A Jihad against Somali Music Is Under Way

Pambazuka News published on 18 February 2015 a commentary titled "A Jihad against Somali Music is Under Way" by Bashir Goth.  The author notes that some powerful conservative Somali clerics are strong-arming famous musicians into ending and disowning their own musical careers on spurious claims that the music is prohibited in Islam.  The author suggests that the clerics are aligning themselves with Wahhabi, Salafi, and al-Shabaab influences. 

Somalia: Al-Shabaab -- It Will Be a Long War

The International Crisis Group (ICG) published on 26 June 2014 a solid and detailed analysis titled "Somalia: Al-Shabaab -- It Will Be a Long War."

ICG concluded that al-Shabaab represents a culmination of the long-term shift toward social conservatism in Somalia that is difficult to reverse.  As an insurgent group, al-Shabaab retains core constituencies in many parts of south-central Somalia that are not currently addressed by locally-acceptable governance alternatives.  As an organization, al-Shabaab has demonstrated an aptitude for strategic planning that should not be underestimated.  It remains rooted in its Somali context, is willing to learn and benefit from external influence--notably al-Qaeda--while retaining a strong inclination toward local autonomy. 

Ethiopia: Muslim-Christian Relations

This posting constitutes a summary of my remarks titled "Ethiopia: Muslim-Christian Relations" made on 16 January 2014 to a group at Bolling Air Force Base in Maryland.