The History of South Somalia

Somalia, a famous country on the African continent, has been associated with numerous atrocities. Two such significant groups living there are Bantu Somalis and inbred Somalis. Although the two groups have been sharing the country since the 1960s, they are not best friends. The inbred Somalis have constantly attacked the Bantu Somalis and made their lives unlivable in the land that Bantu Somalis call home. Since Somalia gained self-rule, the Bantu people have suffered terribly under the inbred Somali-led government. In the beginning, the land was separate, and each group controlled their own region. However, the Italian colonial empire seized control of the two regions and merged them into one country. This colonization led to a period of unrest, and among the inbred Somalis were agents for them. Following their independence in 1960, the colonizers handed the power to the inbred Somalis. They started resettling their people to the south, where they found a prosperous agricultural region under Bantu control and gave them management of that region. They engaged in corruption and misuse of power; they used all means to ensure they took these lands from the hands of the Bantu Somalis. The inbred Somalis drove the Bantu out of the area, leading to violent conflicts and the displacement of the Bantu people from their ancestral land. By exploiting the resources once controlled by the Bantu Somalis, the inbred Somalis established themselves as the dominant group in the area. The inbred Somalis did not care about the consequences or the suffering they caused, as long as they achieved their goal of maintaining power and control over their territory. Therefore, the inbred Somalis' access to firearms gave them an advantage over the Bantu Somalis, allowing them to unleash devastating attacks.

To emphasize the relationship between the Bantus and Breed Somalis, this research article will focus on;

(1) Historical Background

(2) Farmland Grabbed

(3) The Ethio-Somali War

(4) The Somali Civil War

(5) After the Civil War

(6) A reflection on the Bantu and Breed Somalis situation

Historical Background of the Bantu and Breed Somalis

Every country has a unique historical background that shapes its culture and socioeconomic life. Somalia was among the top and best traders during ancient times. Also, Somalia gained independence from British and Italian colonialism in 1960. The leading British aim was to establish a place to carry on trade, and they were not interested in resources. However, each group shared their own culture and language, but a similar Islamic religion brought Somali interests and goals together, such as living harmoniously together. Despite the Breeds repaying good with good, the Breeds went ahead and denied the Bantu children the right to education in collaboration with the government. This article intensively discusses Somalia’s resettlement and transition from informal to formal education, colonization, its impact on the Somali community, discrimination, and introduction to education.

The history of the Bantu and Breed migrations to Somalia is one of the most fascinating stories. These migrations helped shape the cultural and linguistic diversity of Somalia, and played a significant role in the development of its society and economy. The purpose of their journey was to search for water for their crops and raise livestock. Farming and green pastures for their cattle were the primary reasons for their migration. Despite the fact that both groups live in the same country, they migrated from different regions on the continent. The original homeland of the Bantu is in the Central of Africa. For the Breed Somalis, their original homeland is in the Northern side of Africa. When they arrived in Somalia, the Bantu settled on the southern side, whereas the Breed people were on the northern side. So, each group brought with them their unique cultures, languages, and traditions, which have greatly influenced the Somali way of life. Today, Somalia is a diverse country with a rich cultural heritage that reflects the influence of these ancient migrations. The Bantu people are well known for their farming techniques and their ability to work with iron smelting technology. In addition to their farming and iron smelting, the Bantus also engaged in hunting and fishing to supplement their diet. They used traditional methods such as traps, spears, and nets to catch animals and fish in nearby rivers and forests. The Breed people, on the other hand, have always been nomadic camel herders who depend on their animals for a living. Despite their different ways of life, both groups have contributed to the cultural diversity of Somalia. Before the colonial era, the land was peaceful because each group lived in different regions and no group meddled in the business of the others. Still, each group defended its territory. In their subgroups, they governed themselves for many generations. Clearly, the Bantu and Breed people co-existed in the country, searching for food, water, and land to cultivate.

