Clan warfare that never ends

Wajir has a long history of clan rivalry.

In spite of the fact that they all belong to one ethnic group, the Somali, there are deep suspicions between the clans that often erupt in violence.

The dominant clans are the Ajuran, Degodia and Ogaden.

Conflict among them is fuelled by limited access to grazing and water, although fighting for political control is another factor.

Physical boundaries, which cut across traditional migratory routes, have also been a major source of chaos.

Drought is a major contributor to conflict.

Clan wars in Wajir started long before Independence, according to a report by the Wajir Community Based Conflict Management.

It states, “During colonial rule, clans were not permitted to cross into the areas set aside for other clans.  The various clans, while greatly resented by the Somali people, have also used these unrealistic boundaries when it suits their purposes. 

The colonial clan boundaries exist today as the Parliamentary electoral boundaries, and continue to cause conflict over access to natural resources.”

The report, published in 1996, also indicates that conflicts in neighbouring countries have had an effect on Wajir.

For instance, the Ogaden War between Ethiopia and Somalia in 1977-78 led to an influx of refugees and arms into Wajir. 

“The turmoil in Ethiopia leading to the fall of Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991, and the 1991 civil war in Somalia and the subsequent chaos there both had significant impacts on Wajir, chiefly in the flow of refugees, weapons, and mercenary soldiers into the area eroding clan stability,” the report stated.

But the worst of these conflicts ended in the Wagalla Massacre of 1984, in which dozens of Degodia men and youths died of exposure and thirst after being rounded up by the Kenyan military and left in the sun for three days with no food, water or shelter.

“Most of the clan fighting since Independence has pitted the camel- keeping Degodia against the cattle-keeping Ajuran and Ogaden,” stated the report.

In the early 1980s the Government was planning to disarm the clans in Wajir and it believed that the Degodia owned weapons which they used to attack other clans, particularly the Ajuran. The disarmament plan resulted to the death of thousands of Degodias.

“They forcibly ejected men from the Degodia clan from their houses and led them to the Wagalla airstrip. They then continued to herd people from all parts of the district into the airstrip, when I asked them why they were doing that, the soldiers told me, ‘There is nothing we can tell you,” recalled the chief of Wagalla location, Mr Bishar Ismail Ibrahim.

Eight years after the Wagalla killings, fighting began between the Ogaden and Degodia as the Ogaden believed the latter were encroaching on their grazing land. Violence erupted with livestock raids in Wajir West. 

“This was the period of great instability in both Ethiopia and Somalia, and the influx of refugees and weapons caused the situation to deteriorate further.  The Degodia forged an alliance with the Borana of Marsabit, ending a long-standing Ajuran-Boran alliance. 

This prevented the Ajuran from migrating west into Boran territory to escape the worst effects of the drought,” said the WCBCM report.

Political interference by outsiders added to the tension.

Following the election of a Degodia MP in Wajir West in December 1992, the Ajuran and Ogaden allied themselves against the Degodia.  Fierce fighting erupted in several areas around Wajir.  From June 1993, the situation worsened, with clashes in Wajir Town and surrounding areas continuing sporadically until 1994.

Schools were closed and many teachers, civil servants and businesspeople from the rest of the country left the area. 

After an attack on the Unicef compound and the murder of a UN pilot in 1994 in Wajir Town, Unicef and other NGOs pulled out of Wajir, greatly affecting the drought relief work.  Business was nearly halted and feelings of mistrust and fear pervaded all levels of society. 

People refused to buy or sell to anyone who was not of the same clan and it became unsafe to venture into other clans’ areas, whether in Wajir Town, the trading centres or the pastoralist areas.  The Government was seen as unconcerned and unable to enforce security; therefore, traditional systems of clan-based justice resulted in escalating violence. 

Survivors of the Wagalla Massacre are still crying for justice 27 years later. Ms Sahara Kanaan was among a group of women, some widows, who wept as they gave evidence to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The Government said only 57 people were killed but survivors say close to 5,000 people died at the airstrip.

Mr Salah Abdi Sheikh, author of “Blood on the Runway: The Wagalla Massacre of 1984” said the Government has downplayed the scale of the atrocities and failed to call anyone to account.

“For a period of 26 years the survivors of Wagalla Massacre have been literally crying their hearts out for justice,’’ he said.

. The quest for justice for this perplexing case has been long and odious. The (former) Attorney General would not institute any criminal probe into the matter and the evidence asked for was beyond the capacity of the litigants. The cases were finally withdrawn even without the consent of one of the plaintiffs,” he wrote.

Over the years, there have been community efforts to try to reinforce peace in Wajir, the most notable being the 1993 Wajir Peace Group formed to encourage dialogue among the warring parties, which has since evolved into the Wajir Peace and Development Committee.

The committee is still encouraging community involvement and talks to resolve conflicts.

The initiative was started by a group of women after the conflict that took place after the 1992 General Election. And what began as a women’s discussion at a wedding evolved as community leaders, old men, women and youths became involved in finding lasting peace.