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 Abdulleh-Galmaha subclan of Abgal clan (Hawiye) and the Kabaloh subclan of Abgal clan (Hawiye) is related to the beforementioned decrease of the importance of traditional structures. Both actors are part of the Abgal clan of the Hawiye clan family, and are subsequently closely related and live in neighboring areas. As all subclans of the Abgal clan of Hawiye, the Abdulleh-Galmaha subclan and the Kabaloh subclan share agreed upon traditional conflict resolution mechanisms and customary law regulating their interactions. The immediate trigger of the conflict and the failure to avoid violence during the conflict both result from the non-respect of those traditional rules.
The conflict was triggered in 2001, when camel herders of the two subclans in Dhamba`ad village began arguing over land ownership. The argument could not be solved peacefully, and resulted in an exchange of gunfire. This in turn led to that other disputes over water wells and grazing rights between the two subclans escalated. At first, the involvement of Abgal clan elders who tried to mediate in the conflict did not show any result, and even the presence of a dozen battle wagons and over 150 heavily armed militia from the neutral Abgal clan could not calm the situation, but had to be evacuated.
The fighting took place in the Middle Shabelle region, close to a major road between Mogadishu and the central regions. This road had to be closed for several days due to the fighting, directly affecting traffic movement from and to Mogadishu and the central regions.
The non-state conflict between the Abdulleh-Galmaha subclan of Abgal clan (Hawiye) and the Kabaloh subclan of Abgal clan (Hawiye) is first included in UCDP data in 2001. In July of that year fighting between the two groups had resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.
