From: ww@nyxfer.UUCP
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: Resistance,Resentment Grow in Somal
Date: 26 Jan 93 06:34:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:ZJXyXB3w165w@nyxfer.uucp:136879252:000:3479
Nf-From: nyxfer.uucp!ww    Jan 25 22:34:00 1993


Subject: Resistance,Resentment Grow in Somalia
From: nyxfer!ww (Workers World Service)


Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit


RESISTANCE AND RESENTMENT GROW IN SOMALIA

By Monica Moorehead

"The way I see it," said Abdurahman Ali Jama, a leader of the 
Islamic Union in Somalia, "the Americans are an occupation 
force."

Jama's statement reflects a growing and deepening resentment 
towards the omnipresent U.S. military occupation of Somalia, 
which has entered its second month with more killings of the same
Somali people these troops were supposed to be "rescuing."

Everywhere the marines go, they are met with angry resistance by 
Somalis of all ages who are fed up with the brutality shown 
towards them, especially by white marines. There are also growing
signs of morale problems within the U.S. military, especially 
among African Americans who see their white counterparts dishing 
out heavy doses of racist abuse toward the Somalis. 

The longer the marines are there, the more obvious become the 
real aims and objectives of the U.S. toward Somalia and the Horn 
of Africa in general. This occupation reeks of the old style of 
colonialism that emerged at the end of the last century.

Somalia borders the Red Sea and is very strategic for the U.S., 
since it provides a direct path to the Middle East. In fact, a 
U.S. aircraft carrier based in the Red Sea launched deadly 
Tomahawk cruise missiles at Baghdad during the recent attacks on 
Iraq.

SETTING UP PUPPET COUNCILS

Now the Pentagon is attempting to set up local authorities 
beholden to the U.S. occupiers. An article entitled "Marines in 
Somalia try to rebuild a town council" (New York Times, Jan. 18) 
reveals how clumsy these efforts are. In the name of teaching 
Somalis about "democracy," the marines are trying to organize 
collaborators into a "security committee" in Baidoa, a town hard 
hit for years by famine. If this trial committee is deemed a 
"success," other committees could be established in other towns 
composed of Somalis loyal to the U.S. who would feel obliged to 
rubberstamp all the actions of the Marine brass.

These puppet councils could serve to usurp the cease fire accord 
signed by 14 different Somali groupings at a U.S.-sponsored 
conference in Ethiopia.

Colonel Werner Hellmer, who heads up the U.S. civilian-military 
operations team, sounded like the typical arrogant Western 
"missionary" when he said, "It's been interesting to note how the
Somalis have progressed in four weeks, people with virtually no 
experience in self-government." 

U.S. taxpayers will be feeling this invasion in another 
way--their wallets. The Defense Department released figures 
estimating the cost (so far) of military operations in Somalia at
$583 million. This money could have been used to begin the 
process of restoring the devastated cities here by funding jobs 
building roads, bridges, parks, housing, etc. Once again a 
military invasion takes precedence over the needs of the people.

 
                               -30-

Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if
source is cited. For more info contact Workers World, 46 West 21st
Street, New York, NY 10010; e-mail: ww%nyxfer@igc.apc.org or
workers@mcimail.com.


+        Join Us! Support The NY Transfer News Collective        +
+       We deliver uncensored information to your mailbox!       +
+ Modem: 718-448-2358 FAX: 718-448-3423 e-mail: nyxfer@panix.com +