26 Years to the Day...April 6 1981 SNM Launched

[Salah Al-Din]

Assalaamu Alaikum,

Today is the April the 6th, the day the SNM was announced 26 years ago. The following press release was the start of our quest to regain our soveriegnty. Please join me in paying tribute to those before us who have allowed us to enjoy the freedoms we take for granted. May Allah have mercy on all the Muslims who have passed away.

Wassalaam Wabilaahi Towfiiq
__________________________________
PRESS RELEASE 6th April 1981

The Launching of THE SOMALI NATIONAL MOVEMENT (SNM)

The horrifying pictures of famine-stricken children in Somalia, which have been appearing in the world media with such painful regularity in the past few months, only tell a part of those children's woeful story. These pictures speak of the drought in the Horn, and they speak of the need for urgent help to these victims. But what the pictures do not show is the full horror that the children, and indeed the entire Somali population, have to suffer. Not only do the Somali people have to endure the ravages of famine and disease but also the conscious, cynical and inhuman manipulation of their sad situation by the most tyrannical, corrupt and despotic regime the nation has witnessed in its long history.
The situation in Somalia is now such that the economic and political disintegration of the country is unavoidable as long as the present military regime hangs on to power regardless of the devastation caused by their neglect of the people's basic needs. Food shortages are at their worst in living memory- even when the food is there, the over-centralised machinery and corruption of the military regime renders it unavailable to the majority of the people.
It is common knowledge that the emergency aid of food, medicine and other essential supplies are callously appropriated by the military regime to feed the army and sell on the black market. This is one of the most horrifying indictments of the regime that it profits and manipulates for its own ends the charity of the international community towards these stricken people. SNM, however, fully endorses these shipments of aid.
We nevertheless urge all donors to ensure by all possible means that the aid actually reaches the refugees for whom it is destined, e.g., by insisting upon the establishment of a distribution system independent of the present corrupt and inadequate administration. While the immediate disaster has, and will continue to bring an unnecessary level of hardship and misery as a result of cynical corruption and gross ineptitude, SNM pledges to ensure the voice of these stricken people to be heard and taken into account. The salvation of the Somali people can only be realised in the immediate removal of this parasitic and cancerous regime from the body politic.
It is therefore the dual objective of SNM, firstly to speak for the long-suffering Somali people whose voice has been brutally silenced at home, and draw the attention of the international community to the extremely dangerous situation now developing in the Somali Republic with the possible consequence of deepening instability in this vitally strategic region. Secondly; to contribute effectively to the continuing struggle for the dismantling of this calamitous military regime and its replacement with a free, democratic system of government that is truly representative of the Somali nation as a whole.
The Somali National Movement shall therefore oppose and fight:
1. The present absolute and despotic dictatorship of Siad Barre.

2. The ruthless elimination of all semblance of opposition, and the outright intimidation, imprisonment, and mass murder of innocent compatriots.

3. The continuing social engineering aimed at the creation of a personality cult, the glorification of the incumbent tyrant (Siad Barre) and the creation of a ruling family.

4. The constant attempt to destroy the social and moral fibre of the Somali society.

5. The undermining of the faith and the Islamic way of life of the Somali people.

6. The existence of a socio-political situation, which poses danger to national solidarity and incites conflict among the Somali clans while encouraging divisive and deadly feuds.

7. The saddling of the country with a run-down economy characterised by low productivity in all sectors, poor investment in agriculture and livestock, soaring inflation, shortage of skill manpower and the private appropriation of public wealth.

8. The material deprivation, hunger and starvation of the Somali masses through mismanagement, corruption, nepotism and insatiable greed shamelessly expressed in the accumulation of wealth by members of Barre's family.

9. The pursual of an incoherent, ill-conceived, unpredictable and self-defeating foreign policy, which has resulted in the isolation of the Somali people and widespread indifference to their causes.
All of which have resulted in:
1. Demoralisation, degradation and material deprivation of the Somali masses.

2. The creation of a new class of people (consisting mainly of Barre's family) who squander the meagre resources of the Somali nation.

3. The near collapse of all institutions saves those, which maintain the creation of personality cults and inculcation of alien ideologies.

