The Second Blockade on Berbera

The second blockade of Berbera (1855–1856) was a punitive measure against the Habr Awal, Isaaq clan by the British East India Company, and thus the second blockade of Berbera after the 1827 British attack on Berbera

Background
At April 19, 1855. The expedition camp of Lieutenant Richard Burton, who had returned from Harar, was attacked and plundered at Berbera.

Burton explains in a letter to the British Resident at Aden, Brigadier Coughlin, on the 23 April 1855. The assailants implicated in the incident. 23 April 1855

R.F Burton to Colonel W. Coughlin

''The BT. Resident''

Aden, Arabia

Sir,

I have the honor of enclose a report from Lt. Herne & a statement from Lt. Speke concerning the melancholy occurrence of the 19th inst...

''The people chiefly implicated in this outrage are the Mikahil, the Ayyal Ahmad & the Eesa Musa - all three sub tribes of the great clan, Habr Awal. The 2, however, are but little concerned. The Eesa Musa is the principal actor. '' According to Lieutenant John Hanning Speke, a surviving member of the attacked crew. The attacking brigand was under the leadership of Ou Ali (Aw Cali), the prefix of ‘Aw’ signifies Islamic importance in the Somali language.

Lieutenant Burton had, prior to the attack, vocally expressed his dislike of the Abban fees for the local Habr Awal clan. Having also resisted the caravan fees and the hire of camels by the Isa Musa tribe and regarded it extortion. This had rendered Burton very unpopular among the local Habr Awal in Berbera, and would thus be one of the major causes of the attack.

Burton assumed the disguise as an Arab merchant named "Haji Mirza Abdullah", however this was not without suspicion. The 1st of January 1855, on his way to Harar with his camp, encountered three men of the Habr Awal clan. Ali Hasan, Husayn Araleh and Haji Mohammed, who were highly respected by Emir Ahmad III ibn Abu-Bakr, the Emir of Harar. The three men reported to Lieutenant Burton's agent, Gerad Adan, that Burton were in the land to only spy on its wealth. Suspicion on Burton's camp was already pronounced months prior to the attack.

The 18th of April 1855, the day prior to the attack. Burton's camp was encountered by three horsemen, one Mohammed of the ‘Isa Musa, and another Dublay of the Ayal Ahmed, the third unknown. Burton's camp had mistaken them for a foraging party and quickly discharged above the horsemen. Burton sent the “Ras Khafilah” (Caravan leader) to ask the horsemen what their business were. The horsemen responded that the people of the coast had reported that Haji Sharmarke Ali Saleh planned to seize Berbera and had his vessels docked in Siyara. This however was a lie, and Burton concluded that the horsemen were spies.

As claimed by the French explorer and geographer, Henri Duveyrier. The Senussiya order might have played a role in this event in Berbera 1855. During the attack, the well-armed Somalis had killed Lieutenant Stroyan, and wounded Lieutenant Burton. Lieutenant Speke was imprisoned but later on managed to escape.

The blockade
The British, knowing the importance of Berbera to the Habr Awal, that they depended their economy on it - decided to enforce a blockade between Jibal Elmas (Jebel Almis) and Siyara of modern-day Somaliland. The Habr Awal of Berbera, at first deemed it ironic. Due to the Habr Awal believing the blockade would not only suffer the trade in Berbera, but also in Aden. However they were mistaken, since the trade allegedly found an outlet on different locations.

The British blockaded the port of Berbera in order to force the Sheikhs of Habr Awal to surrender the assailants implicated in the murder of Stroyan. However, the Sheikhs did not surrender Ou Ali (Aw Cali) who found shelter among the ‘Isa Musa sept.

Eventually the blockade ceased on the 9th of November 1856 following a treaty that was signed between the British East India Company and the Sheikhs of the Habr Awal, Ishaaq. This treaty secured the economical and commercial interests of both the contracting parties. However, it debarred the ‘Isa Musa clan family and their goods from Aden due to their refusal to hand over the main assailant of the attack, Ou Ali (Aw Cali). The ‘Isa Musa neither engaged in the treaty themselves. It further bound the merchants in Berbera to abolish the slave traffic.

Aftermath
The Sheikhs of Habr Awal entered into a treaty with the East India Company, containing six articles. The treaty was signed in the presence of Captain H. L Playfair, the assistant political resident in Aden. Along 10 Sheikhs of the Habr Awal

Proposal of recognition to the Habr Awal
The Political Resident of Aden, Brigadier William Marcus Coghlan, wished to include a formal, political recognition of the independence of the Habr Awal Sheikhdom as the sovereign body controlling Berbera and its commerce. However, due to uncertainties regarding the Bombay government and Somalis, the proposal never came to fruition