In December 1993 the goverment decided to reduce unemployment benefit and sickness relief from 90 to 80 IN SOMALIA the warper cent.
The LO national trade union lords are getting restless. federation and Social Demo- Over the last month self cratic Party organised a proclaimed President, 30,000 strong demonstration. General Farah Aideed Party chairman Invar Carisson launched attacks on other made an extremely militant militias fuelling fears speech, full of promises.
among Somalis that war Now the party is in govern.
and war induced famine ment Carisson has cut unemployment and sickness relief may visit them once more.
Since the US pull-out a down to 75 per cent to demonfragile peace has been mainstrate to the market whose side they are really on HT sn csa onacecn Meanwhile the export in- tralised forms of govemment involving clan elders, religdusiry contnues to make nude profits and the Swedish ious leaders and clan-based boulse is ai an dil sime nioh.
The List for Justice has Aideed's personal fief remains South Mogadishu been set up to oppose the attacks. The Socialist Party, Of- while his allies in the Somali fensivand an impressive list of National Alliance (SNA) conunion militants (often members of the Social Democratic in fomict dactator Sind Party) are involved. Barre spent his last days in It gained 14,644 votes, 0.6 power the butt of jokes and per cent of the total. Kjell Pet- "Mayor of idishu", the only part of tersson said "the List's platTorm expresses what the the county bis govemmneo ruled. Aideed and his cabinet majority of people think, even Vol minisieis are anxious the same fate doesn't befall them.
In a show of authority Aideed's militia launched a military assault on the important town of Baidoa which had been controlled by his arch-rival Ali Mahdi of the United Somali Congress.
They won the town but it remains to be seca whether uncy can acep i. Alocco nas also been trying to disarm other militias.
Wealth
However it is the control of arms that has given these clan leaders their power and food, goods and supplies produced and transported throush their zones A number of businessmen inciuoing Alocco s former ally and financier Osman Atto now have militias of their own. Aideed has even had trouble keeping his own supporters occupy Mogadishu Airport and Port under his control. money from the brisk trade abroad in the intoxicant qat and renewed banana exports are fattening the warlords and swelling the coffers of clan militias.
At his victory rally in Baidoa on September 22nd Aideed who is courting international recognition and financial support announced tumed-statesman mode.
They include collection of weapons of all calibres: devising a federal system of goverment and then multi-party elections with the proviso that clan based parties are disalWhile disarmament sounds good to Western goverments and aid agencies it has little relevance to local remunities every home has at least one rifle of colonial vintace to protect their livestock and themselves from bandits and rival clans.
It is not disarmament so much as demilitarisation that ordinary Somalis want. The frecdom to travel without endless harassment by militias regardless of their clan affiliation. The destruction of the "technicals", anti-aircraft guns welded onto pick-up trucks which could blow away a neichbourhood. The removal of clan militias from the political scene.
Lectures
tion to lecture others about forming a non-clan based families that these militias are ranged against. It's their own! Aideed and Ali Mahdi are both members of the Hawiye clan ramiy. any better.
Positive and durable change can only come from the same direction that drove out the UN/US troops and forced the militias to a truce.
That's the women and men who through all adversitics couroods anc villaees win courage and determination. They don chave heavy weapons but they do have high tion centres organised by Natonal Network against Detention and Deportation Protests at Oxford, London, Manchester Hull and Hasiar. Details 0171 837 1450. Mon 15 RACE, Class And Black Struggle 5.30pm - 9.30pm ULU, Malet St. Tickets £5/81. Tel 0171 837 0041. COMEDY night for London Hospital campaigns 7.30pm Wimbledon Theatre SW9: Jo Brand, Mark Thomas, Arthur Smith tel 0181 540 0362 Frl 20 FREE Satpal Ram national demonstration gam Court of Appeal The Strand, London. Details 0121 507 1618, 0114 Sat 28 TUC demonstration: Unite against racism. meet 12 noon Platt Fields for march bulk available free from Kay Carbury at TUC on 0171 636 4030 NOVEMBER Sat 25 STOP hospital closures conference sponsored by London Health Emergency 11.00am to 4.00pm ULU, Malet St. London. WC1
Eyewitness report by Bosnia aid worker SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 91, October 7 1995, Page 11