4. Subjection of the Somali masses to harrowing indignities and severely damaging their self-esteem.
In consideration of the above and in accordance with the wishes of Somali people now being expressed publicly in the face of unrelenting persecution, the SNM states that:

1. Upon the removal of Barre's tyrannical rule we shall, with the support of the Somali people establish and secure at all costs a representative democracy which guarantees human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of association and the socio-economic well-being of the Somali nation.
2. We shall rebuild the decimated national institutions and through them strive
to achieve the reconstruction of the economy, the removal of injustice and the rebirth of the traditional values and the Islamic way of life.


3. We shall endeavour to establish a mixed economy in which public and private enterprise complement and support each other.


4. We shall adhere to the principles of positive neutrality; observe the importance of friendly relations between all nations, and support inter-national co-operation, the right of oppressed peoples to self-determination and the eradication of racialism and colonialism.


5. We shall support the struggles of the people of Southern Africa through their liberation movements. Equally we shall support the struggle of the Palestinian people and recognise the PLO as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.


6. We shall unceasingly and by all means strive to effect the countless political prisoners at present held by the regime, prominent among whom are Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal (the former Prime Minister), General Mohamed Abshir, Sheikh Mohamed Maallim, General Abdillahi 'Hoolif' and Issa Jamma Faroole, who have been detained for over ten years without trial.
Noting the present hardships and tribulation of the Somali people, in contrast with the pleasure-seeking, wanton behaviour and greedy accumulation of wealth by Barre and his family, SNM calls on all Somalis to stand firm and resist the present tyrannical rule. These trials and tribulations are a test of the Somali nation's determination to fight for the ideals of her faith and traditional values. The tyranny of the present regime is nearing its collapse and will not go unpunished, as history is a witness to the punishment of all tyrants. We must unite in this struggle and have faith in Allah for this, and only this, shall be the way to our victory.
LONG LIVE THE SOMALI PEOPLE! LONG LIVE SNM!
VICTORY FOR SNM! VICTORY FORTHE SOMALI PEOPLE!

[Salah Al-Din]

Assalaamu Alaikum,

The economist predicted the following on March 6 1982 the following:

The Horn of Africa Trumpets War
President Said Bare of Somalia is due to go to America to see President Reagan next week. On Monday, in what seemed to be last-minute move to give a shine to his credentials, he ended the state of emergency, which has been in force in Somalia for 16 months. He also reshuffled his cabinet and disbanded the supreme revolutionary council of military men who had been given absolute powers under emergency law.

He will now presumably be able to claim that this strategically important country has put its house in order, has a democratic government again and should receive the $44m of military aid proposed by American in 1980 but not yet delivered. But the Americans have held back from too close working relationship with President Barre because of the serious opposition that he faces in Somalia.

The evidence suggests that, despite the lifting of the state of emergency, this opposition is now at the peak and could even result in civil war. During the past three weeks there has been fierce rioting in the north of the country. According to a British aid agency in northern Somalia, southern troops are in control "for the moment". One aid worker said that at least 30 people were killed by the army during one day's rioting last week in the provincial capital, Hargeisa. Other witnesses to whom your correspondent talked said that during the past five days there have been demonstrations in many northern towns and villages.

The immediate cause of the troubles is the government decision to prosecute 27 northern intellectuals and business- men accused of subversion. The first of several riots in Hargeisa took place on February 20th when a crowd stormed the courtroom. But northerner's grievances go far deeper than this: they believe the government discriminates against them in an increasing repressive way.

Mr Barre a Southerner is accused of favoring southern tribes and of exploiting the north. Top jobs in almost all ministries, embassies and the army are occupied by members of Mr. Barr's Marehan tribe. Northerners say that their region has been starved of development funds by Mr. Barre receiving only one major development project since he took power in a military coup in 1969.

The north (formerly British Somali-land) was separate from the south (formerly Italian Somaliland) during the colonial era. It could still work as an independent unit. It has a strong tradition of local self-reliance based on nomadism and the export of cattle. In addition, an independent north would have the strategic card of Berbera. An isolated south would be of little interest to the big powers.

The government in Mogadishu is strong enough to put down mutinies and civilian riots, but it would be unlikely to win a sustained armed conflict. The lines of supply are too long . Since the end of the Ogaden war most Somalis have a genuine desire to get on with Ethiopia. Northerners accuse Mr. Barre or playing down this mood and of maintaining a hostile attitude towards Ethiopia. One group dedicated to overthrowing Mr. Barre, the Somali Salvation Democratic Front. has been receiving low-level support from, Ethiopia for three years and is thought to have several thousand men under arms in the Ogaden.