Many centuries later, some of the Breed people from the Ogaden region of Ethiopia began relocating to the south side in search of a better life. They used to show up at the Bantu houses as beggars. They looked weak, thin, starved, and tired as they had walked long distances without food. Thus, after the Breed members expressed their needs, the Bantu decided to offer assistance out of generosity. They provided them with food and shelter out of compassion for their ailing visitors. Due to their condition at the time, they gladly received a warm welcome. They were the first waves to migrate into southern Somalia and lived with the Bantus in peace. The Bantu and Breed began living together thereafter. The Bantus shared their resources with these groups and ensured that they were well fed. As a result, the Breed people settled in the Bantu region and adopted some aspects of the Bantu culture and language, which is called Mai-Mai. With the passage of time, they established their communities and managed to maintain some level of autonomy.

Meanwhile, before the British colonization of Somalia, people shared a complex and comprehensive educational background where the eldest used to educate young children through storytelling, guidance, and counseling. Scientific research shows that at around 700 A.D., the Arabs had intermingled with the Somali people, causing a significant influence in religion that caused almost all the Somali people to convert to the Muslim faith. Afterward, the Islamic religion had a considerable effect and opened Qurʾānic schools with the standard of colonial power, which was the only formal education in Somalia. As a result, many citizens joined the school to learn and become converts to Islam. The Breed and the Bantu lived in peace before colonization, respected each other, and protected themselves. However, things changed drastically since the Italians were not after their resources but their slave labor and enslaved people. 

In the early 1900s, Italy colonized a portion of Somaliland. They seized control of the two regions of the Bantu and Breed groups and merged them into one country. Bantu and Breed were doing forced manual labor at the time for the Colony. This colonization led to a period of unrest and rebellion in Somaliland, which eventually gained independence in 1960. The legacy of Italian colonization can still be seen in the country's infrastructure and culture. However, the Somali people did not know how to govern themselves, so they requested ten years of training in self-government from the colonizer. The colonizers accepted the offer and immediately began constructing schools in the Bantu and Breed regions. The Breeds who lived with the Bantus would warn the Bantu children not to attend school, while the Breed children themselves attended school. When the Bantu asked, "Why?" One of the Breeds' justifications was that the Christian religion taught in the schools would lead their children away from Islam. The Breed people acted as if they cared about the Bantus while deceiving and lying to them. Consequently, many Bantus never received a formal education. They remained illiterate while the Breeds educated their children. Later, when the training was complete, the colonizers transferred the government to Somalis. However, the chosen leader was from the Breed group because, unlike the Bantu people, the Breeds collaborated with the colonizer and were educated.

After the colonizers left the colony, the Breed people took control of the government. As a result, the Breed-led government desired nothing to do with the Bantus, as the government was in the hands of the Breed people. Thus, constant conflict arose between the two groups, as the Breeds frequently engaged in hostilities against the Bantus. Due to their desire for peace to prevail in the region, the Bantus allowed the Breed group to rule the country and began enrolling their children in government schools. This did not, however, improve the situation. On the contrary, the government discriminated against and deceived the Bantus on a regular basis. For example, when Bantu children graduated from high school, the government gave their diplomas to Breed students who had not graduated and then relocated them to other countries. Consequently, many Bantu children completed high school without a diploma. The government did so to destroy the Bantu's faith in the nation. The Bantu people will never have the chance to join the government in this manner.

In conclusion, before the colonial era, Somalia's territory was divided into two geographical regions, each inhabited by Bantu and Breed communities. During this time, the Somali Bantus ruled the southern region of Somalia, which flourished in peace. However, following the emergence of Italian colonial control over Somalia, they merged the two locations. As a result, some Breed people from northern Somalia began slowly migrating into the southern Bantu region, and the Bantus welcomed them without reservation. Upon Somalia's independence, however, the colonizer allowed the Breed people to control both regions. This resulted in disastrous outcomes as the Breed-led government instituted oppression, discrimination, and corrupt administration. Therefore, the harsh and hostile treatment of Somali Bantus is the result of a mistake made by their ancestors during the colonial period.

