Order of the Somali Star

Last updated
Order of the Somali Star
Star Order of the Start of Somalia.svg
Order of the Leopard variant
TypeMedal for highest degree of distinction
Awarded forActs of military gallantry
Dedication and fidelity to the Somali Republic
CountryFlag of Somalia.svg  Somalia
Presented by Seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia.svg President of Somalia
Coat of arms of Somalia.svg Government of Somalia
EligibilitySomali and foreign citizens
Ribbon Order of the Somali Star (Somalia) - ribbon bar.gif
StatusActive
Established12 February 1961
First awarded1965 - Major General Daud Abdulle Hirsi (posthumously)
Precedence
Next (higher)None

The Order of the Somali Star is the highest distinction award for military gallantry in Somalia. The Order of the Somali Star has been awarded to members of the Somali Armed Forces and foreign citizens who have conducted and exhibited great fidelity to the Somali Republic. It has been issued mainly during the Ogaden War to military and police officers posthumously.

Contents

History

The Order of the Somali Star was established by the Government of Somalia and was named in honour of the Somali flag, a sky blue field emblazoned with a white singular central star, the award was established the year after that Somalia became a republic in 1961 by the founding father and first President of Somalia, Aden Adde. The award can be worn as a necklet, medal or a sash.

Statute

The title of Order of the Somali Star can be awarded for military gallantry in the service of Somalia. It can be awarded to both civilian and military personnel. The title can also be awarded posthumously if the heroic act costs the recipient his or her life. It may also be awarded to foreign citizens who display exceptional service to the Somali republic, The President of Somalia is the main conferring authority of the award although the Federal Parliament may nominate individuals for the President's consideration.

Description

The award comes in grades with the Order of the Leopard (formerly the Knight of the Grand Cross changed due to the adoption of Islam as the state religion) which gold-plated badge to be worn on the band and gold-plated plate to be worn on the left chest; Grand Officer, silver badge to be worn on a ribbon around the neck and plaque to be worn on the left chest; Commander, silver badge to be worn on a ribbon around the neck; Officer, silver badge to be worn on a ribbon with a rosette on the chest; Knight, silver badge to be worn on a ribbon on the chest. [1]

Recipients

The vast majority of recipients of this award are Somali military officers and enlisted soldiers who died in service to Somalia, however there are foreign dignitaries who received this award due to their exceptional service to the Somali state.

Mohamed Siad Barre who was issued the Order in 1979 by the Supreme Revolutionary Council by the Politburo following the 10 year anniversary of the XHKS Revolution. Siad Barre 929-8865.jpg
Mohamed Siad Barre who was issued the Order in 1979 by the Supreme Revolutionary Council by the Politburo following the 10 year anniversary of the XHKS Revolution.

Individuals

Military personnel

  • Major General Daud Abdulle Hirsi (Army)
  • Major General Mohamed Siad Barre (Army)
  • Major General Dahir Adan Elmi (Army)
  • Lieutenant General Mohamed Ali Samatar (Army)
  • Brigadier General Ali Matan Xashi (Air Force)
  • Vice Admiral Mohamed Osman (Navy)
  • Colonel Abukar Liban (Army)

Foreign dignitaries

  • Flag of Cuba.svg Fidel Castro - Awarded in 1977, for "extraordinary services to Somalia." [2]
  • Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Faisal I - Awarded in light of the brotherly bond between Somalia and Saudi Arabia during his reign. [3]
  • Flag of Egypt.svg Anwar Sadat - Provided unconditional support for Somalia during the Ogaden War, also Egypt and Somalia were regular participants of Bright Star war games, Somalia also was one of the few countries to send dignitaries to attend Sadat's state funeral in 1981.
  • Flag of Egypt.svg Field Marshal Abdel Ghani el-Gamasy - el-Gamasy's tenure as Minister of War of Egypt coincided with Egypt seeking wider diplomatic relations with Somalia, in addition to Egypt's Ministry of War seeking greater military cooperation with Somalia due to Somalia's diplomatic support for the Arab coalition at the UNSC in the run-up to the October War.
  • Flag of Libya (1977-2011).svg Muammar Gaddafi - Libya and Somalia had very warm relations under the tenure of Chairman Gaddafi, as both countries were Italophonic, members of the Arab League and OIC and had pan-African viewpoints.
  • State flag of Iran (1964-1980).svg Mohammad Reza I - Imperial Iran and Somalia had shared common interests such as animosities towards the Soviet Union and especially it's client regime in the Horn of Africa, Dergist Ethiopia, thus for the most part, there were cordial relations between Imperial Iran and Somalia despite Barre's antipathy towards the Ethiopian imperial monarchy (who the Shah was extremely fond of as a fellow Emperor) and his embrace of neighboring Iraq.
    President Barre awarding Field Marshal el-Gamasy the Order of the Somali Star in 1974. President Barre and FM Gamasi (cropped).png
    President Barre awarding Field Marshal el-Gamasy the Order of the Somali Star in 1974.
  • Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1936; 1941-1974).svg Haile Selassie I - Awarded the Grand Cordon in 1960, as the first non-Somali recipient by President Aden Adde due to the fraternal relations between Imperial Ethiopia and Somalia. [4] [5]
  • Flag of Sudan.svg Jaafar Nimeiry - Sudan and Somalia had very warm relations under the tenure of President Nimeiry, [6] also Nimeiry was a vocal advocate of Barre's chairmanship of the OAU in 1974.
  • Flag of Turkey.svg Recep Tayyip Erdoğan - Awarded in 2015 for his contributions to Somalia. [7]
  • Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Josip Broz Tito - Awarded in 1976, Somalia and Yugoslavia had a strategic and warm relationship as both were non-Soviet aligned countries yet were both socialist, Somalia also sent dignitaries to Tito's funeral in 1980, this carries forwards onto the modern Serbia–Somalia relations. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamed Farrah Aidid</span> Somali warlord (1934–1996)

