur war, the Angolan civil war, and the Ogaden war. Aiming to illuminate various complex tactical and operational aspects of the USSR's policy in local conflicts, the author draws on a wide and eclectic range of sources. He pays close attention to the Soviet role as arms supplier and diplomatic actor in relation to both US policy and the dynamics of the local conflict, and he concludes with a careful consideration of the effectiveness of Soviet policy and of the implications for the United States.

Lewis brings his considerable knowledge of the area to set out in accessible form and in highly readable style the complexities of Somali societal and clan structure, traditions, and historically significant events. This information handbook is recommended briefing material for aid workers or journalists visiting the area. Essential reading for those planning to visit or work in Somalia, and for the general reader with an interest in the Horn, it lifts the veil on a fascinating and functioning heritage.