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THE FORMATION OF THE SOMALI NATIONAL MOVEMENT
S N M
The formation of the Somali National Movement ( SNM )
was sparked by that general mass discontent with Siad
Barre’s Regime. The initiative was made by members of
the Isaac Com munities outside the country particularly
in the United Kingdom and the Middle East, who were free
from the intimidation and repression of the regime. In
late 1978 and early 1979 mobilizations intended to
upgrade the consciousness of the Somali people started
within the country. Committees comprising of elders or
community leaders, officers, intellectuals, business
people, students, youth and civil servants started
underground campaigns in an effort to educate the people
against the evils of the Siad Barre’s regime.
At this stage in the SNM history Siyad has openly
engaged in divisive and sectarian clan politics to
discredit and lobby for caesura of that internal
mobilization. He has created bandits who were armed by
the government and were in the military payroll to
destroy total communities to instill harassment and
intimidation in those communities. During 1979 to 1980
hundreds of people, mostly women and children were
massacred around Gabiley, Wajale, and Allay Baday areas.
The opposition from within and from without the country
had contacts and a smooth follow of communication for
quite a considerable time. On April 6, 1981 the Somali
National Move ment ( SNM ) was officially proclaimed as
an opposition organization in London, UK. In Nove mber
1981 the residents of hargeyisa initiated self-help
programs intended to upgrade the educational and health
facilities of their community. 38 young professionals,
intellectuals, and businessmen who were the leading
organizers of the community project were impriso ned,
some of them tortured. In February 1982 they received
sentences ranging from two years to life. As a result,
the first anti-government riots broke out in Hargiesa ,
Burao, and Sheikh Secondary Students in Sheikh. This
marked the first head-on confrontation betwe en the
public and the regime. Siad Barre who had never
experienced open public unrest was caught by surprise.
Consequently, he started a Hitler-like repression
comprising of detentions, tortures, and execution.
Almost a year after the formation of SNM in London the
internal wing of the SNM took a historic and daring
move. A decision was made to establish the movement in
Ethiopia. In February 1982 prominent high-ranking
military officers and other government officials started
deserting the regime. A week after the execution of
Colonel Abdillahi Haji Saeed in Dharkeen Geeye, Near
Burao by the regime’s man (Gani “ He Paid the price on
the hard way), the first such officers crossed the
border. Among them were Colonel Adan Sheikh Mohamed (
shiine ) “PBOH”, Colonel Ahmed Dahir ( Dhagax ) “ PBOH”,
and Colonel Mohamed Kahin Ahmed.
With the acceptance of the Ethiopia government the SNM
Executive Committee, therefore moved from London to the
Somali populated areas in Ethiopia in order to keep the
movem ent close to home. They started setting up offices
and training camps. within very short period of time
groups of military officers, soldiers, intellectuals,
businessmen, and students crossed the border and joined
the movement. Area nomads and villagers also joined and
signed up for their training programs. Surprisingly the
SNM started attacks against the reg ime almost
immediately. In those attacks the SNM has inflicted
great damages on Faqashi’s troops. They also confiscated
combat as well as transport vehicles, arms ammunition
and communication equipments.
Following those successful attacks the SNM established
more then 10 bases in the North, Central and southern
border areas within a year. The SNM, therefore, got
engaged in hig hly sophisticated operations of national
and international significance. In January 1983 the SNM
forces fulfilled a major operation at Mandhera Maximum
Security Prison. In the opera tion the SNM liberated
hundreds of political prisoners. They also killed more
than 130 soldi ers from the Mandhera and Adadley
garrisons. In a retaliatory move the regime executed 55
civilians in Adadley, Mandhera, and Go’a area. More then
one thousand were detained by the regime’s military and
NSS.
On April 12, 1983, in a spectacular rescue mission, the
SNM forces freed Colonel Abdillahi Askar from the highly
fortified prison of the 26th sector of the Somali army.
He was caught in Hargeisa by the security forces while
fulfilling a secret mission with the SNM internal wing.
Colonel Abdillahi Askar who was savagely tortured with
candles and cigarettes was to be executed the day
following the evening he was rescued.
When Siad Barre realized the threat that the SNM poses
to his dictatorial regime and the popular support it
enjoys both in and outside the country, he “ Afweyne”
started to fight with the SNM and its supporters
ferociously. Those who lived under his jurisdiction were
those who were hit hard. They have suffered:
Indiscriminate detentions, imprisonment, and massacres.
Looting and constant confiscations of private
properties.
Total blockade of food and fuel supplies.
Denial of access to water supplies during the dry
seasons.
Destruction or poisoning of water reservoirs and
watering wells
Burning down of entire villages and communities
Children killed and women raped.
Other communities who live in the areas where the SNM
activities are prevalent have exp erienced a similar but
a different kind of warfare. Afweyne Barre disguised
some of his re gular troops as marauding bandits licensed
to plunder and exterminate both human lives and their
livestock. The concerned communities with the assistance
of the SNM responded to Afweyne’s barbarous raids by not
only defending themselves but by also making coun ter
attacks against the combined Afweyne forces. In these
counter attacks Afweyne’s Troops suffered a severe
damage. The following is an estimated damage that was
inflicted on the Afweyne Troops:
In Mahollin area, south of Gashamo, the regime lost more
than 450 soldiers in 1982 and 1984. The area residents
captured military documents, communication equipments,
small arms and ammunition.
In Xaye and Qararo area it lost more than 350 including
3 officers. The area residents seized two jeeps, and
armored personnel carrier ( APC ) and three army trucks.
IN Aware area Afweyne troops suffered 250 casualties in
1984 they also left behind various military equipments.
It is extremely important to mention here that the SNM
has prevented a genocide that was in the making. If the
regime and its organization bandits were not checked by
the forces of the area communities supported by the SNM,
It is a historical fact that large portions of the
Somali people would have been eliminated from the face
of the earth.
The capability of the Barre troops was greatly severed
in the above-mentioned operatio ns. The SNM on its part
continued to wage constant attacks on Afweyne’s troops
inside the country and forced them to opt for a
defensive strategy. A Foreign correspondent describing
the situation of the Afweyne armed forces in March 1984
wrote, “ The Somali army did not perform to any
standard. The inefficiency of the Somali armed forces is
lege ndary among foreign military experts. Last month
Somalia shot down one of its own nine functioning
aircrafts. Military officials in Somalia have grown
disgusted with the performan ce of the Somali army and
its inability to keep anything working”.
On the other hand SNM has been growing a gaining
momentum day after day. At this stage in the struggle of
the SNM to liberate the country, Afweyne Barre has
desperately pulled some embarrassing tricks in an
attempt to weekend the position of the SNM. The
following will be the different political games played
by Afweyne Barre to strengthen his position against the
MUJAAHIDIIN SNM.
LA SOCO XILIYADA DANBE///
ANIIS ABDILLAHI ESSA
FOUNDER AND HEAD OF
SOMALILAND ADVOCACY GROUP
WASHINGTON DC USA
ANIIS@YAHOO.COM
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