Now another group the Somali National Movement is also seeking Ethiopian help. The SNM, based on the conservative Moslem tribes of the north had until the end of last year avoided all contact with Ethiopia's socialist government. After the recent troubles in the north, however the movement changed its mind and for the past three weeks its leaders have been in Ethiopia. Your correspondent spoke by telephone to the secretary-general of the SNM. Mr. Ahmed Ismail Abdi in Addis Ababa and was told that his talks there had been 'extremely fruitful' and that a big offensive was planned for the near future. He said that the Ethiopians were being asked for bases in the northern Ogaden from which the SNM could operate against Somalia.

A former colonel in the Somali army said that he and thousands of other soldiers had deserted in the past three. months. Their aim is to bring down the Somali government and replace it with one that would give real regional autonomy. Alternative, "we will take the north out of Somalia altogether".

A northern secession is not an unrealistic aim. Southern troops' moving northwards around the Triangle of the Ogaden, into north-west Somalia would find themselves in semi-desert, surrounded byhostile nomads from the northern Issaq tribes, and subjected to guerrilla attacks from Ethiopian basis. They would be far from their Mogadishu base, while the Somali guerrillas could be supplied fromthe Ethiopian towns of Jijiga, Harar and Diredawa. A southern force small enough to live off the land would probably be cut off and massacred; a force large enough to win the first few battles of a major war might starve. A northern rebellion could even bring about the collapse of Mr Bare's power in the south.

Wassalaam Wabilaahi Towfiiq

[FAH1223]

The SNM's objective was not to secede from Somalia though

they were fighting for all Somali people

[LiQaaye_TDH]

Yes they were fighting for the somali people, but then the people of somaliland decided to break away from somalia.....

[FAH1223]

[quote="LiQaaye_TDH"]Yes they were fighting for the somali people, but then the people of somaliland decided to break away from somalia.....[/quote]

yep yep

[Sadaam_Mariixmaan]

there feelings got hurt...

[FAH1223]

[quote="Sadaam_Mariixmaan"]there feelings got hurt...

[/quote]

you can't really blame them though, the North was pretty neglected... and they originally wanted autonomy..

and looking back.. having everything in Mogadishu... centralizing everything was a bad idea.

[Sadaam_Mariixmaan]

it is cuqdad my friend...

[FAH1223]

[quote="Sadaam_Mariixmaan"]it is cuqdad my friend... [/quote]

not really IMO...

its just power struggle and power should be in the hands of autonomous regions, ect

[gurey25]

Mashallah
what a great Day indeed.

It should be a Public Holiday in somaliland.

I would ahve taken a day off if it wasnt already a Friday.




somaliland ha noolaato

!!!!!

[LiQaaye_TDH]

Mujaahidki Biciide Iya soo toosay

[gurey25]

Salaan walaaal,
hows it going?

[LiQaaye_TDH]

Chillin brother....

[Ina Baxar]

It is therefore the dual objective of SNM, firstly to speak for the long-suffering Somali people whose voice has been brutally silenced at home, and draw the attention of the international community to the extremely dangerous situation now developing in the Somali Republic with the possible consequence of deepening instability in this vitally strategic region. Secondly; to contribute effectively to the continuing struggle for the dismantling of this calamitous military regime and its replacement with a free, democratic system of government that is truly representative of the Somali nation as a WHOLE".

The SNM oppose and fight:
--------------------------


4/"The constant attempt to destroy the social and moral fibre of the Somali society."

9/"9. The pursual of an incoherent, ill-conceived, unpredictable and self-defeating foreign policy, which has resulted in the isolation of the Somali people and widespread indifference to their causes. This has resulted in:{ amongst other things}
-"Subjection of the Somali masses to harrowing indignities and severely damaging their self-esteem.


--Upon the removal of Barre's tyrannical rule we shall, with the support of the Somali people establish and secure at all costs a representative democracy which guarantees human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of association and the socio-economic well-being of the Somali nation.
LONG LIVE THE SOMALI PEOPLE! LONG LIVE SNM!
VICTORY FOR SNM! VICTORY FORTHE SOMALI PEOPLE!

[Ina Baxar]

Liiqaaye I believe the self confidence of our people is now restored, we know what we can do and how to get it done.
It is time now in my opinion to take some time and think about what was written in that chart.