The Rise and Fall of Mogadishu's Islamic Courts

TLDR

The Islamic Courts once enjoyed strong support in Somalia but were ousted by extremist influence and Ethiopian pressure. The article traces the history of Mogadishu's Islamic Courts from the mid‑1990s to today and challenges prevailing analyses of their local support and role in Somalia’s reconstruction. The findings show that Ethiopia and the United States have undermined multilateral support for Somalia, security in Mogadishu has deteriorated since the US‑backed Ethiopian intervention, the courts’ defeat damaged their local standing but the ensuing disorder casts their rule as a “Golden Age,” and support for the courts has remained steady for over a decade.

Abstract

This article traces the history of the Islamic courts movement in Mogadishu from its origins in the mid-1990s to the present. The argument challenges many of the generalized comments that have been made by other analysts regarding local support for the courts and their role in Somalia's 'reconstruction'. It is shown that multilateral efforts to support Somalia have been undermined by the strategic concerns of other international actors – notably Ethiopia and the United States. Security in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has severely deteriorated since the US-backed Ethiopian intervention in the country. The Islamic Courts, which were ousted, had strong support in the country but fell victim to the influences of 'extremist elements' within the country and an Ethiopian power eager for the Courts' downfall. The local standing of the Islamic Courts was damaged by their defeat, but the subsequent disorder has served to make their time in control appear as a 'Golden Age'. Support for the Courts has been fairly consistent for over a decade and is therefore unlikely to melt away.