Farmland Grabbing Against the Bantu People in Somalia

The Bantu Somalis and the Breed Somalis groups live in Somalia. Though the two groups have lived in the same country for a long time, they are not best friends. The Breed Somalis have constantly pestered the Bantu Somalis and made their lives unlivable in the land that Bantu Somalis call home. Since Somalia gained self-rule, the Bantu people have suffered terribly under the Breed Somali-led government. The Breed Somalis have oppressed the Bantu Somalis in many ways. For instance, the Breed Somalis have devised schemes to disinherit the Somali Bantu and kick them out of their land. The southern region is resource-rich. It has plenty of water and minerals. This region has been occupied by the Bantu Somalis since pre-independence. After Somalia got self-rule, the Breed group, which was lucky to take over the government, used all means to ensure they took these lands from the hands of the Bantu Somalis. For the Breed Somalis to achieve this end, they have used different evil schemes. Precisely, the Breed Somalis have attempted to subvert the Somali nationality, spread falsehood about the actual population of the Bantu Somalis, use government-led resettlement tactics, deny the right of the Bantu to live in the land by spreading myths, and perpetuate false online stories that demean the Bantus to enslaved people as excuses to take their land.

One of the schemes used by the Breed Somalis to disinherit the Bantus is to subvert Somali nationality. Initially, the word "Somali" was used as a nationality for the people of Somalia. The Bantu and Breed people shared the name "Somali" as their nationality. Later, the Breed took over the name and made up the term "Somali ethnic" to say that they owned the whole country by themselves. Even today, many Breed people don't know any better but think that all of Somalia belongs to them. With this scheme, the Bantu Somalis would not be recognized as landowners because they were not considered Somali nationals. Although President Barre crushed this scheme after he rose to power and came up with the idea to use the name Somali as an ethnic identity for the Breed group only, not a nationality, it had done irreversible damage to the land  ownership rights of the Bantu Somalis. Therefore, the scheme helped the Breed Somalis move an inch closer to owning the Bantu Somalis' land.

Still, the Breed Somalis spread a lot of falsehoods about the actual population of the Somali Bantu to con them out of their land. When Siad Barre took power, he went on a tour to analyze the natural resources in the country. When he got to the south, he couldn't believe how many natural resources the Bantu people owned everywhere. So, he hired someone to count people in the south to see the majority clan in the south. His government counted the Bantu and Breed people to determine which group was the most common in southern Somalia. Research shows that when they presented the results of the statistics, he was shocked and tore up the paper because he thought they would be the majority. When people asked him why he tore up the paper, he said that if I told the public the result, it would cause a big problem. After finding out that Bantus were the majority in the south, his government started dividing the Bantus and making up false statistics about them. According to their figures, the Bantus comprised about 10% of the population. However, in a real sense, the proportion of Bantu Somalis was closer to 85% in south Somalia. That clearly illustrates how deceitful and wicked the Breed were in a region that was not theirs. Through this scheme, the Said Barre government succeeded in handing over the rich southern land to the Breed Somalis. The fabricated numbers showed the Bantu Somali population was small and could not be left to occupy this region alone.

After Said Barre came up with misleading population figures, he used government resettlement tactics to help the Breed Somalis takeover the southern region from the hands of the Bantus. He started illegally resettling three of his Daarood sub-clans—Mareehan, Ogaden, and Dhulbahante without consulting the indigenous Bantus. First, looking at Said Barre's history shows he was not a Somali citizen. Instead, he was born in Ethiopia, in a place called Shilabo. Second, when Somalia was becoming independent, the colonial powers built a Somali army, and Siad Barre lied about being a Somali citizen so he could join the Somali army. After Somalia achieved its independence, the former president, Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, was assassinated in 1969, and Siad Barre took over the office immediately as president of Somalia without the people of Somalia voting. Due to Said Barre's background, he had a hidden intention of allocating the best lands to his tribe. Thus, his resettlement plan in the southern region was to provide land to his people. That explains why human rights abuses, corruption, and economic mismanagement characterized Siad Barre's rule over Somalia for over two decades. He ruled with an iron fist to perpetuate his ethnic community's interests while arm-twisting others. Siad Barre was still not satisfied by the relocation of two of his subtribes to the Bantu Southern region. Later on, after the Ethio-Somali war, he added another subclan among the Darood, the Dhulbahante, from the north to occupy the territory, and gave them full control. Consequently, the Somali Bantus had no control over the country, not even over their own regions. He sacrificed everything to administer his sub-clans. Although Siad Barre's dictatorship eventually led to the outbreak of a civil war in 1991, he had managed to displace the Bantu Somalis from a big chunk of the land that he used to resettle his Breed subclans. Thus, the Bantu Somalis lost their land to the Breed subgroups associated with Said Barre during the schemed resettlement plan.

