Nowadays, a wave of debate has swept through Somali media—both traditional and modern—about the military regime that ruled the country for 21 years (1969–1990) under President Mohamed Siad Barre, which some refer to as the “October Revolution.”
Most of these discussions have taken an extreme tone: some glorify the regime that collapsed 35 years ago, portraying it as a “golden age” in Somalia’s history and avoiding even the mildest criticism;
while others condemn it entirely, blaming it for all the country’s current political, social, and economic problems—without acknowledging a single positive aspect.
Between these two extremes, many truths have been lost, particularly to the younger generations born after that era.
Although the writing of history—ancient or modern—is the work of academics capable of distinguishing fact from exaggeration, the reality remains that the history of Siad Barre and the military regime he led for 21 years has not yet been written fairly.
Most existing narratives are shaped by emotions and biases: either total admiration for the regime’s domestic and foreign policies or total denial of any achievements.
This pattern extends beyond Siad Barre’s rule—it characterizes much of modern Somali historiography over the past century and a half.
Regardless of these opposing views, I wish to highlight two key points:
First, dwelling on the past serves no purpose, for we cannot change it. What we can and should do is draw lessons and insights from it—a responsibility that falls upon the political leadership, not ordinary citizens preoccupied with daily survival amid fragile state institutions that offer them little to nothing.
Second, any political or academic assessment of that regime must view it as a whole, rather than through the lens of individual figures or clan affiliations.
True, the head of the regime bears the greatest share of responsibility for its actions, good or bad,
but ignoring the roles of others—both military and civilian—who served under him is unfair.
We must, therefore, look back on that era with justice and balance, acknowledging it as a shared chapter of our national history, with its positives and negatives alike—not as the history of one group or clan.
In conclusion:
Our focus today should be on the ruling elite of the present, whose decisions shape our political, economic, and social lives.
We must have the courage to hold them accountable and criticize them with the same boldness we show when discussing the military regime of the past.
The past is history, but the present is our lived reality—and any nation that becomes trapped in its past while neglecting its present is a nation doomed to confusion and loss.
Ali Halane is a Somali journalist, researcher specializing in African and Middle Eastern affairs, and co-founder of the Somali Cultural Parliament.
The opinion expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dawan Africa
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