SNM was the creation of Somalilanders, who were marginalised and who took up arms to liberate their land and people from the despotism of Siyad Barre. It would appear to be the case that relations between Somalia and Ethiopia in the late 1970s and 1980s were poor. The Somali government slaughtered civilians, who posed threats to the government’s plans or political power and that this was achieved by the use of coercive intimidation to create artificial support for its activities, and forcibly relocated others to further the political or economic ends of Barre regime. Ethiopia, naturally saw this as an opportunity to undermine the crumpling government of Siyad Barre by coming to the rescue of many liberation movements.Alluring wrote:What the SNM not created by Ethiopia, yes or no?
The simmering conflicts among the Somali govt and rival militias lead to the formation of liberation movements which the SNM, USC and no doubt the SSDF were part off. All liberation movements trained in Ethiopia to launch their attacks against Siyad Barre regime. This is not an exception to Ethiopia; history immemorial has shown that all liberation movements have their bases, intelligence and operations in neighbouring countries - e.g. ANC, Hamas, SSDF, UNITA etc. In a Somali context, Ethiopia provided logistical and perhaps moral support but they did not dictate the direction and operations of the USC, SNM or the SSDF.
