The Referendum in French Somaliland: Aftermath and Prospects in the Somali Dispute Author(s): I. M.

Lewis Reviewed work(s): Source: The World Today, Vol. 23, No. 7 (Jul., 1967), pp. 308-314 Published by: Royal Institute of International Affairs Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40394001 . Accessed: 25/01/2013 15:08
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THE WORLD TODAY

July1967

of announcement Eastern endedin theformal it secession, is Nigeria's since31 March, All clear war result. thesigns that civil may when Lt-Col. that Edict,ordering dutiesand Ojukwuissuedhis RevenueCollection in taxespayable Federalcollectors theEastmust paidfrom April to be 1 in to that treasury Enugu,indicated secesNigerian directly theEastern In a of sionwasonly matter time. themazeoflegaldefinitionshisEdict, in to directoil payments, was careful avoid affecting whichare Ojukwu in to payable theFederalauthorities Lagos. No one in hissenseswould be anxious disrupt loyalties operations an industry the and to of whose in inside to expenditure Nigeria 1966aloneamounted over40 m.,most ofitin theEast itself, which and 20 paid another m. in direct royalties to theFederalGovernment that in of the beyear, which East received tween and66percent. 21 June, 60 On a however, Ojukwu signed further him decreeempowering to takeoverall oil royalties theEastern in Rethe of gion,thereby heightening danger civilwar. It is by no means certainthat the Northern-dominated Federal Government theNorthern and Government havethesolid will Regional of in WestRegions a military support theWestandMidstruggle against theEast. The suspicion strong theemergency is that of provisions the Government, 17 Marchdecreewereinserted the FederalMilitary by backedbyitsNorthern the of Regional ally, against opposition boththe Westand theMidit West.Equally, looksas ifLt-Col. Gowon'saction on 27 May in declaring state emergency a of and in throughout Nigeria the either the of abolishing SMC wastaken against opposition theWesternand MidWestMilitary Governors without or them. Both consulting had statedpublicly thatthey wouldnotsupport anyFederalGovernment actionto use force the Gowon'saction against East. Accordingly, was unconstitutional undertheprovisions the 17 Marchdecree, of but, ofcourse, for in thatcounts little thepresent in situation Nigeria.

The Referendumin French Somaliland

Aftermath and prospects in the Somali dispute 1. m.lewis
The referendum 19MarchinFrench on last France's mainSomaliland, landAfrican has world attention bearonthe to possession, againbrought dismembermenttheSomalination, of problem posedby thecontinued
Dr Lewis is Readerin theDepartment AnthropologyUniversity of at College London. 308

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FRENCH SOMALILAND

of the intractable all interhas an issuewhich nowbecome perhaps most stems in from this the territorial Fundamentally problem disputes Africa. of the delineation frontiers facts Somaliterritorial of dispersion, arbitrary in EastAfrica, thediametrically and inthecolonial opposed period North of bases of statehood the Somali Republicon the one hand,and of and and Despitetheformer's uniquehistory Ethiopia Kenyaontheother. and Kenyacan in the Amhara centuries-old core-nationalism, Ethiopia as of context their of disputewithSomaliabe regarded prototypes the in of elsewhere theconnewAfrican State.Like most their counterparts eachis a patchwork different of tribes language-groups and and tinent, andunity seeks achieve to national centralized firmly integration through In and attachment itsfrontiers. sharpcontrast, to control a passionate theSomali Republicis a Statebased directly of upon the application theprinciple self-determination singlepeople,the Somali,only of to a of are within ethnic this contained State.For three-quarterswhom infact those the of co-nationals in across frontier quarter a million immediately Northern million so in eastern or the Kenya,and thefurther Ethiopia, existence theSomaliRepublic a constant of is to inspiration theassertion ofindependent Somalinationalism an invitation merge and to with in it realized statehood. fully of But,of course,to the rulers Ethiopiaand Kenyaand to modern nationalist in these States,theirnomadicSomali opinion generally be diverse elements which must populations represent oneofmany only welded if and are firmly together stability realnationhood tobe achieved. From their the of pointofview, specialcircumstances theSomaliand of their realized do statehood notentitle Somaliminorities outside partially theRepublic anyspecialdispensation do they to nor a provide precedent for further unification. concedethiswouldbe to invite To and encourother ethnic movements which wouldendanger fragile such age separatist as the to Thus,ineffect, right self-determination unity hasbeenattained. exists in context. African Somaliland Hence,ifin French only a colonial seemsmorefavourable theSomalinationalist to camopinion generally this becausetheterritorystill French is a And there, is only paign colony. - a evenso, the results therecent of referendum 60 per centmajority and of French - haveso rule against independence in favour continued far ledtomuch anoutcry, not of ofcourse, theSomaliRepublic. in except, In thelight recent of events thistiny in Red Sea French with enclave, itspopulation some125,000 of almost divided between Somaliand evenly kindred Afar the feature thisresult not of is tribesmen, mostsurprising itsendorsement Frenchcolonialstatus, rather of but thatthiswas not affirmed overwhelmingly. to 1963, Somalis, more Prior the whoareconin centrated theurbanportofJibuti until and weremore very recently active nationalist their and in than Afar politically aspirations their neighboursto the north, held the majority seats in the local territorial of 309

