1:32 Somalian Insurgents

The collapse of a state and armed clans

After the overthrow of the government at the beginning of 1991 central authority ceased to exist in Somalia and the territory was divided up among clan militias. The struggle for the port and for the distribution of food aid led to a famine, on account of which an international military mission arrived in the country. The culmination was the street battle in the capital at the beginning of October 1993.

What a fighter looked like

The look of a militiaman is the very opposite of a uniformed army: a T-shirt or an unbuttoned shirt, a striped cloth called a macawis wrapped around the hips, rubber sandals on the feet and a submachine gun with no sling over the shoulder. Some wear sunglasses and a scarf across the face, others only a decorated cap. It is precisely the looseness of the poses that makes these figures a rewarding subject.

A vehicle as part of the subject

A pickup truck converted to carry a machine gun or a recoilless gun on its bed is inseparable from the Somali war. The set therefore invites a scene in which the figures sit on the sides of the bed, hold on to the frame and one of them works the weapon. A dusty street with a low wall and the remains of painted advertisements will finish the scene off.

Practical notes

The 1:32 ratio will carry even the pattern on the wrapped cloth, which matters more to the overall impression than the equipment does. The number of pieces is not recorded in the name and the figures are supplied unpainted. The painting rests on the contrast between colorful textiles and the dusty brown that covers everything else. To bring out the faces, a light lightening of the cheekbones and a darker wash in the folds of the shirt are enough.