SUMMARY
Unlike other multiethnic countries in the Sub-Saharan African context, the Somali society is characterized by a vast system of clans. Most of the population belongs to one of the five overarching clan families namely the Darod, the Isaaq, the Hawiye, the Dir, and the Rahanweyn (also known as Rewin or Digil-Mirifle). Each clan family is further divided into sub-clans and in some cases into sub-sub-clans. The origins of the clans are shared and each clan is related to the others, yet there are differences in terms of culture, tradition, and the form of life.
Up until independence in 1960, the Somali society was organized according to the clan system and each clan had a leader and a council of elders. These leaders played a major role in daily life and especially in intertribal relations. The council of elders was responsible for maintaining peace and harmony amongst the Somali people. Weakened clans were, for example, to be protected and were at times integrated into stronger clans in order to assure its survival. When inter-clan conflicts did occur, rules of conduct were agreed upon; such as caring for the injured or the treatment of prisoners.
During the post-independence era, traditional structures were replaced by modern governmental and judicial institutions hence removing the power once given to the clan leader and the council of the elders. As a result, relations between clans continuously deteriorated, which in turn also resulted in a stronger sense of affiliation to one’s own clan. This process contributed to, and was further strengthened by, the outbreak of the intra-state conflict in Somalia which began at the end of 1982. Clan-related conflicts continued to fuel non-state conflicts in Somalia.
The conflict between the Xawaadle and the Abgal, both clans of the Hawiye clan family, erupted at the beginning of January 2008. The underlying conflict issue was access to water and pastures. Indeed the region was hit by water shortage thus threatening the survival of both people and livestock. Fighting between the two clans had however occurred at several occasions earlier, albeit at a lower intensity. In fact, the year prior to the outbreak of the conflict was concluded with the signing of a peace-agreement orchestrated by the Imam of the clans. Governmental officials blamed insurgents loyal to the Islamic courts, an Islamic militia that was in control of southern Somalia during a brief period of time in 2006, of fuelling the conflict by providing the clans with weapons. Although the conflict lasted for a year, confrontations between the two clans were infrequent and the number of fatalities limited. However, the fear of escalation resulted in the displacement of around 1000 people.
The non-state conflict between the Abgal clan (Hawiye) and the Xawaadle clan (Hawiye) is first included in UCDP data in 2008. In the September of that year, the threshold of 25 battle-related deaths was reached after hit and run attacks near Ceel Dheere town.
