Historical Security Council (HSC) Study Guide Table of Contents Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... 1 Welcome Letter ........................................................................................................................ 2 Introduction to HSC ................................................................................................................. 3 Topic A Deteriorating Political Situation in Somalia ................................................... 4 1 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No. 1096197 www.limun.org.uk Welcome Letter Honourable delegates, This year's edition of the Historical Security Council (HSC) at LIMUN features a most fascinating topic: the deteriorating security situation in Somalia in the year 1991. While our Security Council meeting isn't fixed at a particular date, it can be assumed that the disintegration of the Soviet Union is continuing, and that a new global balance of power is slowly emerging. This geopolitical backdrop makes for a nice and evolving game of shifting alliances and power bases that grow stronger or weaker by the minute. However, the situation that we're about to discuss is of a most severe nature indeed: a dictator has been toppled, and a country is in internal turmoil awaiting a brighter but increasingly unstable looking future. Will the international community be able to master the shaky situation on the ground? And if so, using which devices? Only time will tell. Since there is always so much more to a HSC than to a "regular" Security Council session, we invite you in particular to do research on your country's stance on the issue back in 1991. You should also familiarize yourself with the historical context of the particular topic, by doing this study guide as well as by doing additional research. Finally, do enjoy our Historical Security Council, and make sure that your delegation's impact on the final decision is heard. Best wishes, Stavroula Oustoglou and David-Jan Bosschaert Chairs of the Historical Security Council at LIMUN 2015 2 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No. 1096197 www.limun.org.uk Introduction to HSC This Historical Security Council will take place in 1991, when the security situation in Somalia is quickly deteriorating due to the fall-out after the deposal of dictator Siad Barre. As such, it will have the same mandate as any contemporary Security Council. The only exception to this rule will be the "Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, which was only shaped in the aftermath of events occuring after 1991. As such the Historical Security Council hardly needs any no further explanations, since the Security Council mandate has been clearly defined as having the "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"1. Both Chapter VI and Chapter VII measures are at its disposal. The Security Council can also call upon all other United Nations bodies and specialized agencies in order to achieve this goal. The option of using regional organizations and non-UN bodies - e.g. the Organization for African Unity - is also an option. 3 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No. 1096197 www.limun.org.uk Topic A: The deteriorating security situation in Somalia (1991) 1. AN INTRODUCTION TO SOMALIA Engraved in the eastern part of the African continent , fittingly named the Horn of Africa, lies the country of Somalia. Comprising an area of 637,540 square meters and bordering the Gulf of Aden to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east and south , Somalia neighbours Ethiopia to the west, Kenya to the south-west and Djibouti to the north-west. Its capital Mogadishu , is located on the south-east coastal region of Banaadir, in the mild climate conditions that are provided in the south part of the country. 4 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No. 1096197 www.limun.org.uk The population according to the United Nations, is estimated between 7 and 8 million people. The Somalis are a culturally, linguistically, and religiously homogeneous people (99% of the overall population are Sunni Muslims, while the remainder one percent are Christians). 1 Somalia has a long history of migration, conquest and assimilation2,which has naturally formed and re-formed the Somali society organization system and customs and has gradually shaped the people’s point of view on the issues of national identity and national unity. Today, the crisis that has derailed the country is ,for many scholars, the inevitable eruption of the volcano of problems within the political and social structures of Somalia that have been pilling up for decades, only to be exposed in the worst possible way. It stands to reason, therefore, that a necessary requirement towards the deeper understanding of Somalia’s current situation, is an examination of its wounded and multi- facet history. The Somali history can be divided into three distinctive periods: a) Pre-colonial, b) Colonial and c) Post-colonial. a) Pre-colonial The origins of the Somali people date back to the 10th century A.D, according to the most accurate sources of that time. The country has a privileged geo-political position as a main maritime and trade route that connects Europe and the Middle East with the Far East, which was quickly discovered and exploited by regional and international powers from the ancient times to the present day. Aside from brief moments in history where the area was administered in the form of Sultanates or quasi-state polities, “Somalia was by and at large a stateless society”_.3 Two where the main frameworks of political, social and economic structure of that time; the clan system and nomadic pastoralism. The former encircles the latter and together, those two systems have survived through time and continue to be a vital part of the Somali society today. 5 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No. 1096197 www.limun.org.uk The clan system was and still remains the dominant social structure in Somalia. Every clan is “a hierarchical system of patrilineal descent groups, each said to originate 4 _ from a single male ancestor.” • It represents a separate lineage, which can be further segmented to sub-clans with many other sub-divisions. Depending on the purity of the clan lineage, a characteristic that goes back to the mythical founding father of all Somalis - named Samaal - there is a classification of the clans in noble and minority clans. There are four noble clans in the country: Darod, Dir, Hawiye, and Isaaq and two main minority clans: Rahanweyn and Digil. The map below shows their respective areas of influence. As it can be seen in the map, some clans influence outstretches the borders of Somalia, a fact that is valuable to remember, since it has been the reason for many disputes between Somalia and its neighbors. Each clan, as the primary social organisation, bares the responsibility to maintain social stability and political order both in its interior and in its relations with other clans . These goals were achieved by the use of certain administrative tools. First one is the xeer, a collection of social conventions and contracts used to manage relations within and among Somali communities5 such as but not limited to; resources, war, marriages. Another is the diya, a system that combines Sharia law and customary xeer , and defines rules regarding the punishment of misconduct, such as murder or theft.6 _ 6 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No. 1096197 www.limun.org.uk Finally, deegaan, is not a tool for managerial purposes, but a central element to the clan disputes from the ancient times to this day. For the Somalis, deegaan refers to “the exclusive control by a group sharing similar language, identity or clan affiliation of a land area and the natural resources found there. ”The definition can expand to include “the area where one lives, operates a business, and feels secure enough because of the presence of a large number of one’s clansmen in the wider physical area.”7_ The process of acquiring a deegaan could happen through diplomatic means or through armed conflict between opposing clans, depending on the importance of the area and its resources. This is essential in understanding the Somali society, since there were numerous armed conflicts between the clans over the centuries for the dominance on the most valuable and strategic deegaan in the country. The second pillar of the Somali society is the nomadic pastoralism, a traditional way of life that has been practiced by the overwhelming majority of the Somalis. The nomadic life is the only alternative way of living, primarily due to the unique climate and geography of the country. The northern part of Somalia is hot and dry while the southern part is fertile, with the presence of the only two rivers in the country (Jubba and Shabeelle). The clan organizational system, combined with the necessary nomadic existence of its people and the distinct weather conditions in different areas of the country, confirm what has been historically proven, the fact that disputes between clans and sub-clans over furtive lands are a frequent phenomenon in Somalia. The land is, ultimately, used as a measure of the political power that a clan could gain over the rest. b) Colonial The period of western colonialism first started in Somalia in the late 19th century. The country was divided into five different polities; southern Somalia, administered by Italy; northern Somalia or Somaliland Protectorate administered by Britain; Ogaden region administered by Ethiopia; Djibouti, administered by France and the Northern Frontier District(NFD) of Kenya, administered by Britain; Colonial life introduced to Somalis different systems of political, social and economic administration unlike anything they had been accustomed to. The most important change was the implementation of a more or less-depending on the administration- centralized state system. Through the state ,colonial powers moved to the upgrade and 7 © London International Model United Nations 2015 LIMUN | Charity No.