Somali Democratic Republic

The Somali Democratic Republic (1969-1991) made adequate developments around the former half of the 1970s when Siad Barre, who was president throughout the existence of the SDR, carried out progressive reforms and took in assistance from the USSR. His government held scientific socialism, adapted to local circumstances, as its basis, seeking to incorporate Islamic tenets into a Marxist–Leninist development of the country. Emphasis was placed on the Islamic principles of social progress, equality, and justice, which the government argued formed the core of scientific socialism. Alongside this, there was an individual character to the regime which also pursued self-sufficiency, public participation and public control, as well as direct ownership of the means of production, although private investment was also encouraged on a limited scale. However, Barre was one of those “nationalist” “socialists”, and went to war against a fellow socialist state, Ethiopia, in the Ogaden War in order to claim the Somalians living within its borders, taking advantage of the weakness of the new Ethiopian government. Fidel Castro tried to convince Barre to form a federation of Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Yemen as a solution to the conflict but Barre refused, indicating that his interests lay primarily within nationalism. The invasion was denounced by the Organization of African Unity and endangered the very existence of a socialist Ethiopia, and as such, the USSR and Cuba backed the Ethiopians in repelling the aggressors. In reaction, Barre swung to the right and called on the US to help it thwart Soviet “expansionism” into the Horn of Africa, from which point onward Somalia became a US ally and put an end to any progressive domestic policies. As corruption and opposition to Barre grew during the 80s, he relied more on pitting Somali clans against one-another as a way of staying in power. His government grew increasingly totalitarian, culminating in the Isaaq genocide of 1987–1988 against the Isaaq clan, largely destroying several major cities. Estimates of civilian deaths typically range from 50,000 to 100,000, and are up to 200,000. This gave rise to various resistance movements, supported by Ethiopia, that led to the Somali Civil War. Barre was removed from power on January 26, 1991, and the country collapsed into anarchy.

The actions of Barre were more than mere “mistakes” — he wholesale went from directing Somalia towards a socialist orientation to an anti-communist one, making him similar to Jaafar Nimeiry of Sudan, Anwar Sadat of Egypt, and other US-backed "socialists" in the region.