In addition, the Breed Somalis denied the Bantu Somali community the right to occupy the land in the southern region by spreading myths. First, they spread the myth that, before the Somali civil war, the Somali government denied that Bantus lived in the country. That had far-reaching consequences for the Somali Bantu because it made them appear as outsiders. The claim that the government did not verify their existence in the land before the civil war indicates that they had no right to live in or own it. Moreover, the Breed Somalis made sure that people would only find writing by the Breed group if they searched for information about Somalia. Their society, contrary to what they say, is neither homogeneous nor egalitarian. Further, it is a myth that Somali people have one language, one culture, one tradition, and one ethnicity, as is propagated by the Breeds. The Somalis live in diverse communities, just like people in other African countries. There are different groups, languages, and societies. But still, the Breed people didn’t want the Bantu people to be known or appear outside of Somalia because they’ve been doing silent genocide since 1977. Moreover, they have never wanted the world to realize their criminal activities and thus masquerade as a good and friendly group. The Breed Somalis have always used myths to keep what is not theirs.

Yet, the Breed Somalis perpetuate false online stories about the Bantus to demean them and discredit their right to occupy the southern region. The stories show that the Bantu Somalis are enslaved people who came to the country through the East African slave trade. In that case, the Breed people wrote books and articles and posted online propaganda about the East African slave trade to show the Bantus were not the rightful heirs of the land. However, they fail to explain that the Arabs and the Bantus traded together like the Breed. Further, the writings do not categorically state that the Bantus lived in southern Somalia before the Arab trade began in east Africa. The Arabs only used to steal children from the Breed and Bantu groups and sell them to the Middle East and India. Neither does the writing explain how they could live apart in two regions if at all the Bantus were their slaves. How can the Bantus be enslaved and live in the best part of the country while the Breed people live in the worst, uninhabited area? If the Bantus were their slaves, why did the government commit silent genocide against them to take their farmland? Why would the Arabs, who were rich, prosperous, and civilized, waste time selling slaves to the Breed people, who were poor and uncivilized, when they could sell their slaves to rich people? The Breed people need to show proof that they enslaved the Bantu people, evidence from the Omani Arab period during the East African trade as well as from the British colonial period and the Italian colonial period. A written record describing which sub-clans were purchased and enslaved, as well as their location at the time. The Breed people have no proof for their claim but use perpetual deception to subjugate the truth in their writings about the Bantus being their slaves. 

In conclusion, the Breed Somalis have used many evil schemes to disinherit the Bantu people from the resource-rich Southern region. These include subverting the Somali nationality, where the term "Somali ethnic" is used as the nationality to mean that the land belongs to the Breed Somali people only. Still, President Siad Barre spread falsehoods about the actual population of the Bantu Somalis to show they were a small population. He fabricated the statistics and did not allow the actual statistics of the Bantu Somalis to be known. In addition, Siad Barre used government-led resettlement tactics that displaced the Bantu Somalis from the lands where he resettled the people from his Breed subclan. Again, the Breed Somalis denied the right of the Bantu to live in the land by spreading myths. They denied the Bantus existence in the country before the Civil War and claimed that people of one culture and tradition occupied Somaliland. Moreover, the Breed Somalis perpetuated false online stories that degraded the Bantus to slave status as excuses to take their land. They claimed that the Bantus were their slaves who came to the land through East African trade, but they could not validate those claims, which turned out to be false. In that case, the Breed people know that the land in the southern region belongs to the Somali Bantu, and despite their myths, the truth is out there.

The Bantu Experience in the Ethio-Somali War

In 1977–1978, there was a war between Somalia and Ethiopia. This war was called the Ogaden War or the Ethio-Somali War. This war resulted from Ethiopia and Somalia fighting over a region between them. Hence, the area was known as the Ogaden Region. Upon Siyad Barre becoming the president of Somalia, the war started between Somalia and Ethiopia. The cause of this war was to protect the sub-clans where Siyad Barre originated. So many Somali Bantus lost their lives during the war. Below is a description of how the entire war began and its conclusion.

