470 Chapter 4
settlement of the border, and Ethiopia agreed, signing a partial agreement on August
- The remainder of the border was left unsettled.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from August 14, 1960. End Date changed from
August 20, 1960. Outcome changed from Unclear. Settlement changed from None.
MID#1425
Dispute Number: 1425
Date(s): November 16, 1963 to April 19, 1964
Participants: 520 Somalia/530 Ethiopia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 101–250 deaths
Narrative: Somalia gained independence in 1960 and immediately lay claim to sur-
rounding territories—a “Greater Somalia”—including the Ogaden region of Ethiopia,
which was populated by Somalis. Two years later Ethiopia imposed livestock taxes
on the Somalis of Ogaden, and when many Somalis refused to cooperate, Ethiopia
replaced the Ogaden district commissioners with Ethiopians and arrested Somali lead-
ers. Other Somalis fled and formed a guerrilla movement.
In November 1963 Somalia began to support the guerrillas, which increased ten-
sions and led both states to increase their military presence along the border. Ethiopia
accused Somali troops of crossing the border on November 16. Then, on January 15,
1964, three Ethiopian planes conducted air strikes against two Somali border posts.
On February 6, 300 Somalis crossed into Ethiopia and attacked; the next day Ethio-
pian troops crossed the Somali border. In late January and early February Chou En-lai
(of China) visited Ethiopia and Somalia, and he urged both parties to settle the dispute
peacefully. Somalia requested help from the UN Security Council, but the Soviet
Union and UN secretary-general asked Somalia to solve the dispute using African
institutions. Two days later Ethiopia and Kenya called for the Organization of African
Union (OAU) to push for a ceasefire and to pass a resolution recognizing the existing
borders. On February 24 the OAU Council asked the parties to settle their differences
in accordance with the OAU charter. Sudan’s president then mediated an end to the
conventional fighting, with troops withdrawing from the area in April.
MID#2066
Dispute Number: 2066
Date(s): June 11, 1965
Participants: 520 Somalia/530 Ethiopia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: A clash broke out in southeastern Ethiopia when Ethiopian troops inter-
cepted Somali troops who were smuggling arms into Ethiopia.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from June 12, 1965. End Date changed from
June 12, 1965.