The Puntland Experience: a Bottom-Up Approach to Peace and State Building
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE SEARCH FOR PEACE Somali Programme Haani salka ayeey ka unkantaa A milk container is built from the bottom up The Puntland Experience: A Bottom-up Approach to Peace and State Building Peace Initiatives in Puntland 1991—2007 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Peace Initiatives in Puntland 1991—2007 Researchers: Hassan Adan Mohamed, Amina Abdulkadir M. Nur Photographs: Muctar Mohamed Hersi, Audio Visual Unit Map: Adapted from Mark Bradbury, 2008, James Currey Editor: Dr Pat Johnson, Interpeace This research study was made possible by the generous contributions of the interviewees, Working Group, peer reviewers, and colleagues at the Puntland Development Research Center, including Abdurahman A. Osman ‘Shuke’ (Director), Ali Farah Ali (Research Coordinator), Mohamed Yassin Essa ‘Ilkoasse’ (Finance Manager), and Muctar Mohamed Hersi (Director Audio-Visual Unit), in sharing their unique experiences as well as historical documentation. The Search for Peace series Research Coordinator: Mark Bradbury, Rift Valley Institute Research Consultants: Professor Ken Menkhaus, Davidson College, USA Dr Justin Willis, the British Institute in Eastern Africa Andy Carl, Conciliation Resources Ulf Terlinden Senior Research Advisor: Abdirahman Osman Raghe, Interpeace Series Coordinator & Editor: Dr Pat Johnson, Interpeace Series Sub-editor: Janet Oeverland, Interpeace Design and Layout: Cege Mwangi, Arcadia Associates Garowe, Puntland Phone: (+252 5) 84 4480 Thuraya: +88 216 4333 8170 [email protected] www.pdrc.somalia.org This report was produced by Interpeace and the Puntland Development Research Center and represents exclusively their own views. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the contributing donors and should not be relied upon as a statement of the contributing donors or their services. The contributing donors do not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this report, nor do they accept responsibility for any use made thereof.” The study is a draft chapter in a forthcoming publication representing the findings of the peace mapping study. 2 The Search for Peace CONTENTS PREFACE AND METHODOLOGY FOR THE PEACE MAPPING STUDY ................................................... 5 OVERVIEW OF LOCAL PEACE PROCESSES IN PUNTLAND .................................................................. 8 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Demography and historical background to Puntland .......................................................................... 8 The impact of the collapse of the Somali State on the northeast regions of Somalia ........................... 9 Simplified clan diagram for the Darood clan family ............................................................................ 11 Timeline of Events in Puntland (Northeast Somalia)........................................................................... 12 Civil war and the strengthening of the SSDF .................................................................................... 12 Transition in the northeast regions .................................................................................................... 19 The role of the traditional elders and local peace initiatives .............................................................. 22 Recovery and rebuilding: establishment of the Puntland State of Somalia ......................................... 23 Puntland constitutional crisis, armed conflict, and the mediating peace mission, 2001-3 .................. 26 The Puntland Peace Agreement, 2003 ............................................................................................ 27 The Ramada Peace Agreement, 2005 ............................................................................................. 28 National level political dynamics and political transition, 2004 to present .......................................... 28 Analysis of the local peace initiatives in northeast regions/ Puntland ................................................ 29 Selection of the Case Studies ........................................................................................................... 31 Timeline of major conflicts and peace initiatives in northeast regions of Somalia (Puntland), 1990 – 2007 ...................................................................................................... 32 Inventory of peace initiatives in northeast regions/ Puntland ............................................................. 33 CASE STUDY: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PUNTLAND STATE OF SOMALIA — THE GAROWE CONSTITUTIONAL COMMUNITY CONFERENCE ......................................................... 34 Preparations for a Constitutional Community Conference, January-February 1998 ......................... 34 The consultative conference, 25 February-12 March 1998 ............................................................... 34 Assessment of the political context and the way forward .................................................................. 35 Representation and engagement of other regions ........................................................................... 36 Organisational preparation for the Constitutional conference ........................................................... 37 Garowe Constitutional Community Conference, 15 May-23 July 1998 ............................................. 38 Agenda and issues for discussion ....................................................................................... 40 Funding for the conference ................................................................................................ 43 The role of the international aid community ......................................................................... 44 Analysis of the process towards establishment of the Puntland State ............................................. 45 Actors ............................................................................................................................... 51 Participation and representation ......................................................................................... 52 Management, quality of mediation, critical junctures ........................................................... 52 Community ownership, funding, and legitimacy .................................................................. 53 Quality of the agreement and subsequent developments .................................................. 54 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 55 CASE STUDY: THE BURTINLE PEACE AGREEMENT .......................................................................... 56 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 56 Background on environmental pressures on pastoral communities ............................................... 57 Conflict Trends ............................................................................................................................. 58 The Puntland Experience: A bottom-up approach to Peace and State Building 3 Unsettled Agreement ................................................................................................................... 60 The meditation process – renegotiating peace .............................................................................. 62 The quality of the peace accord .................................................................................................... 63 Actors .......................................................................................................................................... 64 Dissemination, follow-up and impact ............................................................................................. 65 Comparison of Phase I and II of the Adadda conflict in 2007 ........................................................ 65 Analysis of the resolution of the conflict ......................................................................................... 66 Evolution of Harti Customary Law (Harti xeer) and Quality of the Peace Accord ............................. 67 Findings and conclusions .............................................................................................................. 70 ANNEXES .............................................................................................................................................. 71 Annex 1: Glossary of Somali terms in peace and war .................................................................... 71 Annex 2: The Ramada Peace Agreement, 2005 ............................................................................ 76 Annex 3: Representatives at the Garowe Peace and Life Conference, December 1993 ................. 76 Annex 4: Representatives at the Garowe Constitutional conference, May-July 1998 .................... 77 List of Parliamentarians by region, 1998 ........................................................................................ 84 Annex 5: Details of Peace Agreements relating to the Adadda conflict, 1997-2007 ....................... 84 Annex 6: List of Interviewees ......................................................................................................... 90 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................