Mohamed Farrah Hassan Garad, known as General Aidid or Aideed was a Somali general and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siad Barre</span> 3rd president of Somalia

Mohammed Siad Barre was a Somali military officer, politician and revolutionary who served as the head of state of Somalia from 21 October 1969 to 26 January 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali Democratic Republic</span> 1969–1991 socialist state in the Horn of Africa

The Somali Democratic Republic was the name that the socialist military government gave to Somalia under President Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, after seizing power in a coup d'état on 21 October 1969. The coup came a few days after a bodyguard assassinated Abdirashid Shermarke, the nation's second President. Barre's administration ruled Somalia for the next 21 years until Somalia collapsed into civil war in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Somali Liberation Front</span> 1973–1989 Somali armed separatist group in Ethiopia

The Western Somali Liberation Front was a separatist rebel group fighting in eastern Ethiopia to liberate the Somali region from Ethiopian control and rejoin Somalia. It played a major role in the Ogaden War of 1977-78 assisting the invading Somali Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ogaden War</span> 1977–1978 war between Ethiopia and Somalia over Ogaden region

The Ogaden War, also known as the Ethio-Somali War, was a military conflict fought between Somalia and Ethiopia from July 1977 to March 1978 over the Ethiopian region of Ogaden. Somalia's invasion of the region, precursor to the wider war, met with the Soviet Union's disapproval, leading the superpower to end its support of Somalia and support Ethiopia instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammad Ali Samatar</span> Somali politician; 5th President of Somalia

Mohammad Ali Samatar. was a very senior Somali National hero, Revolutionary, Military Officer, Communist, Politician, former Commander-in-Chief of the Somali National Army, former Minister of Defence, former Vice President, former Deputy General Secretary of the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party, former Prime Minister, a leading figure and the second most powerful man in the Somali Democratic Republic after president Mohamed Siad Barre. He's the only officer who has ever reached the rank of Lieutenant General in the history of the Somali Armed Forces. He was known for his intelligent military tactics in the 1964 Ethiopian–Somali Border War, Ogaden War and 1982 Ethiopian–Somali Border War. He's regarded as one of the greatest military officers of the African continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamed Abdel Ghani el-Gamasy</span> Egyptian Field Marshal

Mohamed Abdel Ghani el-Gamasy was an Egyptian Field Marshal (Mushir) and the Commander in Chief of The Armed Forces. He has been called "one of the architects of the Yom Kippur War."

The Somali Rebellion was the beginning of the civil war in Somalia that occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s. The rebellion started in 1978 when President Siad Barre began using his special forces, the "Red Berets", to attack clan-based dissident groups opposed to his regime. The dissidents had been becoming more powerful for nearly a decade following his abrupt switch of allegiance from the Soviet Union to the United States and the disastrous 1977-78 Ogaden War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Nile</span> Egyptian medal

The Order of the Nile was established in 1915 and was one of the Kingdom of Egypt's principal orders until the monarchy was abolished in 1953. It was then reconstituted as the Republic of Egypt's highest state honor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Defender of the Realm</span> Malaysian federal award

The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara'.

Osman Mahmoud is a Somali sub-clan and is one of the largest sub-clans within the major Majeerteen Harti confederation of Darod. The sub-clan is most renowned for its rich history within Somalia, That of which include sultanates such as the Majeerteen Sultanate and Hobyo Sultanate.

