War and Peace in Somalia

National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab

Edited by Michael Keating and Matt Waldman

A comprehensive account by global specialists of how Somalia has confronted the challenges of governance amid an Islamist insurgency.
Original research on the role of women, men and youth in the conflict, and present new insight into Al-Shabaab
For policymakers and researchers covering Somalia, East Africa, extremism or conflict resolution, this is a must-read.

War and Peace in Somalia

National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab

Edited by Michael Keating and Matt Waldman

Description

For the last thirty years Somalia has experienced violence and upheaval. Today, the international effort to help Somalis build a federal state and achieve stability is challenged by deep-rooted grievances, local conflicts and a powerful insurgency led by Al-Shabaab.

Consisting of forty-four chapters by conflict resolution specialists and the world's leading experts on Somalia, this volume constitutes a unique compendium of insights into the insurgency and its impact. War and Peace in Somalia explores the legacies of past violence, especially impunity, illegitimacy and exclusion, and the need for national reconciliation. Drawing on decades of experience and months of field research, the contributors throw light on diverse forms of local conflict, its interrelated causes, and what can be done about it. They share original research on the role of women, men and youth in the conflict, and present new insight into Al-Shabaab--particularly the group's multi-dimensional strategy, the motivations of its fighters, their foreign links, and the prospects for engagement.

This ground-breaking volume illuminates the war in Somalia, and sets out what can and should be done to bring it to an end. For policymakers and researchers covering Somalia, East Africa, extremism or conflict resolution, this is a must-read.

War and Peace in Somalia

National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab

Edited by Michael Keating and Matt Waldman

Foreword - President Farmaajo 5

Preface - Michael Keating 7

Introduction - Michael Keating and Matt Waldman 10

Overview 15

1 Addressing the Past: Impunity, Illegitimacy and Exclusion

Looma Dhama - Political Inclusivity in the Somali Urban Context 29
Ken Menkhaus and Ismahan Adawe

Neither Inevitable nor Accidental - The Impact of Marginalization in Somalia 37
The UN Accountability Project - Somalia

Governing Endemic Crisis - Violence and Legitimacy in the Lives of Somalis 46
Jutta Bakonyi

Remedying the Legacy of State Collapse - Thinking Through and Beyond Somali Civil War Violence 56 Lidwien Kapteijns

Ending Impunity - Fostering Redress and Accountability in Somalia 64
Tobias Hagmann and Mohammed Mealin Seid

2 Understanding Local Conflict and Developing Effective Responses

Achieving Local Reconciliation in Somalia 74
Peace and Development Research Center (PDRC)

State-building Amidst Conflict - The Urgency of Local Reconciliation 83
Najum Mushtaq, Life and Peace Institute

Supporting Local Reconciliation - Lessons Learned Across the UN System 94
Adam Day, Centre for Policy Research, UN University

Local Reconciliation in Somalia - The Prospects for Sustainable Peace 108
Abukar Sanei and Mohamed A. Omar Center for Policy Analysis and Research (CfPAR)

Exploitation of Natural Resources as a Driver of Conflict - Case Study on Mining in Baki District, Somaliland 117
Mohamed Abdi Omer and Mohamed Farah Hersi, Academy for Peace and Development (APD)

Traditional Peacemaking in Sanaag Region, Somaliland 127
Abdullahi Odowa, Observatory of Conflict and Violence Prevention (OCVP)

The Sharia Courts of Mogadishu - Lessons for Peace and Reconciliation 136
Ahmed Sh. Ibrahim

Determinants of Success - Analysis of Peace Initiatives in South-Central Somalia 142
Galymzhan Kirbassov, UNSOM Integrated Analysis Team

AMISOM - Challenges of Influence, Impartiality and Disengagement 152
Najum Mushtaq, Life and Peace Institute

3 Promoting National Peace and Reconciliation

Reconciliation in Somalia - Reform, Representation and Responsibility 163
Aden Abdi and Alexander Ramsbotham, Conciliation Resources

Launching Reconciliation in Somalia 174
Joakim Gundel

State-building and Peacebuilding in Somalia - Lessons from Other Peace and Transition Processes 185
Thania Paffenholz, Constance Dijkstra and Andreas Hirblinger, Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative

