FEATURED EXHIBITS

OVERVIEW OF SOMALIA

SOMALIA: A COUNTRY IN NAME ONLY

Without effective central government control since 1992, Somalia has and still is in a state of anarchy. It is controlled by many rival warlords, each having their own agenda and massive militias. Without an infrastructure, disease and famine are extremely rampant throughout the country. The two largest rival factions are the SSDF (Somali Salvation Democratic Front) and the SNM (Somali National Movement).

In May, 1991, the SNM declared the former British Somaliland region independent. The situation in the country continued to deteriorate with heavy fighting between rival clans, prompting the United States to lead a UN peacekeeping force of 35,000 troops into Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in December, 1992. Operation Restore Hope, the UN mission, was at first only to eliminate the famine problem. However after the famine was abated, all UN attention turned to “Nation-Building." The 15 major warlords in Somalia all agreed to work with each other to form an intern government, however by 1994 the agreement was off and civil war rampaged through the country yet again. With heavy loses on the side of the US and UN, both forces withdrew all military personnel by 1995 leaving behind a country which had only fallen back into the same situation before the UN force came to help.