Hussein Mohamed Farrah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid | |
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| In office August 2, 1996 – December 22, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Mohamed Farrah Aidid |
| Succeeded by | Abdiqasim Salad Hassan |
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| Born | August 16, 1962 Mudug Region, Somalia |
| Nationality |  Somali |
| Political party | Somali National Alliance (SNA) |
Hussein Mohamed Farrah (Somali: Xuseen Maxamed Faarax; born August 16, 1962 in Beledweyne, Somalia) is the son of Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Also known as Hussein Mohamed Farrah Aidid, Hussein Aidid[1] or Aidid Junior.[2]
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[edit] Biography
Farrah went to the United States when he was 16 years old and attended Covina High School, Covina, California, graduating in 1981.
He was selected by the Habar Gidir clan to succeed his father when he died.[3] He relinquished the disputed title of President by signing the Cairo Declaration, on December 22, 1997, in Cairo, Egypt following a peace process between Salbalar administration and Soodare Group.[4] Farrah is seen by the West as a chance of improvement for the relationships between them and Somalia.
[edit] US Marine Corps
In April 1987, he volunteered to join the United States Marine Corps. At one time he was stationed at the Marine Corps reserve base in Pico Rivera, California as an artilleryman with Battery B of the 14th Marine Regiment.[5] He served in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope as a translator. He was chosen because he was the only Marine who spoke Somali.[6] He later became a naturalized citizen, and remained in the United States until age 30.
[edit] Somali National Alliance (SNA)
Upon his father's death on August 2, 1996, Hussein was sworn in as "interim President",[7] and became leader of the Somali National Alliance (SNA), the same alliance his father led against the US forces.
On September 1, 1996, Mr. Aidid met with UN representatives for the first time, to deal with issues left over as legacies of his father's administration. Issues addressed at the meeting which needed to be resolved before the return of UN workers and the resumption of UN assistance included the following concerns:[8]
- Resolution of threats and incidents of kidnapping UNICEF and WHO international and national staff (ironically, on September 2, a local WHO staff member was kidnapped and held until September 6, after a $2,000 ransom was paid).
- Looting of WHO supplies.
- Looting of UN supplies and assets in Baidoa in 1995.
On December 17, 1996, rival warlord Ali Mahdi Mohamed attacked his headquarters after five days of fighting that left 135 dead in Mogadishu.[9]
On December 22, 1997, he relinquished the disputed title of President by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt following a peace process between Salbalar administration and Soodare Group.[4]
On March 30, 1998, Ali Mahdi Mohamed and Hussein Aidid put together a peace plan which shared power over Mogadishu, ending a period of seven years of fighting since the ouster of Siad Barre.[9]
On February 23, 1999, militias loyal to Aidid killed 60 civilians in Baidoa and Daynunay.[9]
[edit] Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC)
- Further information: Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council
Hussein Aidid refused to recognize the newly forming Djibouti-backed Mogadishu-based Transitional Federal Government (TFG)[10], accusing it of "harboring militant Islamist sympathizers."[11] Instead he formed the rival Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) in early 2001.
At some time during late 2001, he advised US President George W. Bush that a money transfer and telecommunications company, Al Barakaat, "had ties to terrorists and that there were terrorists in Somalia sympathetic to Osama bin Laden."[9] He also "warned that militant Islamist Pakistani proselytizers were active in Mogadishu and other Somali cities and that they have strong links to Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya."[11]
[edit] Transitional Federal Government (TFG)
- Further information: Transitional Federal Government
Offices held:
- Deputy Prime Minister (2005 – May 13, 2007)
- Minister of the Interior (2005 – February 7, 2007)
- Minister of Public Works and Housing (February 7, 2007 – present)
In July 2003, at the Somali National Reconciliation Conference, the SRRC and TNG leadership reached key compromises: "The TNG accepted the number of parliamentarians proposed by the SRRC while the latter approved the inclusion of politicians as requested by the TNG."[12]
On October 25, 2005, Aidid handed over the USC/SNA's combined 3,500 landmines to non-profit Geneva Call. He and other faction leaders had agreed to stop burying land mines as a further sign of the ending of years of civil war.[2]
On December 28, 2006, after the defeat of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), Aidid was present when government forces entered Mogadishu.[13] On January 2, 2007, Mr. Aidid was quoted as suggesting Somalis within Ethiopia and Somalia should share a common passport, raising concerns of whether Ethiopia had plans to annex Somalia.[14]
On February 7, 2007, as part of Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi's cabinet reshuffling, he was moved from Minister of the Interior to Minister of Public Works and Housing.[15]
On 13 May 2007, he was sacked from the position of deputy prime minister, with the reason being given that he was inactive in his duties. This followed Aidid's defection to Asmara, Eritrea, and his accusation that Ethiopia was guilty of ‘genocide’ and calling for its withdrawal. [1]
[edit] Quote
- "Once a Marine, always a Marine."
| Preceded by Mohamed Farrah Aidid |
President of Somalia 1997 – 1998 |
Succeeded by Abdiqasim Salad Hassan |
[edit] External links
- Analysis: Somalia's powerbrokers
- From Marine to warlord: The strange journey of Hussein Farrah Aidid
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Somalia's thoughtful 'warlord' BBC
- ^ a b Somalia: Somali faction hands over thousands of landmines SomaliNet
- ^ Hussein Farrah Aydiid Dictator for Hire
- ^ a b "Somali Factions Sign Peace Agreement", CNN, 1997-12-22. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ Ricks, Thomas (1997). Making The Corps. New York: Scribner, 219.
- ^ Boston.com / Fighting Terrorism
- ^ Death of a Warlord: The succession. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ Somalia: Humanitarian Situation Report, September 1996 UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative for Somalia
- ^ a b c d Timeline Somalia Timelines.ws
- ^ Somali warlords form unity council BBC
- ^ a b Africa Policy E-Journal, December 2002 Africa Action
- ^ Weekly Sitrep no. 20 (Covering from 05th to 11th July, 2003) NOVIB SOMALIA Somali National Reconciliation Conference
- ^ Somali PM enters Mogadishu amid protests Mustafa Haji Abdinur, Middle East Online
- ^ Somalia and Ethiopia to be united, says Somali minister SomaliNet
- ^ "Somalia: PM reshuffles cabinet", SomaliNet, 2007-02-07. Retrieved on 2007-02-10]].
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