Since taking the Comparative Government Course last year with Dr. Cole, I have always been interested in the government situation currently in Somalia. As we compared different government systems against each other, Somalia was the only country in the world that showed up as "No Government." We hear much about Somalia on todays news as they are involved with many different hijackings of various countries ships. Which in return involves our own US Marines and other various Special Forces Teams to help handle the dangerous threat. Here is an article I found which is quite a clever way for the German Crew to get through such a dangerous situation:
http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/German-ship-crew-tricked-pirates-20100910
I started searching the web to find out why so many textbooks declare Somalia as a country without a government. What I learned was quite surprising. The current attempt to establish a controlled state is the 17th attempt at doing so since 1991. This attempt is by the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia. The year 1991 also marked the year in which the former British colony of Somaliland declared independence. The reason the government is still not recognized is because the country is divided into controlled regions by various groups. As I tried to learn which regions were controlled by who, it seemed to be an almost daily changing predicament. Different warlords are always fighting over these zones.
Wow, I had no idea that Somalia was listed as having no government or that it was alone with that designation. With its warlords and lack of central state authority it seems a little like a very extreme Afghanistan. I also didn't realize that it had only been independent since 1991. That's pretty recent. It's surprising to me that neighboring states haven't tried to take over around the edges given it's excellent coastline.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea! I have heard of countries being warlord territory for a short period of time - but not for almost 20 years. I too wonder why it has not been interrupted by neighboring countries, and also what it is like under the reign of the warlord's.
ReplyDeleteMan that sucks. No government to protect its people. I thinking of the Somalian pirate song now.
ReplyDeleteThis is something that I never even considered! I guess I'm so used to having a government, I never thought of a country with absolutely no government.
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