Ali Mahdi Muhammad

Main articles: Somali Civil War and United Somali Congress

Ali Mahdi Muhammad علي مهدي محمد Cali Mahdi Maxamed
4th President of Somalia
In office January, 1991 – July 2000
Preceded by	Siad Barre
Succeeded by	Abdiqasim Salad Hassan
Personal details
Born	1938 Jowhar
Nationality	Somali
Political party	United Somali Congress (USC)
Religion	Sunni Islam

Ali Mahdi Mohamed (Somali: Cali Mahdi Maxamed, Arabic: علي مهدي محمد‎) (born 1938) was president of Somalia from January 1991 to November 1991. He rose to power when the then president Mohamed Siad Barre was forced out of office. Mohamed, however, was not able in that time to exert control over the country. Following this, the nation fell into anarchy, with only local warlords and separatist groups wielding real power.

Career

United Somali Congress (USC)

Muhammad was a leading member of the Abgaal clan members within the USC. Early in the Somali Civil War, he and the Manifesto group worked together to oust Siad Barre. The United Somali Congress selected Ali Mahdi to be an Interim president for a period of two months which was to end at Feb 28, 1991 at which time all the different militias and tribal leaders were to convene for a conference in which they would select a new leader. This did not work as General Aidid who was member of USC refused the outcome of the USC conference and called for armed war against the new government lead by Ali Mahdi with the support of his immediate tribe the Habargidir.

In July 1991 a conference was hosted by the Government of Djibouti and it was the first conference to attempt to find a solution for the Somali Conflict. Since this conference was held outside Somalia many of the participants felt that the outcome will be respected since no party will sign any agreement under coercion. The outcome was as follows Ali Mahdi a member of the USC party and a Hawiye to be the president, Omar Arte Ghalid a member of Siad Barre's Government and an member of the ISSAC Tribe to be the prime minister, Abdulkadir Zoppo a businessman and a member of the Rahanweyn tribe to become the first vice president and Omar Hagi another businessman and member of the Darod Tribe to become the second vice president. To many this was a hopeful sign for peace but unfortunately it was not satisfactory to General Aidid who in less than a couple of months started what is known as the four months war which is the bloodiest war Somalia has ever seen...This particular war also led to the mass starvation of hundred of thousand in the Bay and Bakol regions which were under the control of Aidid and his militia. This is because Aidid demanded extortion money for the delivery of food aid to the starving in the regions controlled by his militia.

The warring between these two leaders continued on through the 1992–95 UN missions to Somalia (UNOSOM I, UNOSOM II, and UNITAF).As the international community came to save the starving Somalis from the brutality of General Aidid. Ali Mahdi welcomed the intervening forces with open arms and handed over to them most of his armory. The international community called for a conference to be held in Adis Ababa. Ali Mahdi and his supporters agreed to participate in this process and abide by all the outcomes. Unfortunately once again General Aidid saw this a threat to his power ambitions and started attacking the US forces which led to the eventual collapse of the mission. Aidid however did not last long as his tribal alliance unfolded and he went to war against his first lieutenant Osman Atto who at time was allied with Muse Sudi and in this war Aidid was not so fortunate as he was killed in the front lines after running out of officers to lead his forces.

Ali Mahdi Mohamed participated peacefully in the Djibouti conference of 2000 where he lost an election to Aidid's Cousin Abdiqasin Salad. Ali Mahdi gave a memorable speech at a conference in which he indicated he respects the outcome of the election and will support and work with the new president elect.

Ali Mahdi currently lives in his farm outside Mogadishu few miles away from where Aidid was killed.

References

Political offices
Preceded by Muhammad Siad Barre	President of Somalia 1991 – 2000	Succeeded by Abdiqasim Salad Hassan