somalia_past_present.htm

The new book, SOMALIA: Past and Present, covers the history of Somalia from 19^th century to 21^st century including the establishment of the new government and the Aden Declaration which brought together the rival groups of the state institutions and the first meeting of the Federal Parliament in the country after 14 months of disagreement on where the seat of the government and parliament should be.

It covers very well the history of the past and the present of Somalia. It deals in detail with the early occupation of foreign powers of Somali territories and the struggle of the Somali Hero, Mohamed Abdulle Hassan against colonial rule and the reason for his tragic end. The UN Trusteeship period starting from 1950 till the independence of the former British and Italian Somalilands in 1960 is also dealt with. The history of the occupation of former French Somali Coast from 1862 until it gained its independence on 27 June 1977 is vividly recorded. The National Emblem and the National Flag of the Republic of Djibouti are included in colour. The unilateral declaration of independence of the breakaway region of Somalia, former British Protectorate is also taken up in the book.

The birth, the rise and the fall of the famous “Bloodless Revolution” or “Kacaankii Barakaysnaa” and the end of the father of the 21 October 1969 Revolution, General Mohamed Siad Barre and the failure of the factions who forced out of power the “Revolutionary Government” and the hardship they caused to the people and the country is widely discussed in the book.

The book does also deal in detail with the other missing Somali territories and Islands. The bone of contention between Somalia and its neighbours, particularly Ethiopia and Kenya. This is an ideal book for those who are interested in Somali history of the past and the present and particularly for the young generation in the country and abroad who are interested in learning the past and presents events of their motherland.

The question of deployment of foreign forces in Somalia, particularly the objection of a large section of the Somali society to the inclusion in the so-called “peacekeepers” from frontline states which caused disagreement within the government institutions has been widely covered in the book.

Finally, at the end of the book, and before its biding, the dramatic events occurred in Somalia. Unexpected as it was, the news of the victory of the Union of Islamic Courts over the despotic warlords, who held hostage the capital city of Mogadishu and some parts of the country, for over fifteen years, killing and maiming, looting and raping, caught the world on wrong foot. As it was a very important and highly significant event, the author stopped the binding of the book and included a chapter as Postscript at the end of the book.

It gives a glimpse of Somali history to whoever is interested in knowing about this turbulent corner of the continent of Africa and its people which so harshly suffered in the hands of both foreign and internal forces. The author hopes that this book, as his earlier work, will be beneficial to those who will have time to read it.

Very soon, a Somali version of the same book will be published by Mohamed Osman Omar.

Earlier books of the same author, Mohamed Osman Omar, include:

The Road to Zero – Somalia’s Self Destruction;

SOMALIA: A Naion Driven to Despair;

The Scramble in the Horn of Africa;

SOMALIA Between Devils and Deep Sea

Diblomaasiyad iyo Hab Maamuus

For any enquiry about these books and the new one, please contact:

mosman65@yahoo.com

mosman61@hotmail.com