The Rebirth
of Somaliland (5)
The Formation of the SNM and Liberation Struggle
(Dr Hussein Nur)
Somalia’s relationship with the Soviet Union ruptured abruptly and
was brought to a sud den halt during the 1977/78 Somali-Ethiopian.
From the champion of ‘Scientific Socialism’ and the arch-enemy of
American ‘Imperialism’ in Africa, Barre turned to west especially
the USA self-disguised as an actor acting as the prosecuted victim
of “International Com munism”. In reality it was only a political
gimmick with a ceremonial dance. He was playi ng a game. The Somali
forces were defeated in the war as the Soviets turned sides
provi ding arsenal (more superior than the one he used to give to
Somalia) together with alliance of armed forces from socialist
satellite countries (Cuba, South Yemen, Libya etc.).
The defeat of the Somali armed forces was one of the chief catalytic
factors that encouraged and speeded the rise of liberation struggles
by organised dissident groups, firstly by the SSDF (Somali Salvation
Democratic Front) and shortly afterwards by the SNM (Somali National
Movement by the people of the North. At the end of the war,
disappointments and differences cropped up with the Barre’s
leadership and diplomatic blunders. The existing internal dissent
before the war was rekindled and openly surfaced giving rise to the
emergence of opposition groups.
The formation of the SNM
For more than three decades, the Somaliland-Somalia foundation of
relationship in the union was shaky and going with less confidence.
Northern people finally completely lost trust. The democratic
compact got threatened. Meanwhile Barre leashed persistent campaigns
of terror against Somaliland people in North ending with upsurge of
dissent. Disaffection and disenchantment rose on a steeply rising
gradient and took an extra dimension. The economic and development
disparity between Mogadishu and regions of Somalia and Somaliland,
the injustices and extreme discrimination increased and led to form
breeding grounds for rise of armed dissidents resulting from
build-up of tensions in the north.
As part of that repression and direct discriminations of the
northerners, a wholesale sacking of 75 top civil servants in
government top portfolios and offices (Osman Ahmed Hassan, Omer
Meygag Samatar, Hassan Meygag Samatar, Hassan Aden wadadiid, Abdi
Haybe, Said Abdillahi Hinig, Sheikh Yusuuf Sheikh Ali Sheikh Madar,
Ismail Hurre (Buba) few among others) was made by Barre in a single
day. That formed another main catalytic factor for dissidence
formation. Licences and Letters of credit were withdrawn from the
northern merchants such Mohamed Hassan Dalab (aka ina Hassan Dalab)
as far as I remember. In sum, the end product was loss of loyalty
for the government in the north which eventually escalated to an
open dissent and preparations for the formation of a political
movement.
Secret talks were organised between northerners in the military
force (Mohamed Hashi Lixle was he coordinator) with top government
members (dissented Somali Revolutionary Council (SRC) and politburo
members and high ranking government officers of northern origin such
as Ismail Ali Abokor, Omer Arteh Ghalib, Jama Mohamed Ghalib,
Sueliman Mohamed Aden, Dahir Warsame, Osman Ali Jama (Osman Kalun),
Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo (president of Somaliland between 2010
to 2017), and intellectuals (Suleiman Nuh, Abdi Ismail Duse and
others). Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, a military colonel, provided a
detailed account of the dynamics of the preparation and internal
movements for the formation of the Somali National Movement
opposition (as reported elsewhere I a forthcoming book – The Rebirth
of Somaliland). The formation of the SNM as an opposition force
developed in stages.
By the early 1970s there was already an underground network but
still not structured as organisation. The politicians and officers
from the armed forces, high ranking government civil servants and
the intellectuals used to meet up covertly and furtively. Similarly
secret activities were being conducted in the diaspora especially in
the Gulf region, Europe and North America. The different groups were
intimately linked together. In Saudi Arabia they were Hassan Aden
Wadadid, Abdisalan Yasin, Mohamed Hashi Elmi and Ahmed Ismail Abdi (Duqsi)
as the vanguard group. The group visited London to discuss with the
UK-based intellectuals including Hassan Essa Jama, Abdirahman
Abdulqadir, Ibrahim Sh. Muse Ahmed, Aden Warsame Said, Ibrahim Ali
Weyrah, Abdillahi Ahmed Guleid and others. The Middle East group,
especially the Saudi Arabia group, suggested the production of an
opposition journal in the diaspora in London. However, that was not
possible. In a second visit to London by the same group plans to
launch an opposition organisation in Britain was agreed as the
requisite for an opposition organisation became eminent. That
subsequently led to the formation of the SNM opposition which was
officially launched on 6th April 1981 in London. Ahmed Mohamed
Gulaid and Ahmed Ismail Abdi (Duqsi) were elected as the Chairman
and Secretary of the movement respectively. Soon afterwards there
was a need for establishing a military wing to carry an armed
struggle and liberation.
Soon afterwards, the SNM Office in London became the organisation’s
Headquarters and subsidiary offices were opened in other parts of
the world across Europe and North America (Washington D.C, USA
headed by late Ibrahim Meygag Samatar) and throughout the UK
(Cardiff, Sheffield, Liverpool and Manchester) and Europe.