To understand more about the Ogaden War, we need to understand what led to the Ogaden War. First, the Breed Somalis are split into many sub-clans,  the same as the Bantus. For instance, we have the Darood clan, which also forms subclans. The Darood clan was one of the largest sub-clans among the Breed ethnic group, and still, it was divided into three groups: the Darood of Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. In 1977, Ethiopia and Somalia were absorbed in a colony dispute over the Ogaden region. The region was located between Ethiopia and Somalia, and so the two nations claimed the area as their own. The difficulty in the war was that big powers supported both of the states, which could bring the Cold War to Africa. This notion of the Cold War in Africa was very sound because the Soviet Union financed Ethiopia while the United States financed Somalia. To conclude, this war was very tricky, and if care was not taken, it could extend to other parts of Africa. If this war continued, then the notion that the Ogaden war brought the Cold War to Africa would be proved right.

It is good to understand whether, before the war started, there were disputes between Ethiopia and Somalia in the past. According to research, it is clear that before the Ethio-Somali war started, there were disputes about the Ogaden region. Due to the Second World War, when Ethiopia lined up with the Allies in opposition to the Axis powers, Great Britain renounced its claims on the Ogaden region as a fragment of British Somaliland. Besides, once the British Somali area became a fragment of Somalia’s new independent state in 1960, the government had no choice but to control the region. Afterward, there was intensified monitoring of the area when a military coup in Somalia led to the killing of Somali president Abdirashid Ali Shermarke. Then, in 1969, the military under Siyad Barre seized control of the state of Somalia. One could tell that things were not getting any better.

To better understand the situation, it is also good to know what was happening in Ethiopia when things were not right in Somalia. In this period, the longtime emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, was displaced in September 1974 by the defense force known as the Derg. This led to the disorganization of the Ethiopian nation, leading to the emergence of many separatist movements that were opposed to the Derg due to uncertainties in Ethiopian politics. Surprisingly, one of those groups, called Western Somali, was staying in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. The same group asked for the takeover of the territory they controlled in Somalia. To conclude, it was the beginning of another dispute between the Somali natives in the Ogaden region and the Ethiopian natives.

Before entering the real war, we have to understand what was happening to the Derg. So, in 1977, Haile Miriam had become the Derg leader, who was in the custody of the whole of Ethiopia. Due to these privileges, the Derg suppressed all the Ethiopians and, to be specific, the Western Somalia Liberation Federation (WSLF) and its supporters. Thus, there was more emphasis on the notion that there was a cold war in Africa. By this particular time, the Derg had made Ethiopia a communist state and allied it with the Soviet Union. Allying it with the Soviet Union meant that now, the Ethiopians had funds to deal with Somalia since the Soviet Union would fund them.

Since the Somali government had obtained large quantities of weapons with Soviet help, they provided the Western Somali Liberation Federation with weapons. As a result, Somalia's government army took 35,000 armed men under the command of Mohamed Siyad Barre in July 1977. These Somali militaries were also supported by fifteen thousand military men from the Western Somali Liberation Federation. Together they invaded the Ogaden region, but unfortunately, the Army of Somalia was outnumbered by the Ethiopian army. To their advantage, they had superior weapons because of earlier support from Soviet military donations. This was a clear alarm about a cruel war.

Moreover, the Soviets were also providing their newfound Ethiopia with funds and even superior weapons. After they were unsuccessful in getting a suspension in fighting, they gave all their aid to the Ethiopians by bringing fifteen thousand men from the Army of Cuba. Similarly, there were volunteers from other communist nations, including Yemen and South Korea. On the other hand, the people of Somalia had gotten aid from the United States. Given that now the two states were Aided by supreme powers, the war escalated again.

Lastly, there was the war, where the fittest would survive since there was aid from supreme powers on both sides. When the war started in 1977, the Ethiopians had control of about ten percent of the Ogaden region. Since the Ethiopians received Soviet aid more often, they were able to overpower the Somali Army and their helpers, the Western Somali Liberation Front allies. In October, the Somali Army made every effort to be hostile in order to seize Harar, a city in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, they were met with forty thousand Ethiopian military personnel and eleven thousand armed Cuban Army personnel who Aided them. Soviet weapons and air forces also supported these Cuban troops. As stated above, the Ethiopians outnumbered the Somalians, and so they were able to push the Somalians out of the Ogaden without using force. By March 1978, the Ethiopians had taken almost the whole Ogaden region. Now, the Somalians had been defeated, leading them to surrender their fight for the area. This is how the Ethiopians ended up having the Ogaden region in their name.

