SUMMARY

The SRRC (Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council) emerged in March 2001, in the context of the protracted intrastate conflict over government in Somalia. It was a loose coalition of nearly 20 clan- based political military factions opposed to the ruling Transitional National Government (TNG) as well as the Juba Valley Alliance (JVA).

The main reason for the creation of SRRC, and its refusal to recognize TNG, was stated to be the latters’ harboring of 'militant Islamist sympathizers'. SRRC also claimed that it aimed to set up a representative government in the country.

SRRC’s first chairperson was Hussein Mohammed Farrah Aidid, who had previously served with the US marines during operation Desert Storm, and upon returning to Somalia during the early 1990s succeeded his father as leader of the political alliance SNM (SNM in turn included a number of armed rebel groups, such as USC/SNA and SPM/SNA).

SRRC was established during a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Abbeba, largely growing out of SNA. A leadership format of a rotating chair was agreed upon, and Aidid was mandated to lead the group for a period of six months. The idea of rotating leadership on a bi-annual basis reflected the intricacies of the clan-based society in Somalia; a power-sharing scheme ensured representation for different families/clans within SRRC.

In the light of TNG’s alleged connections to militant Islamists, SRRC received backing from both neighboring Ethiopia – who allegedly even contributed troops to fight alongside SRRC soldiers on some occasions – and the United States.

The TNG suffered internal problems and eventually reported bankruptcy in December 2003, at the same time as its mandate ended. It was succeeded by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which included SRRC.