The Safari Club was a covert alliance of intelligence services formed in 1976 that ran clandestine operations around Africa at a time when the United States Congress had limited the power of the CIA after years of abuses and when Portugal was dismantling its colonial empire in Africa. Its formal members were the pre-revolution (Pahlavi) Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and France. The group maintained informal connections with the United States, South Africa, Rhodesia and Israel. The group executed a successful military intervention in Zaire in response to an invasion from Angola. It also provided arms to Somalia in its 1977–1978 conflict with Ethiopia. It organized secret diplomacy relating to anti-Communism in Africa, and has been credited with initiating the process resulting in the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty.

The 1982 Ethiopian–Somali Border War occurred between June and August 1982 when Ethiopia, sending a 10,000 man invasion force backed by warplanes and armored units, supported by thousands of SSDF rebels invaded Central Somalia. The United States government responded by speeding up deliveries of light arms and main battle tanks already promised. In addition, the initially pledged US$45 million in economic and military aid was increased to US$80 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of King Abdulaziz</span> Saudi Arabian order of merit

The Order of King Abdulaziz is a Saudi Arabian order of merit. The order was named after Abdulaziz Al Saud, founder of the modern Saudi state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military history of Somalia</span>

The military history of Somalia encompasses the major conventional wars, conflicts and skirmishes involving the historic empires, kingdoms and sultanates in the territory of present-day Somalia, through to modern times. It also covers the martial traditions, military architecture and hardware employed by Somali armies and their opponents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdullahi Ahmed Irro</span> Somali General and military professor (1937–2022)

Abdullahi Ahmed Irro, also known as Abdullahi Ahmad Yousef Irro, was a prominent Somali military professor and general. He helped establish the National Academy for Strategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia–Somalia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Russia–Somalia relations is the bilateral relationship between Russia and Somalia. A Somali Embassy currently operates in Moscow. Russia's embassy in Djibouti represents Russia in Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaaq genocide</span> Targeted genocide of Isaaq clan members in Somalia in 1987–1989

The Isaaq genocide, also known as the Hargeisa holocaust, was the systematic, state-sponsored genocide of Isaaq civilians between 1987 and 1989 by the Somali Democratic Republic, under the dictatorship of Siad Barre, during the Somaliland War of Independence. The number of civilian deaths in this massacre is estimated to be between 50,000 and 100,000, according to various sources, whilst local reports estimate the total civilian deaths to be upwards of 200,000 Isaaq civilians. The genocide also included the levelling and complete destruction of the second and third largest cities in the Somali Republic, Hargeisa and Burao, respectively, and had caused up to 500,000 Somalis of the region, primarily of the Isaaq clan, to flee their land and cross the border to Hartasheikh in Ethiopia as refugees in what was described as "one of the fastest and largest forced movements of people recorded in Africa", which resulted in the creation of the world's largest refugee camp then (1988), with another 400,000 being displaced. The scale of destruction led to Hargeisa being known as the 'Dresden of Africa'. The killings happened during the Somali Civil War and have been referred to as a "forgotten genocide".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 Somali coup attempt</span> Coup detat attempt against the President of Somalia Siad Barre

The 1978 Somali coup d'état attempt was a violent military coup attempt that took place in Somalia on 9 April 1978, against the regime of President Siad Barre. The United States Central Intelligence Agency estimated that the coup, led by Colonel Mohamed Osman Irro, involved around 24 officers, 2,000 soldiers, and 65 tanks. Following the failed coup, 17 alleged ringleaders, including Osman, were summarily executed by firing squad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orders, decorations, and medals of Somalia</span>

This is a list of the Orders, Medals and Ribbon awards of the Federal Republic of Somalia, of which the honours system consists of orders and medals awarded for exemplary service to the nation.

References

  1. "Order of the Star of Somalia | Militaria Altri Paesi". www.mymilitaria.net. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  2. "1977: Granma Archives Index - LANIC". lanic.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  3. Owain Raw-Rees (1998). "King Faisal OF Saudi Arabia, His Awards and the Saudi Order of King Faisal" (PDF). 49 (4). The Medal Collector.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. Copley, Gregory R. (1998). Ethiopia reaches her hand unto god : Imperial Ethiopia's unique symbols, structures and role in the modern world. Alexandria, Va.: Published by Defense & Foreign Affairs, part of the International Strategic Studies Association. ISBN   1-892998-00-9. OCLC   43034089.
  5. McMeekin, John Duncan. "HAILE SELASSIE 1, The Last Emperor" (PDF). coleccionesmilitares.com. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  6. UPITN 10 5 78 PRESIDENT SADAT MEETS NIMEIRY AND BARRE , retrieved 2022-02-16
  7. "We have served our Somali brothers as required by our brotherhood; our solidarity will continue". Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  8. Bilo je časno živjeti s Titom. RO Mladost, RO Prosvjeta, Zagreb, February 1981. (pg. 102)