15 - Somalia's City of the Jackals: Politics, Economy, and Society in Mogadishu 1991–2003

Summary

In 1991, when the capital city of Mogadishu was destroyed and devastated by inter-tribal wars between militias from the nomadic groups, Ahmed Naji Sa'ad, a famous Somali singer, composed a song to demonstrate his empathy with the historical city of Mogadishu. The title of the song poses a question to all Somali bards, which to date nobody has answered it. The title is: “Xamareey waa lagu xumeeyay ee yaa ku xaal maridoono?” (“Oh you Mogadishu, home of history and heritage, you have been awfully and unjustly wronged, but, who will redress you for the destruction and devastation you suffered [in the hands of warlords, the Jackals]?”)— Ahmed Naji Sa'ad, 1990s.

In spite of the huge body of literature on the African urban crisis which focuses on themes such as overpopulation, unemployment, housing, prostitution, and environment (White: 1989), related issues of “inter-tribal” and civil wars in urban Africa have not been adequately addressed. For example, the question of the destruction and devastation of Somali cities, particularly Mogadishu—the capital city—and its environs, has not been seriously studied. The painful and senseless civil war in southern Somalia ravaged historical cities, caused displacement of population as well as the obliteration of cultural heritage sites. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to explore the situation of the residents of Mogadishu who were compelled to adapt to a system of multiple administrations under the warlords mainly as a result of the civil war. The paper will also examine how the events that unfolded in Mogadishu influenced the movements in surrounding communities. In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, this study will proceed by providing a brief account of developments in Mogadishu before the civil war.

Mogadishu is one of the oldest cities in southern Somalia. It is situated along the East African coast. By the late nineteenth century, Mogadishu was comprised of the Shangaani and Hamarweyne districts, but it subsequently expanded its borders. As a result, Mogadishu evolved as the most important commercial city in the Benadir coast. Other important settlements within the region of this coast include Merka, Brava, Kisimayu, and Warshekh. Mogadishu was founded more than ten centuries ago, and since then became renowned for its thriving commercial relations with China, Persia, India, and the Arabian Gulf coast.