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Somali Democratic Republic Jamhuuriyadda Dimuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed الجمهورية الديمقراطية الصومالية al-Jumhūrīyah ad-Dīmuqrāṭīyah aṣ-Ṣūmālīyed Repubblica Democratica Somala | |||||||||||
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| 1969–1991 | |||||||||||
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| Capital | Mogadishu | ||||||||||
| Official languages | Somali | ||||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Somali | ||||||||||
| Government | UnitaryMarxist-Leninist state | ||||||||||
| President | |||||||||||
• 1969–1991 | Siad Barrea | ||||||||||
| Vice President | |||||||||||
• 1976–1991 | Mohammad Ali Samatar | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Cold War Arab Cold War | ||||||||||
| 21 October 1969 | |||||||||||
| 13 July 1977 | |||||||||||
| 10 March 1978 | |||||||||||
| 26 January 1991 | |||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||
• Total | 637,657[1] km2 (246,201 sq mi) (40th) | ||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||
• 1972[2] | 2,941,000 | ||||||||||
| Currency | Somali shilling[3] (SOS) | ||||||||||
| Calling code | 252 | ||||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | SO | ||||||||||
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| Today part of | Somalia Somalilandb | ||||||||||
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TheSomali Democratic Republic (Somali:Jamhuuriyadda Dimuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed;Arabic:الجمهورية الديمقراطية الصومالية,al-Jumhūriyyah ad-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah aṣ-Ṣūmāliyyah;Italian:Democratica Somala) was asocialist state in Somalia that existed from 1969 to 1991.
Established in October 1969, the Somali Democratic Republic emerged following acoup d'état led by Major GeneralMohamed Siyaad Barre and theSomali military.[4][5][6][7] The coup took place six days after the assassination ofAbdirashid Shermarke, the second President of theSomali Republic.[6] Barre's administration governed Somalia for the next 21 years until the rise of Ethiopian-backed Somali rebel groups, which ultimately led to the government's collapse and the onset ofcivil war in 1991.[8]
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Abdirashid Shermarke, the 2nd president of Somalia, was assassinated outside the municipal headquarters ofLas Anod in Northern Somalia on 15 October 1969. Shermarke had been visiting drought-stricken areas in the northeast when the assassin, Said Yusuf Ismail, shot and killed him.[9]
Henry Kissinger, thenUnited States National Security Advisor, concluded that the assassin acted independently.[10] Sharmarke was elected in 1964 with support from the Soviet Union and other communist states during his campaign.[11]
On 21 October 1969, at 3:00 a.m., General Siyaad and the military overthrew the parliamentary government. One of the primary causes of the coup was widespread corruption and mishandling of public funds within the Somali government. Consequently, many members of the police and armed forces had become disillusioned with the direction of the country.[12]
The assassin, Ismail, was tried, tortured, and executed by theSupreme Revolutionary Council. Notably, Ismail shared the same clan background as President Shermarke.[13]
TheSupreme Revolutionary Council (SRC), whichcame to power following President Shermarke's assassination, was led by Lieutenant GeneralSalaad Gabeyre Kediye and Chief of PoliceJama Ali Korshel. Kediye held the official title of "Father of the Revolution", and shortly thereafter, Barre became the head of the SRC.[14] The SRC arrested members of the former civilian government, banned political parties, dissolved the National Assembly, and suspended the constitution.[15][3]
The revolutionary army initiated large-scale public works programs and successfully implemented an urban and ruralliteracy campaign, significantly increasing the literacy rate. In addition to anationalization program for industry and land, the new regime's foreign policy emphasized Somalia's traditional and religious ties with theArab world, leading to its membership in theArab League (AL) in 1974.[16] That same year, Barre also served aschairperson of theOrganisation of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of theAfrican Union (AU).[17]
In July 1976, Barre's SRC disbanded and established theSomali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP) as a one-party government based onscientific socialism and Islamic principles. The SRSP aimed to reconcile the official state ideology with the official state religion, emphasizing Muslim principles of social progress, equality, and justice. The government argued that these principles formed the core ofscientific socialism, along with a focus onself-sufficiency, public participation, popular control, and direct ownership of themeans of production. While the SRSP encouraged limited private investment, the administration's overall direction was proclaimed associalist.[3]
On 13 July 1977, theOgaden War againstEthiopia erupted when Barre's government aimed to annex the predominantly Somali-inhabitedOgaden region into a Pan-SomaliGreater Somalia. This conflict was part of a broader SNA initiative to unify all Somali territories, known asSoomaaliweyn. In the first week of the war, theSomali National Army achieved remarkable victories over Ethiopian forces, surprising many American military observers who maintained a neutral stance. Southern and centralOgaden were quickly captured, and throughout much of the conflict, the Somali Army continued to defeat theEthiopian Army, advancing as far asSidamo. By September 1977, Somalia controlled 90% of the Ogaden, capturing strategic cities likeJijiga and exerting heavy pressure onDire Dawa, thereby threatening the train route from that city toDjibouti.