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THE WORLD TODAY

July1967

of the menace Somali nationalism their to Recognizing growing assembly. in the continued presence, Frenchauthorities 1963 adjustedthe local of to in constituencies securea majority Afar representativesthe voting ofwhomseemed The previously Afar, underprivileged many assembly. as Somalidomination, tolooktotheFrench a safeguard could,it against on the of be was calculated, counted to support interests France.Thus 1 1 are inthelocalassembly6 seats heldbyAfar, 1bySomali, byFrench4 are thousand local Arabs,mainly men,and 1 by an Arab(there several The council reflects similar a merchants). localgovernment preponderoverSomalimembers. anceofAfar for Afar the evident Support thepro-French against Somaliwas very in thepreparations thereferendum March1967.Voters for of wererea of in quiredto have completed minimum threeyearsresidence the that lacked qualification many this as as andonthepretext they territory; to 8,000 Somalisare reported have been expelledand thusprevented in Official Frenchreports the from participating the referendum. put number deportations over6,000,and shortly of at after referendum the thata new penalcampwas beingbuiltto housesome4,000 disclosed held It further Somalipreviously in a deportation campnearJibuti. is of to to impossible knowwhatproportion theseSomaliswerequalified seemin factto have held French but a considerable vote; proportion of even identification Whatis perhaps papersas residents theterritory. more significant that therewere no reported is deportations (into Afar of the Moreover, Ethiopia) protesting tribesmen. although Somalidominated ofJibuti contains half over French Somaliland's popucapital as lation was notallowedto contribute muchas a quarter thetotal it to electorate registered weight(9,660outof39,024).The disproportionate rural Afar for secured mandate conthe ingthusallowedto thelargely tinued the French ruleand defeated Somalivotefor independence. cloakedthough SubsequentFrenchmanuvres, theywere in lofty seemequallydesigned minimize influence to the rhetoric, metropolitan ofthealready in reduced Somalicommunity theterritory topromote and itsAfar CotedesSomalis, beena growing The has character. official name, sourceofembarrassment. Thereis nowa tendency refer it simply to to as Jibuti, thelocalterritorial and council, boycotted itsSomalimemby has the All votedto change nameto 'French AfarCoast*. bers, recently withtheairoflegality the which results thereferendum to of this, give thesemoves,is designed isolateand insulate remaining Somali to the of in from acrosstheborder community theheadycurrents nationalism theSomaliRepublic. The Afarseem,indeednotsurprisingly, too anxiousto occupy only thevacuumleftin employment wellas politics theeclipseofthe as by Somalicommunity. of Indeed Mr Ali Arif, former Vice-President the said and of council leader theAfar Democratic government Assembly, in
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FRENCH SOMALILAND