Somali National Reconciliation - Exploring a Comprehensive Approach 195
Abdurahman Abdullahi "Baadiyow"

Challenges and Opportunities - Political Dialogue Between the Federal Government of Somalia and Somaliland 205
The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD)

4 The Human Diversity of Conflict: Women, Men and Youth

Beyond Principles - The Inclusion of Somali Women in Peacemaking 216
Judith Gardner, Life and Peace Institute

Women in Al-Shabaab 228
"Khadija" and Stephen Harley, Krypteia

From the Margins to the Centre - Somali Women in Peacebuilding 234
Hamdi Mohamed, ASAL Consulting

Women in Peacebuilding in Somalia 242
Sahro Ahmed Koshin, Somali Institute for Development Studies and Research Analysis (SIDRA)

Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Young Somali Men Today 251
Judy El-Bushra, Judith Gardner and Adan Abokor, Rift Valley Institute

Addressing the Gap - Promoting Youth Inclusion in Somali Peace and Reconciliation 261
Sagal Aziz Deria, Erin Gillette, Katherine Henshaw and Savannah Simons, Transparency Solutions

5 Understanding and Responding to Al-Shabaab

Somalia's Southern War - The Fight Over Land and Labour 274
Catherine Besteman and Daniel Van Lehman

Motivations and Drivers of Al-Shabaab 283
Roland Marchal

Why They Fight and Why They Quit - An Analysis of Interviews with Current and Former Al-Shabaab Fighters 290
Richard Barrett, Global Strategy Network

Youth Radicalization - Causes, Consequences and Potential Solutions 298
Hussein Yusuf Ali

Al-Shabaab's Youth Recruitment Project 307
Mohamed Haji Abdullahi "Ingiriis"

Rivals in Governance - Civil Activities of Al-Shabaab 316
Roland Marchal

Can Al-Shabaab Deliver? Reality and Rhetoric in the Struggle for Power 323
Richard Barrett, Global Strategy Network

Is Anybody Listening? - Al-Shabaab's Communications 331
Mary Harper

Anatomy of Counter-Jihad - Community Perspectives on Rehabilitation and Reconciliation 341
Stig Jarle Hansen, Linnéa Gelot and members of the ISHA human rights group

6 International Aspects of Al-Shabaab

Al-Qaida and Al-Shabaab: A Resilient Alliance 351
Tricia Bacon and Daisy Muibu

Al-Shabaab as a Transnational Security Threat 364
Sahan Africa

Foreign Fighter Influence in Al-Shabaab - Limitations and Future Prospects 376
Tricia Bacon and Daisy Muibu

Travelling for an Idea - The Appeal of Al-Shabaab to Diaspora in the West 390
Joshua Meservey

7 Engaging with Al-Shabaab

Negotiations with Al-Shabaab - Lessons Learned and Future Prospects 402
Harmonie Toros and Stephen Harley, Krypteia

Community Perspectives Towards Al-Shabaab - Sources of Support and the Potential for Negotiations 412 Joanne Crouch and Abdi Ali, Saferworld

Al-Shabaab Attitudes Towards Negotiations 423
Anneli Botha and Mahdi Abdile, The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers

8 Aid, Business and Reconciliation

Collaborating for Peace - An Analysis of Networks of Cooperation in Somalia 435
Dominik Balthasar and Anja Osei, Swisspeace

Insights from Network Analysis in Somalia 445
Mircea Gherghina, Sandra McNeill and Khadir Abdi, Transparency Solutions

Business-Led Peacebuilding in Somalia 455
Bahar Ali Kazmi and Faisa Abdi Loyaan, Creative Alternatives Now

Acknowledgements 464

Somali and Arabic Terms 464

Acronyms 464

War and Peace in Somalia

National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab

Edited by Michael Keating and Matt Waldman

Author Information

Michael Keating was the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia from January 2016 to September 2018; he is now the Executive Director of the European Institute of Peace. Previously he was an Associate Director of Chatham House, Deputy UN Special Representative for Afghanistan and Executive Director of the Africa Progress Panel.
Matt Waldman is a conflict resolution specialist and Director of the Center for Empathy in International Affairs. Previously a Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School, he has served as a mediation adviser to the UN envoys for Somalia, Syria and Afghanistan.