Siyaad Says He Will ‘Relinquish Power’ for Peace

[Meseret]

Mogadishu Domestic Service in Somali

1700 GMT 23 Jan 1991



[Text] This afternoon Somali President Jaalle Mohamed Siyaad Barre addressed the Somali nation through the media and pointed out that nothing could be achieved by the killings, the pillaging, and the civil war in Mogadishu. He said one could not achieve victory by [words indistinct]. The president particularly spoke of those who are constantly looting and their evil practices against public and private (?property). He said this was a lack of culture, inhuman and [word indistinct] unity to loot the property of Somalis and Muslims beyond the limit of [words indistinct]. He said such a state of affairs was not in accordance with Somali tradition and culture.



He warned the masses to distance themselves from the blood-shedding of Somalis in a tribal conflict. He said such killings could serve to split the Somali fraternal masses. He appealed to the Somali people to remember and thank God for the respect he has for human life.



The president spoke of the importance of food produc­tion and output and the role it could play in promoting and developing society and called on the masses to get involved in various farming activities [words indistinct]. The president said the masses ought to admit that we could only progress from poverty through agricultural production. He emphasized the need to stop fighting each other and instead turn to [words indistinct]. Jaalle Siyaad said foreign aid and [words indistinct] could not help.



Speaking to those opposed to the government from the country’s political point of view, Jaalle Siyaad said peace negotiations and reconciliation efforts were con­tinuing smoothly. Referring to those who say: Unless Jaalle Siyaad relinquishes power there is no peace. He said that he would relinquish power providing there would be peace and a cease-fire. In order to achieve this, he appealed to the Somali people to embrace peace, saying peace was good for the unity and future of the Somali masses.

[PRinCeS_LicK]

Siyaad barre killed millions n got expelled lol whats this ?

[Estarix]

The USC were too far in their campaign to accede to any conditions. You also had Aidid spearheading the rebels hungry for revenge.
Secondly these sentiments should have been expressed way before, when his regime were committing these acts.

[AMlion]

" He warned the masses to distance themselves from the blood-shedding of Somalis in a tribal conflict. He said such killings could serve to split the Somali fraternal masses. He appealed to the Somali people to remember and thank God for the respect he has for human life."

Was he having a giggle when he uttered that B.S.

Pot, kettle, black springs to mind