It should also be noted that the Ethio-Somali war initiated the Somali Bantu genocide. During the second round, the Somali government enlisted a large number of Bantu boys aged fifteen and older. The government had not provided adequate training to the Bantus at this time. They only taught them how to shoot, and then they sent the poorly trained Bantus into battle. During the war, the government placed Bantus in the front line as a shield, followed by Breeds in the rear. This clearly indicates that the likelihood of Bantu deaths was quite high. During the war, the government's primary objective was to reduce the Bantu population and increase Breed survival. When the Bantu people saw their community dying, they fled. In addition to receiving support from the Breeds, however, the Breeds took advantage of them and shot them to prevent them from withdrawing from the conflict. The Breeds urged them not to flee but to fight for their country. Nonetheless, it is beyond reasonable doubt that the primary objective of the Breeds was to kill as many Bantus as possible on the battlefield so that they could easily seize their farmland.

In conclusion, my opinion is that the Ogaden War was a big war, but there had to be a winner, just like any other war. During the Ogaden War, it was evident that the Ethiopians had the upper hand and could therefore include the Ogaden region in their name. In addition, the Ethiopians were better prepared for this conflict than the Somalians. Lastly, another opinion is that this war brought the Cold War to Africa, which is true. This is because there was an intervention by supreme powers that tried to intimidate each other with their abilities. The Bantus proved to have a lot of influence in the war, more so than the Somali Breeds. If anyone should have been greatly rewarded, it was the Somali Bantus. Unfortunately, the government was against them and thus used its authority to suppress them to the weakest point possible. This is an act that everybody in the world should condemn, and unity should be preached instead of disunity.

The Bantu Experience in the Somali Civil War

Somalia has undergone various civil wars in its history. Most civil wars have political underpinnings, as politicians usually spread hatred and animosity among the citizens to the point that a simple issue could result in a big fight. A good example is the American Civil War of 1861–1865, which arose due to differences in opinions regarding slavery. Another case was in Kenya (2007–2008), where the citizens differed on the outcome of the 2007 election. Somalia’s case was not any different; the war began as resistance against President Mohamed Siyad Barre. With time, it grew more prominent and, thus, affected many people within the country. The war was supposed to be between two Breed subclans, Darood and Hawiye, but it ended up affecting the Bantus the most.

It is noteworthy that tribal underpinnings often influence African countries’ politics. For example, Mohamed Siad Barre, President of the Somali Democratic Republic between 1969 and 1991, fell into a similar trap. He was a member of the Breed group and belonged to the clan of Darood and the sub-clan of Mareehan. President Barre could be said to be among the worst dictators the world has seen. He massacred many people in the name of tribal affiliations. His general, Farrah Hassan Aidid, was also a Breed but from the clan of Hawiye and the sub-clan of Habar-Gidir. Darood and Hawiye are the two most power-hungry sub-clans in Somalia. Thus, President Barre’s ascension to power was based on his tribal affiliation and not on his ability to lead the Somali people.

Most politicians cling to power regardless of public disapproval. For instance, President Barre began making plans to retain power while he was still in office. He intended to establish a monarchy in Somalia in which a member of his sub-clan could inherit power forever. President Barre denied the request of the other elites from the Breed sub-clan to replace him. Instead, he set out to replace his clan within the government. In the meantime, General Aidid had secretly organized and trained a militia force to oppose President Barre. When the president discovered the ongoing training, it was too late for him to stop it. As a result, he fled the nation and warned his people to prepare for civil war. Barre attempted to retain power despite lacking the support and favor of the Somalis.

Initially, the war seemed to be between two clans. So, most of the president’s clan members fled from their homes in Mogadishu and hid in the southern region because they were not prepared for war. The Hawiye clan was ready, and it started pursuing the Darood clan. Eventually, it was discovered that the members of the Darood clan were hiding in the Bantus’ area. The Hawiye clan went to the southern region and massacred the members of the Darood clan. It also committed other atrocities. For instance, the Hawiye clan members repeatedly assaulted the Darood women. The Darood clan members fled, but they had nowhere to hide from their rivals. The Bantus did not engage in the war at the time, and one of the reasons was that most of their youths died on the front lines during the Ethio-Somali war. Also, the Darood clan collected from them the few guns they had. Thus, it seemed like a war between the Darood and the Hawiye.