Following the siege ofHarar, a massive and unprecedented Soviet intervention occurred, involving 20,000 Cuban troops and several thousand Soviet advisers supporting Ethiopia's communistDerg regime. On 15 March 1978, aceasefire was negotiated, bringing an end to the war. This shift in Soviet support prompted the Barre government to seek new allies, eventually turning to the United States, which had been courting Somalia for some time as a counter to Soviet influence. Ultimately, Somalia's initial alliance with the Soviet Union and subsequent partnership with the United States enabled it to build the largest army in Africa.[18]
A new Constitution was ratified on 25 August 1979 through apopular referendum, leading to elections for a People's Assembly. This Constitution established a presidential system, wherein the president served as both the head of state and the head of government. As head of government, the president appointed the members of theCouncil of Ministers, which he chaired. Initially, the Constitution stipulated that the president would be elected for a six-year renewable term by a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature.[19]
After the failed Ogaden campaign, Barre's administration began arresting government and military officials suspected of involvement in the1978 coup attempt.[20][21] Most of those believed to have participated in the plot were executed without trial.[22] However, several officials managed to escape abroad and began forming various dissident groups aimed at forcibly removing Barre's regime.[23]
In 1979, a new constitution was introduced, leading to elections for a People's Assembly. Despite this, Barre's Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP) continued to maintain control.[5] In October 1980, the SRSP was disbanded, and theSupreme Revolutionary Council was re-established in its place.[3] By this time, Barre's government had become increasingly unpopular, and many Somalis were disillusioned with life undermilitary dictatorship. The regime weakened further in the 80's as the Cold War drew to a close, diminishing Somalia's strategic importance.
The government'stotalitarian grip[24][25] culminated in theIsaaq genocide (1987–1988), which devastated several major cities and targeted members of theIsaaq clan. Civilian death estimates range from 50,000 to 100,000[26][27][28] up to over 200,000.[29] These brutal tactics sparkedresistance movements, supported by Ethiopia, that emerged across the country and eventually led to theSomali Civil War. Among these militia groups were theSomali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), theUnited Somali Congress (USC), theSomali National Movement (SNM), and theSomali Patriotic Movement (SPM), alongside non-violent political opposition such as theSomali Democratic Movement (SDM), theSomali Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the Somali Manifesto Group (SMG).[citation needed]
On 26 January 1991, Barre wasousted from power, and Somalia subsequentlydescended into chaos.[citation needed]
The Somali Democratic Republic functioned as a unitary republic under theMarxist-Leninist single-party rule of first theSupreme Revolutionary Council, then theSomali Revolutionary Socialist Party.[30] Siad Barre, as president, exercised totalitarian control through a military dictatorship.[31][32][33]
[…] Military Coups of a new type, which introduced revolutionary regimes self-declared Marxist-Leninist. This is the case of Somalia (1969) and Ethiopia (1974), the most emblematic case, but also of four french-speaking countries: Congo-Brazzaville (1968), Daomey/Benin (1972-74), Madagascar (1975) and Alto Volta/Burkina Faso (1983).
In January 1991, Siad Barre's totalitarian rule was defeated. But, rather than uniting his enemies, it worsened the crisis.
In October 1969, General Mohamed Siad Barre took over in a military coup. Siad Barre developed a highly centralised, totalitarian state, and tried unsuccessfully to abolish clan behaviour.
In contrast to Angola and Mozambique, where the Marxist component was associated with National Liberation Movements, those in Ethiopia and Somalia, as well as the four Francophone States, had Marxist Military Revolutions/Regimes after more than a decade of independence.
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