that a statement thereferendum alltheSomalis after whovoted indefor shouldbe madeto leavetheterritory. Somalis*, added 'The he pendence and to themin all been ouradversaries we intend replace 'havealways and administrative technical posts.We have already begunto replace We in this themin the docksofJibuti. willcontinue process all fields.' whosereports theconduct thereferendum of of EvenLe Monde, were thisdeclaration 'worrying*. as uncritical, regarded remarkably Interests Ethiopiaand Somalia of in of Ethiopia'sinterest the future FrenchSomaliland dependson several she factors. on First, laysclaimtotheterritory historical grounds. and partoftheSomalioftheCotespilloveron to her Second,theAfar Fundasoil,and indeedoccupyan extensive partof HararProvince. her is The Franco-Ethiopian railhowever, interest economic. mentally, AddisAbabato Jibuti, the to wayfrom despite roadsystem theEritrean is vitaltoherexpanding The SomaliRepublic's trade. ports, still foreign interest an altogether has different basis.Although has Jibuti traditiona for allyprovided labourmarket someofthenorthern region's surplus and tradethrough thatport,it is population, thereis some livestock doubtful whether freer accessto itwouldgreatly existing alter trade patternsin the Republic,particularly since the northern regionportof Berbera in process development. theRepublic is of For whatis really at stake ethnic is and of Somaliunification. solidarity thefurtherance PanIt isthusinthehopethat French Somaliland part it)willeventually of (or unite with Republic theSomaliGovernmentcurrently the that is seeking to discredit conduct thereferendum the of not which, without justificaas and through U.N. and the the tion,it regards a fraudand a farce, ofAfrican for of liberation thisresiOrganization Unity pressing thefull dualcolony. remains be seen,however, muchsupport ReIt to how the will For is well with the public be abletomuster. Ethiopia clearly pleased and it considered situation, moregenerally seemsto be widely present that continued the of has of presence France atleastthemerit preventing thethreatened direct confrontation between twocountries. the is not solution. Such This,however, onlya temporary respite, a final revenue accruesto Francefrom prosperous as the port(whichhas a of must setagainst mounting be the contributions separate budget) Jibuti ofFrench to theterritory a whole;and there no indication aid as is that France to on for proposes stay indefinitely. Indeed,thenewConstitution theCote, under which office Governor the of becomes ofHighComthat missioner theelected and council havegreater will government authority undera local President, seems to envisagea gradualdevolution of Thus eventually, perhaps and as a within short space as two authority. the future againbecomea will years, questionof thissmallcountry's issue. pressing 311

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THE WORLD TODAY

July1967

be the that Present indications suggest theFrench may preparing terriwith this for union Of preEthiopia. course wouldrequire, tory eventual of But somenewtest publicopinion. theprevailing assumption sumably, mostpowerful seemsto be thatthe Afar,one of whosetraditionally in to wouldchoosethisallegiance preference sultanates in Ethiopia, lies the if choice were Somalia this Notwithstanding somepresented. joining timesstrained relations between some of thoseAfarunderEthiopian It this ruleandtheauthorities, assessment notimplausible. leavesout is thoseAfar whoare ofaccount, two One however, considerations. is that be toholdpolitical economic and nowcoming power may far increasingly in their from anxious surrender newto wonpositions thisway,particuon own of are and since they Muslims havetheexample Eritrea their larly of is The other consideration thattheassumption unionwith doorstep. of the Ethiopiacompletely disregards natureand direction Somali in in is aspirations the Cote.This, in fact, therealdanger thepresent seem Government situation. Frenchauthorities theEthiopian The and in aliketo be proceeding the assumption Somaliinterests the on that can evenif Somalipolitical Yet, in reality, territory be totally ignored. exists influence beenfor moment has the thrust secondplace,itstill into to as a force be reckoned in to with,and it is optimistic the extreme and it that willnotsoonregain ownlocalmomentum respond its imagine to external encouragement. is wistful attitude here,however, veryunderEthiopia'ssomewhat in weddedto standable. theexistence Jibuti a Somalicommunity For of thenationalist to ofthe SomaliRepublicamounts an Achilles policies as heel.In fact, less with military airforces thana quarter strong its and as thoseofEthiopia, is through it that Jibuti theRepubliccan hopeto is what exert most And effective on pressure itspowerful neighbour. here at stakeis notmerely FrenchSomaliland but itself, also the contested the SomaliareasofEthiopia. This consideration serves reinforce imto wishittobe otherwise, however much that, portant point Ethiopia might French is of and Somaliland part theSomalidispute hastobe considered in relation theproblem to as posedby Somalinationalism a whole. The whole Somali issue The future French of Somaliland couldthusprovide key a more the to resolution thewholeSomaliissue,at leastbetween of Ethiopia general andtheRepublic.But only, course, theparties thedispute were if of to there to discuss issuesinvolved the willing realistically. Unfortunately is little in indication thisis thecase at themoment. some circles In that AddisAbabaitseemstobe confidently assumed Somaliland thatFrench willfallintoEthiopia's in due course, thattheSomaliswhoare and lap claimed be subverting eastern to the Galla in Ethiopia mustbe content with in whatthey havein theRepublic. all renounce interest Theymust
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and not unification be careful to provoke further Ethiopiaanyfurther. the sometimes to (Here, in appreciating sensitivity expressed Radio and Amharic Gallaprogrammes,hastobe borne mind it in Mogadishu's are on for Galla leaders currently trial their that involveseveral alleged in ment theattempted at theend oflastyear.)On theother hand, coup Somalisseemto be convinced suchguerrilla that tactics those as many in in Kenya,and sporadically theEthiocurrently employed Northern as pianOgaden,withsuchleverage can also be exerted Jibuti, through the will theendproduce desired in result. thisimplies waiting All a game, withthefurther that often expectation whentheEmperor's longreign endsanda newregime in and confusion chaoswillproemerges Ethiopia vide circumstances conduciveto the realization the Somali goal. of it is in willbe Alternatively, arguedthatthesuccessor regime Ethiopia more to sympathetic Somaliaims. These bothseemfrom their different of not points viewproblematic, to sayoptimistic, assessments. the which Nevertheless, fascination they andsimilar evaluations exert the which helpsto explain lackofurgency on exists, side, towards particularly the Ethiopian any down-to-earth discussion theissues of between twoStates. the Moreconciliatory opinion on bothsidesenvisages someform eventual of inter-territorial relationbetween two rivals.But whilethe the ship,perhapseven federation, of whothink these in terms cannot this majority thoseSomalis regard as a liveproposal untilSomalia'sdemocratic Constitution party and political are paralleledin Ethiopia,some Ethiopiansconsiderthat processes closer association withSomaliawouldbring difficulties dangers and far thanthoseinvolved theincorporation Eritrea. in of greater Indeed,the of extent suspicion mistrust bothsidesissuchthat, and on while Somalis seekto discredit their rivals accusing them taking of regularly political by the student demonstrationstheUniversity at of bribes, recent Ethiopian AddisAbabawereattributed, oneofthemany in rumours current the at to the differences time, Somaliinstigation. atheart, Yet, despite ostensible inreligion culture and bothsideshavemuchin common. Hereitshould be recalled unlike position regard Kenya,despite their the in to all that, difficulties full Ethiopiaand the SomaliRepublicstillmaintain diplomatic relations eachother. with too Recently Al Italiahasbeenpermitted to opena direct flight between service and jet Mogadishu AddisAbaba. too should be madeofit,among not both Somali And, the although much andEthiopian at timeone ofthemostwidely intelligentsia thepresent readbooksis a popularand highly inaccurate recent of history Ethiopia which owesitswidereadership itscriticism thepresent to of regime. In thesecircumstances withits aid to the extremely and efficient Somali police forceonly recently outstripped Russia's military by assistance the army, is quite futile the American to it for in embassy on of Mogadishuto lecturethe Somali Government the dangers its 313

