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 .

Near the Ethiopian border in central Somalia lies the city of Belet Weyn. Since the early 2000s, the city had been divided between the Xawaadle subclan (Hawiye), controlling the eastern parts, and the Galje'el clan (Hawiye), controlling the western parts of the town. The conflict between the two clans started at the beginning of August 2000 and was triggered by the arrival of relief food to the center of the city. Disputes over the distribution of this food led to heavy shooting and several people were killed. During the remaining weeks of August, several clashes occurred between the two Hawiye sub-clans both within and outside the city. Indeed, the conflict spread to the city of Jowhar located north of the capital. The intensity of the conflict quickly escalated to armed confrontations involving hundreds of clan members and the use of heavy weaponry such as battle-wagons and heavy machineguns. Furthermore, several retaliatory attacks in the form of hit and run attacks increased the number of lost lives.

The conflict also caused tensions with other clans in the area. For instance, during a clash in the city of Jowhar, militiamen of the Xawaadle subclan accidentally killed a warrior of the Warsangeli subclan, a sub-clan of the Abgal clan. As a result, Warsangeli militiamen retaliated forcing the Xawaadle to retreat from the city.

After 2 months of fighting, the conflict came to an end on 21 September with the signing of a peace agreement.

The non-state conflict between the Galje'el clan (Hawiye) and the Xawaadle subclan (Hawiye) is first included in UCDP data in 2000. At the end of August of that year, the threshold of 25 battle-related deaths was reached after several armed confrontations in the city of Jowhar.