The place of Somali in the resistance of Ethiopia against the Italian colonial forces in the Ogaden, 1915 to 1941

Abstract

AbstractThe study investigated the role of Somalis in Ethiopia’s struggle against Italian colonial forces in the Ogaden region from 1915 to 1941, which has been overlooked in existing literature. The research was conducted using an exploratory design and qualitative data obtained from primary records, oral evidence, and secondary sources. The relationship between Ethiopia and Italian forces in the Ogaden frontiers from 1915 to 1935 was characterized by tensions due to Italian incursions and Ethiopian resistance. The Somali people, who considered the Italians as threats to their socio-economic wellbeing, resisted the invasion of their territories in the Ogaden from 1915 onwards. They played a crucial role in the Ethiopian resistance by providing information, logistics, and combatants. Notable figures such as Omer Semeter, Ali Nur, Erzi Jama, Sultan Bede, Hussein Elmie, Ahmed Hashi, and Mahamud Ebrahim organized the Somalis in the resistance against the Italian colonial forces. Although there are pieces of literature related to Ethiopia’s resistance against Italian colonial forces, most of them are geographically confined to the north and temporally limited from 1935 to 1941. Moreover, existing literature on Ethiopian resistance in the Ogaden mainly focuses on defensive wars headed by higher nobles. This study reveals historical realities that have been made invisible in historical literature by highlighting the contributions of local peoples of the Ogaden who participated in the resistance against Italian invasion.

Keywords

• colonialism
• somali
• patriotism
• Ethiopia