Warlords in Africa : a comparative study of Jonas Savimbi and Farah Aideed

[摘要] Abstract:The African continent has been riddled with conflict for many years. Angola andSomalia are prime examples of countries having experienced protracted wars. Duringthose wars, warlords have played a definite role in perpetuating the fighting. Thethesis investigates warlordism in Africa. Specifically, it is a comparative analysis ofJonas Savimbi of Angola and Farah Aideed of Somalia.The thesis investigates the concept of warlords and uses the examples of Aideed andSavimbi to illustrate the impact of warlords on the respective countries. The examplesof Aideed and Savimbi are further used to show that there are different ways tobecoming ultimately labelled as a warlord. The role of state weakness and ethnicitywill be investigated in the two cases. The discussion will highlight the points that stateweakness (i.e. lack of governmental functionality) and the use of ethnicity play aprofound role in the rise and survival of warlords. The case studies of Aideed andSavimbi will emphasise the influence of state weakness and ethnicity in theirformation as warlords.The concept of state weakness is defined and the thesis illustrates that there aredifferent levels of state weakness. The thesis compares Angola and Somalia, andshows that Savimbi and Aideed acted under vastly different conditions as warlords.Ethnicity is defined and linked to the idea that the effects of colonialism played aprofound role in creating ethnic divisions, enabling warlords such as Aideed andSavimbi to use their ethnic backgrounds to mobilise followers to wage war. The thesisinvestigates how Aideed and Savimbi maintained their military organisations. Theirability to do so is related to both state weakness and ethnicity. State weakness andethnicity create conditions which are conducive to the emergence of warlords.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University