As the civil war between the Hawiye and the Darood clans escalated, the Bantus were accused by the Hawiye of being accomplices of the Darood. Thus, they mercilessly massacred them. In addition, they were harassed in various ways, such as by killings, sexual assaults (especially on women), and looting of their properties. While the Hawiye Clan was busy with the Bantus, the Darood Clan regrouped and returned for revenge. The Darood clan started attacking the Hawiye clan until they fled back to Mogadishu. After the Hawiye retreated to the capital, the Darood clan members continued fighting the Bantus, who were defenseless at the time. They accused them of failing to assist in fighting against the Hawiye clan. As the war continued, many Somali Bantus lost their lives since they were on the receiving end in the long run.

Thus, the Somali Civil War was supposed to be a war between two Breed sub-clans. Nonetheless, the Somali Bantus suffered the most compared  to the Breed Two group.   During the war, the Bantus underwent severe suffering—a violation and abuse of human rights at the hands of the Hawiye and Darood clans. The genesis of the war was the power struggle between President Barre and General Aidid. The general wanted to dislodge the president from power, but the latter refused to leave the office. Therefore, their respective sub-clans turned against each other. Somali Bantus only got involved due to their perceived association with both clans, each accusing the other of being an accomplice to the other.

The Bantu Experience After the Somali Civil War

Developing countries face many challenges that have evolved from the civil war that took place many years ago. Somalia, a famous country in east Africa, has been associated with the civil war. As a result of the war, the country now faces political instability, power abuse, and a broken governing system dating back to 1991.  Conflicts in Somalia have profoundly affected the development of the country’s economy. As a result of the war, the country now faces political instability, power abuse, and a broken governing system dating back to 1991. This war started after Sad Barre, the dictator's leader, was overthrown, followed by a declaration of independence by both the Italians and British colonialists. Up to date, Somalia has lacked an excellent governing system and suffers from both economic and social instability.

However, another civil war emerged in 2009 that led the Somali people to migrate from their country to seek refuge. Furthermore, over 15 peace conferences have been held to restore peace in Somalia but have been dissolved without achieving consensus. International bodies have also tried to dissolve the Somali civil war and bring peace, but unfortunately, they have lost their army and troops. A good example is the UN peacekeeping mission, which tried to maintain peace and distribute food. Through their civil war, the Somalis have gained a bad reputation as a country. For example, Somalia is known as the worst country to survive as a woman or a child. 

This article discusses further the effects of the Somali civil war, which have led to, first, Bantu discrimination and bias. Second, rampant cases of theft and sexual assault on women resulted from the civil war in Somalia. Third, there are religious disputes between the migrated Somalis and the citizens of other countries that offer refuge. Much social retardation, poor economic growth, and low growth and development rates are the results of the civil war in Somalia. So, because of the civil war, thousands of Somalis have fled to Kenya as refugees.

The Somali civil war included the annihilation of the Bantu people. According to research, the Breed-led administration plans to replace Bantu territory with their clan. However, the plan failed when rebel groups formed militias against him. Consequently, the president fled the country. Instead, his clan, the Darood, who were at the center of the war, provided the Bantus with a lifeline. President Barre, General Aidid, the warlord and militia leader of Somalia, and their respective clans, Darood and Hawiye, appeared to disregard the Bantus. They did everything in their power to weaken, kill, and reduce the Bantu population. The only way out for them was to vacate their premises and look for other places to shelter their families.

Thus, many Bantu fled their homes in Somalia and made their way to the Kenyan border. The trip lasted between two and four weeks. Many of them perished on the journey due to hunger, and others were killed by wild animals. The only food available to them along the way was tree leaves. They relied on rain to provide water for cooking and drinking. However, the water they used was muddy and harbored diseases. They overcame numerous disorders, like malaria and others, which spread all over Somalia. There was a quota for Bantu in the Kenyan healing centers. Many Bantus succeeded in reaching Kenya, but they faced many hardships during this journey.

