Source: (2002) Reflections: A Journal of the Conflict Transformation Program 1: 12-17.
Khadija Ali notes that Somalia has a patrilineal society of clans and sub-clans in which people have a strong sense of belonging and obligation among clan members. Crimes and conflicts used to be resolved by traditional methods under the direction of clan leaders or elders. After toppling the civilian government in 1969, the Siyad Bare regime replaced the traditional methods with government-controlled structures to deal with crimes and conflicts. Then, following the collapse of the Siyad Bare regime, government structures weakened and even disintegrated, leaving a vacuum. Traditional methods began to reemerge. In this context, Ali describes the Somali traditional response to crimes and conflicts, and she presents a restorative critique of the current state of Somali traditional justice.
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