BIIMAAL MAXAMED DIR MERKA

 BIMAL. The Bimal are the largest Dir clan-family group. They have occupied the town of Merca and its hinter¬ land since perhaps 1690 when their traditions claim they overthrew the representatives of the Sultan of Ajuran. Predominantly pastoralists, the Bimal from time to time controlled the caravan trade routes to Merca. They also engaged (and continue to engage) in agriculture in the lower Shebelle area. When the im¬ portation of slaves for farming became widespread in the mid-1800s, the Bimal grew rich and powerful, ex¬ changing agricultural products as well as livestock and goods from the interior (ivory, hides, skins, horses, slaves) for imported goods at Merca. The Bimal engaged periodically in wars with the Geledi, their traditional rivals, who controlled the trade routes to Mogadishu and Brava and a great share of the wealth of the Shebelle farming country; the two clans were opponents in the Bardera wars. In this rivalry, the Bimal sought assistance from the Sultan of Zanzibar, who established a garrison at Merca in the 1860s—the only Zanzibari garrison on the coast at the time. In the recurrent Bimal-Geledi wars, the politically cohesive Bimal were largely successful, kill¬ ing at least two powerful Geledi sultans. Italian efforts to abolish slavery and engage in trade were strongly resisted by the Bimal, as well as by sections of the Geledi, both of whom depended on slaves to cultivate their farms and both of whom were engaged in the caravan trade. The Bimals’ resistance to the Italians began in 1896. They besieged an Italian Bio 24 garrison at Merca in 1904, and repeatedly ambushed and attacked Italian-led troops. The Italian administra¬ tion decided to "pacify" the area, but the "Bimal re¬ volt, " which began in 1905, was not crushed until 1908. In their "revolt, " the Bimal gained some as¬ sistance in the way of firearms from Sayyid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan, the Salihiya leader of the jihad in the north. Some of the Salihiya followers in the south broke with the Sayyid in 1908 after he was denounced by the Salihiya leader in Mecca, and the split among the Salihiya undoubtedly worked to the advantage of the Italians in "pacifying" the Bimal. In these battles, the Italians appear to have received some assistance from the Geledi sultan. See HAJI ABDI ABIKAR