By studying the particular situation in somalia,illustrate how poverty Essay

By studying the particular situation in somalia,illustrate how poverty links with conflict and vice versa ,and suggest ways in w - Essay Example This led to a period when the country underwent a form of decentralization as independent regional governments were formed in the North by different groups (Thomashausen, 2002). The Civil War of 1986 The war against the ruling Somali government began near the end of the 1970s when the then socialist government began seeking out individuals suspected of taking part in the attempted coup d'etat of 1978 and executing them. Though the government captured many of these individuals who were military and government officials, a number of them managed to escape and flee the country (Degu, 2007). These ex officials began to form the first dissident groups that were determined to see Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, the leader of the government removed from power even if it meant the use of force. The demise of the ruling government and its army was the source of a power vacuum that was left as a result, and the main cause for the civil war that ensued thereafter as the different factions tha t had fought together to oust the Major general now fought with one another as each tried to assume control of essential regions most notably, the country’s capital (Thomashausen, 2002). ... Background of the Civil War In the year 1992, the United Nations decided to become involved in the civil war through helping those who were affected by it via providing human relief to those who were affected as well as help restore order in the country. One of the ways in which the UN strived to achieve these objectives was through operation restore hope that was handled by the 10th Mountain Division. The aim of this operation was to secure the major cities as well as access roads so to ensure that the UN were able to have safe passage to these areas to provide relief aid to thousands of innocent people who were suffering as a result of the civil war (Degu, 2007). These were individuals not involved in the fighting that was taking place, but became causalities of either way as they lost their homes and their possessions after they were forced to flee to safeguard their lives. Operation restore hope provided a safe haven for innocent Somali people who has nowhere to go and were looki ng for protection as well as help and served to give them hope for a promising future thus the reasoning behind its name (Thomashausen, 2002). Effects of the Conflict on the Country The civil war in Somalia led to a number of effects that resulted in the deterioration of the country due to the conflicts past and present that have taken place in the region. This is no surprise as no country can experience a war whether civil or with external forces and come out of it unaffected. With regard to Somalia, the effects are worse as the conflict that is taking place has been ongoing since the early 1990s to date meaning the country has not been given any time to recover from the repercussions