In the United Nations camps, the Bantu Somalis were treated with disdain. In 1991, a significant portion of the Bantu Somalis and other Breed Somalis gathered in the UNHCR refugee camps called Dadaab. The UN divided them into three distinct camps, known as Ifo, Dagahaley, and Hagadera. The reason was that there were too many to fit in one place. The Bantus of Somalia settled down and expected to find peace in the United Nations camps. However, after a few years in the camps, similar issues to those they had faced in Somalia emerged. There were rampant cases of theft and sexual assault against women. These crimes usually happened at night and also when the Bantu women went into the woods to gather firewood. The Somali Breed clans perpetuated the animosities in the camp against the Bantu people. It reveals that the Breed people held a deep hatred for the Bantus to the extent that they continued attacking them in the camps. Thus, the Bantu Somalis faced many security issues in the United Nations camps.

Indeed, the physical attacks on the Bantu Somalis did not stop when they left Somalia. When the assault and harassment kept on expanding in the refugee camps, the camps’ chieftains decided to solicit aid from the UNHCR. The leaders of the camps, who presented the Bantus’ grievances, wanted the Commission to provide them with security by relocating them to a safer place. To the Bantus' surprise, the people in charge of the camps for the Commission turned down their request to move. The dismissal of their petition prompted the leaders to go the extra mile and contact the Australian authorities through a memo, which failed. The Bantus then reached out to the US authorities.

In 1998, the Bantus’ hopes were restored, and the US government addressed their grievances. The government reached an agreement, helping to resettle around 12,000 families of Bantu refugees. The United States of America made history since it had never before resettled such a vast number of refugees from Africa. The US identified the Bantus in Somalia as a continually suffering community prone to physical abuse and racial discrimination.

The US government agreed to give shelter to a large number of the Bantu Somalis, a move that was unexpected by the Breed Somali community. When the Breed people heard the news, they were shocked at first, and then they attempted to persuade the Bantu not to travel to America. When the Bantu inquired as to why, the Breed people explained that it was a Christian nation that would lead their children away from Islam. The Bantu did not agree with them the second time because they did not wish to fall into the same trap twice.

As soon as the Breed people realized their ruse had failed, they began negotiating a truce with the Bantus. They pleaded with the Bantu to intermarry with them so that they could travel to the United States. However, the Bantu, who were determined to escape the Breed chaos and begin a new life, turned down the offer. The rejection of the proposal prompted the Breed people to risk their lives in opposition to the United States' decision to permit the Bantu to emigrate. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) was required to intervene in order to quell the violence. This resulted in the Bantu settlement of another Kenyan camp. In 2000, a major relocation camp named Kakuma was established. The Bantu were to remain in the camp for three years before departing the United States. This move by the IOM was inconvenient for the Somali government because the government could not explain the departure of the Bantus. In particular, the government of Somalia was locked out of the planned departure of the Bantus to the US.

In conclusion, civil war conflicts in Somalia caused many Bantus to migrate to Kenya. The civil war in Somalia in the 1990s played a significant role in shaping the lives of Somalia’s following generations; it affected the Bantu population the most. The poor conditions the Bantu Somalis faced after the war culminated in their quest for liberation. The Bantus were physically discriminated against due to their differences. Their different looks marked them as enemies of their counterparts. Through their leaders, the Bantus sought help from various European authorities, but to no avail. After contacting the US authorities, they finally got help. Though the aid came at a cost, the Bantus settled in Kenya at the Kakuma camp, where they waited for their departure to the United States. The hardships the Bantus faced gave them the strength to pursue their freedom.

Reflection on the Bantu and Breed Somalis situation

The article I have presented highlights various situations of the Bantu and Breed communities. Ideally, I have described accurately and detailed exploration of why the Bantu people remain a top secret of the Somali government. I have assessed the poor conditions of the Bantu people after the civil war. Further, I have conducted an in-depth analysis of their efforts for their survival throughout the period. I intended to evaluate their strength; I admire their patience, tranquility, faith, resilience, and courage to face all their hardships. The story of the Bantus informs us that difficulties in life can be overcome. Whenever we see people facing myriad challenges in their life, we should realize that God has the power to turn challenges into an opportunity. We should treat others with respect and dignity. We should not be part and parcel of corrupt dealings or participate in demeaning other human beings’ lives. Most importantly, we should pursue peace and not condone violence. We should emulate the United States government’s actions, which provided a safe and reliable place for the Bantus to live a normal life like other people.