The people who were the force behind the formation of the SNM are
divided into categories. One, a group was already out of the
country. This group consisted of ex-civil servants, politicians etc.
who left the country, many of whom in the Gulf countries, Europe and
North America. Two, a strong group was inside the country consisting
of politicians, intellectuals, government officers and civil
servants, businessmen etc. in Mogadishu and in the North. However,
there was a third component. That was the first armed organised
group, an already armed militia group called AFRAAD, led by Mohamed
Ali Farah and his friend Mohamed Ali Nur. They were both highly
trained military officers and tacticians trained in Syria and with
an experience of guerrilla warfare. They both trained with the
Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Lebnon. Most of the
military officers of northern origin were stationed in the North and
Central regions. An important sub-group who provided support and
working with the inside group was the business people, traders and
merchants and the public who generously financed all activities.
There were internal coordinators for the SNM inside the country
(Colonels Mohamed Hashi ‘Lihle and Ahmed Mohamed Hala’) between the
high ranking government civil servants and officials including
Ministers and intellectuals such as Abdi Ismail Duse and Suleiman
Nuh and Dr Mohamed Ismail Abdi (Diktorka).
The AFRAAD militia members were recruited from the local areas. It
was a highly trained armed militia group initially incorporated with
the WSLF sponsored by the Somali government to fight Ethiopia.
AFRAAD had long standing differences with the WSLF. It took part in
the 1977/78 war with high performance. AFRAAD, being consisted of
fighters of northern origin, broke away from the WSLF. Mohamed Ali
and his militia became independent group fighting for the rights of
the local people of northern origin. They camped at a tree named as
the ‘Mohamed Ali Tree’ (between Geedbladh and Tog-Wajale) by the
border with Ethiopia though moved later to a place called
‘Siyaarada’ on the Ethiopian side of the border. In the North there
was an important sub-group, the students in schools who dared later
to conduct persistent open public protests using stone throwing,
intifada style.
In early 1982 in Mogadishu, the SNM decided to secretly support 8
officers from the national army and help them to defect to join the
SNM in Ethiopia. The first wave five military officers made the
defection (from the Somali army) successfully. In January 1982, the
first two officers who defected were Colonels Aden sheikh Mohamed
(Aden Shine) and Ahmed Dahir Nur (Ahmed Dhagax). While on holidays,
they managed to cross the border to Ethiopia at a place known as
‘Qudhaca’ to join the SNM in Ethiopia. In February 1982 Colonel
Mohamed Kahin Ahmed (the current Minister of Interior of Somaliland)
defected after them. He was successfully followed by a wave of
officers in different time frames. Immediately after Mohamed Kahin,
three other colonels joined him in Ethiopia. They were the three
Adams: Adam Musa Jibril, Adam Suleiman and Adam Mohamed Samakab.
Within a short period, groups of high ranking officers from inside
and abroad and ex-civil servant civilians living in the diaspora
(especially Middle East) joined them in Ethiopia as delegates for an
SNM conference from different parts of the world. From London came
the first Executive Committee members of the SNM (Ahmed Ismail Duqsi
who was the Acting Chair and Secretary at the time, Hassan Essa Jama
and others), others from the Arabian Gulf countries, Egypt (Cairo)
etc. Among the high ranking officers who joined us were: Abdulqadir
Kosar, Ali Ismail (Ali Hayan), Abdi Ibrahim (Jaalladiid) from Qatar;
Musa Nadif, Madaxdiid, Abdillahi Abdi Obsiye (Uddo), Dayib Gurey,
Musa Bihi Abdi, Abdillahi Hussein ‘Dhegaweyne’, Abokor Ismail Hassan
Mattaan (Abokor Shadh-yare), Shakib Suldan Abdulqadir, Gacmadheere,
Salebaan pilot, Ismail Aden Filiste, Tarandad, Mohamed Mirre,
Hussein Dheere, Abdirahman Huunsho, Mohamed Ali Farah Food, Hassan
Selim, Abdisamed, Abdillahi Askar and many others. Most of them were
in Mogadishu for transfers from the North by the Division Commander
of the North, General Mohamed Gani as suspects for defections.
The SNM first conference at Nazaret, near Addis Ababa. The civilians
who attended were from Saudi Arabia. Hassan Adan Wadadid, Mohamed
Hashi Elmi, Osman Ahmed Hassan, Hassan Khalif, Ahmed Kayse (from
Jedda) and Zaki Ahmed, Mohamed Yussuf Adde and Abdisalan Yasin (from
Riyadh). Intellectuals like Mohamed Warsame Hadrawi, Rashid
Abdillahi (Gadhweyne), Mohamed Hashi Dhama (Gariye), Farah Ali
Gamute, Yasin Nur, Gariye, Abdirahman Yusuf Duale (Boobe) and
Mohamed Jama also attended. Soon afterwards a wave of intellectuals
arrived from the inside the country. Dr Mohamed Ismail Abdi
(Diktorka was one of them. The first military officers joined from
the diaspora included Abdulqadir Kosar (from Qadar), Musa Bihi (the
current president) from USA, Ali Hayan and others.
The first batch of commando training school was established at
Babuli by Colonel Ahmed Mire. The military wing was finally in form.
Operations started soon after recruitments and short training and
refresher courses for the fighters. (CONTINUED)
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