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THE WORLD TODAY

July1967

This no Somalinationalism. serves purpose. to commitment panWhat whichwillbring and Somalirepreis neededis an initiative Ethiopian in and to France a responsihas sentatives together, here, relation Jibuti, the State whichshe shouldface. So far,however, onlyforeign bility is actionin thisdirection seemsto havetaken commendable which any as a and has theSudanRepublic itseffectiveness mediator tobe evaluated in withEthiopia and itsinterest in relation itsownborder to problems of and theMuslimpopulation Eritrea theseparatist movement there. is of there thequestion theextremely bitter Somaliguerrilla Finally, in for independence Northern Here the Somali Kenya. campaign has talkswhichKenyahas rejected; Government repeatedly proposed becauseitalso serves other interests, perhaps partly Kenyaseemsdeterminedon achieving military a solution whatis essentiallypolitical for a talk of Recent inMogadishu possible moves towards resumpa problem. tionofdiplomatic if Britain relations backintothe would, pursued, bring her whole issue.Andwith current in involvement Kenya, tangled military thiswould no doubtbe acutely Embarrassment embarrassing. apart, this for however, couldleadto somenewpressure negotiation, although off British Governments thepasthavebeen onlytoo ready shrug in to Somali problems one pretext another. or on presumably, Ultimately, whatis neededis forsomejointAmerican Russianinitiative with and Frenchparticipation bring theparties all in to to together a realeffort reacha settlement. it from to muchpressure negotiation for Perhaps is Utopian hopefor suchan unlikely of Yet and assortment parties. America Russiabothhave in interests the threecountries in concerned the dispute,whichare if and to to momentum scarcely likely be advanced it continues gather in a general Thereis alsothehopethat both finally erupts conflagration. theUnitedNationsand theOAU willincreasingly themselves concern withthe problem and perhapsgenerate sufficient interest makeits to settlement in to worthwhile thosePowerswho are really a position to exert someinfluence. thisrespect In recent in Somaliland events French haveat leastfulfilled useful of the function making basic issuesinthe volved more and known more This is nowall understood. widely widely themoreimportant sincethepresent MiddleEast crisis maywellhave localreverberationstheHornofAfrica, in where there distinct are parallels between and thatof Israel.Indeed,in Somalia Ethiopia's position the Dr of election themilitant itself, recent pan-Somali premier, Abdirashid Shirmarke, thenewHead of Statein placeoftheretiring Ali as President AdanAbdullaOsmanmaybe a straw thewind. in

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