The African Watch report titled “Somalia: A Government at War with Its Own People,” published in January 1990 by the Africa Watch Committee (part of Human Rights Watch), provides a harrowing account of human rights abuses perpetrated by the Somali government under Siad Barre, particularly against the Isaaq clan in northern Somalia.
The report documents widespread atrocities committed by government forces, including summary executions, arbitrary arrests, detention in deplorable conditions, torture, rape, and severe restrictions on freedom of movement and expression. The violence was particularly intense during 1988 and 1989, with an estimated 200,000 people killed during this period.
Eyewitness testimonies included in the report describe systematic targeting of both urban and rural populations, highlighting acts of “state-sponsored terrorism.” The government’s actions included demolishing water sources to induce drought and starvation among the Isaaq, reflecting a strategy of using terror to maintain control. The Red Berets and Victory Pioneers, elite military units loyal to Barre, were instrumental in executing these brutal campaigns, leading to mass displacement and severe psychological trauma among survivors.
The international community’s response included condemnation and calls for accountability, but the report underscores the severe and ongoing humanitarian crisis precipitated by these government actions. The scale and intensity of the abuses contributed significantly to the destabilization of Somalia, leading to the eventual collapse of Barre’s regime.