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OSSERVATORIO INTERNAZIONALE

balance between the ethnic components enlisted, authorized the granting of
1,000 shillings to face the recruitment in the Galcaio area of a number of
recruits higher than expected for political reasons .
(22)
Nonetheless, guaranteeing the harmonious distribution of ethnic groups
over the course of recruitment was however a task not without difficulties: in
mid-September 1950 a direct call from the Director to the C.S.S. pointed out
that, compared to the proportions between ethnic groups initially foreseen and
mentioned above, 374 Darod, 1,048 Hawiya and 406 Sat were enrolled, solici-
ting greater enlistments among the Abgal (subclan of the Hawiya and partly, as
we said, always favorable to the Italian presence) still poorly represented, in the
face of a redistribution of the top ranks of non-commissioned officers, who
instead were mainly assigned to Abgal personnel .
(23)
The situation, however, was a bit more complex than the simple statistics
to which the Administrator referred, and the OAO felt the need to clarify it,
specifying, in a note to the Administrator from General Ferrara that, “the
(24)
facts that affected the enlistments” since “on the statistical data it is necessary
to reason and calmly examine what the figures they do not say”,” not to argue
or to justify our effort, but out of respect for the historical truth of the facts”.
Ferrara, therefore, in responding to the Administrator highlighted the difficul-
ties deriving from the early stages of the enlistment, subject to the intermediary
of the British authorities, and the particular resistance of the Darod people
(among the major supporters of the SYL even during the tragic events of 1948
in Mogadishu): hence the initial imbalance between the various noble groups;
the impossibility of subsequently restricting enrollment to Darod only, given
the opportunity to include, in each enrollment of a certain consistency, ele-
ments of all the most important Cabile in order not to create discontent; the
incidence of the Mutilated and Invalid War Department, whose entry require-
ments were injuries sustained in combat, regardless of the clan origins; the
greater concentration of top ranks between Arab marshals and Hawiya, due to
the greater length of service gained in their previous period in the colony, given
that the Darod, concentrated in the northern part of the country, had been
enlisted only after the formal annexation of Migiurtinia (which took place on

(22) Telegramma in cifra irizzato all’AFIS dal Comando Forze armate della Somalia dal II Btg.,
datato 10 aprile 1950, AUSSME, f. I-2, Busta 37, fasc. 398.
(23) Nota n. 111689 di prot. dell’AFIS - Uff. Affari Interni, datata 14 settembre 1950 e diretta al
CSS, avente ad oggetto “Criteri informatori degli arruolamenti”, AUSSME, f. I-2, Busta 37,
fasc. 402.
(24) Nota del CSS - SM - Uff. OAO datata 21 settembre 1950, AUSSME, f. I-2, Busta 37,
fasc. 402.

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