[Clandestine] Radio Kulmis (in Somali) to Somalia 1800 GMT –[Live interview granted by Acting Chairman of the Somali Salvation Front Col. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed to unidentified announcer]

[Announcer] Here with us in the studio tonight is the acting chairman of the Somali Salvation Front (SSF), Col Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad. Since Colonel Abdullahi is an expert in military affairs and there is a great setback in the defense of our country, I have a few questions to ask him. The so-called commander of the Somali Armed Forces, Umar Haji (Masaleh), recently made an extensive visit to America. What could have been gained from such a visit? What harm might it cause? What can be achieved from it? Colonel Abdullahi, please discuss these points.

[Abdullahi Yusuf] In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. Before I discuss Umar, his visit to America and its outcome, I would like to congratulate the Somali people, the world Muslim community and in particular the SSF forces on their celebration of Eid al-Fitr today. I hope that in defense of their religion, integrity and independence, they will stand fast against the murderous regime headed by Siad Barre, which has been ruling our country for 12 years. Unless the Somali people act now, their existence, integrity and Islamic religion will cease to be.

To turn now to Umar Haji (Masaleh), who recently made a 4-month visit to America, I would like to inform the Somali people that under Siad’s regime, Somalia has ceased to be respected.

Somalia has lost on the political and diplomatic fronts. Somalia is isolated both internally and externally. Its social and economic progress is almost at a standstill and its independence is faltering. Such is the situation obtaining at the time that the SSF is leading the Somali masses toward liberation from the grip of the Siad Barre regime, which is now faltering and its days are numbered.

The imperialist countries, led by the United States, are seeking to intervene in Somalia’s internal affairs and in the process of bringing their interests to fruition they are working all-out to install a stooge in Somalia because they know that Siad cannot last long. With this in mind they have started grooming Umar Haji (Masaleh), who has risen in military seniority since Siad’s coming to power. Closely related to Siad, he has fully participated in the suppression of the Somali people.

Being a senior army officer, they believe they can turn him into a stooge who can serve their interests. This is because they have studied him as a man; they have studied his aims and ambitions, his intelligence and the suffering he has inflicted upon the Somali people. They have studied his wish to remain safely in his position and his desire for power.

So, in order to have an instant replacement for Siad as soon as he falls, they have started grooming Umar Haji (Masaleh) to fill the gap. This is why he was recently invited to visit the United States, where he was taken to a number of military bases and defense installations to flatter him and impress upon him the United State’s military might and thus to be led into foolishly believing that the United States is the world’s most powerful nation.

Umar Haji was warmly welcomed in the United States. He was given a reception never before given to any Somali leader, not even to Siad when he recently visited the United States with a ministerial delegation.

After returning to Mogadishu from the United Sates, Umar Haji started saying openly that if Mohammed Ali Samatar, who had been given the defense portfolio as soon as Siad Barre took power in Somali, was not removed from his posts, which included that of defense minister, commander of the Somali Armed Forces and a senior post in Siad’s so-called party, the U.S. Administration would not help and support Somali as was expected.

Although it is true that Ali Samatar is also a Siad stooge and one who damaged the Somali nation, it appears that the United States did not regard him as capable of providing Umar Haji with a role in which he could serve American interests. Thus, Umar Haji, by putting over the message of the United States ordering that he should replace Ali Samatar, won his victory. But Umar Haji is weak and shortsighted, incapable of detecting U.S. interests in the move. Umar Haji made the Americans a promise and has now put himself at the disposal of the U.S. imperialist administration.

Soon after outmaneuvering Ali Samantar, whose powers were handed over to him, Umar Haji ordered all the Somali Armed Forces to cooperate fully with and hide nothing from the American officer assigned to them. He should have free access to all military camps and be given full cooperation by the armed forces in any Somali Democratic Republic matter.

Soon after taking over the defense portfolio, Umar Haji summoned all the senior officers and ordered them to tell the American officer anything he wanted to know about the armed forces. Umar Haji also told the American officer he was free to contact all the Somali Democratic Republic Armed Forces direct, without even going through him.

After Ali Samantar’s removal, the armed forces were affected by doubts and disputes. As these surfaced, Siad Barre himself called a special meeting of senior armed forces officers at Defense Headquarters. He told them that Ali Samantar had not been demoted, but had actually been promoted. It is remarkable that Siad Barre should have said that Ali Samantar had been promoted, inasmuch as the latter was never given a post.

Ali Samantar, who attended that meeting, also addressed the senior officer of the Somali Armed Forces, telling them, perhaps out of fear of being liquidated, that members of the armed forces of all ranks should not bother thinking about his posts being taken over by Umar Haji (Masaleh), but concentrate instead on defending the Somali Democratic Republic.

But Ali Samantar was speaking with a forked tongue. What he perhaps really meant was: I have known the truth all along, so you, members of the Somali Armed Forces secure the interests of the people and country by opposing Umar Haji, who has taken over the Somali defense portfolio.

Soon after that, Umar Haji summoned and held a meeting with senior officers of the Somali Democratic Republic Armed Forces in the presence of the U.S. military attache in Somalia. Those present were: Brig Gen Mohamed Ali Abokor, a senior army officer; Brig Gen Mohamed Utmad Warsame, director of the forces hospital; Lt. Col Abdi Yusuf, Somali Democratic Republic General Headquarters deputy commander; and Col Mohamed Mahmud (Bardale), deputy commander of the Air Force.

It was at that meeting that Umar Haji gave orders entitling the U.S. military attache to communicate directly with them to ask about anything he liked anything without being kept from him and to be free to enter any camp at any time he liked.

What this amounts to is that the Somali Democratic Republic Armed Forces and the country’s independence and defenses have now passed under the control of the U.S. military attache, while Umar Haji (Maseleh) has either unwittingly, or possible in response to high expectations whispered to him by the U.S. Administration; completely surrendered to the latter and become its absolute stooge. It is regrettable that today the Somali Armed Forces, the defenders of Somalia’s territorial integrity and its entire defense system are in the hands of the United States.

Another clear illustration of the fact that the United States is in effective control of Somalia’s defense system is what took place on 4 July, U.S. Independence Day:

The entire Somali Armed Forces were ordered to celebrate and mark it with fanfares as if it had been a Somali national day. So, U.S. Independence Day was warmly celebrated by all units of the Somalia Democratic Republic Armed Forces in all camps.

At National Defense Headquarters, at all battalion headquarters and all army, air force and other defense camps, instead of the beloved Somali Democratic Republic flag and those of the various units of the Somali Democratic Republic Armed Forces being flown, it was the U.S. flag that was hoisted.

Now that the U.S. has been flown in Mogadishu, our national capital, there is nothing left for the Somali people. For when you consider this event seriously, coupled with the sale of our territory through giving the United States bases such as those in the towns of Berbera Kismayu and Balidogle–that and the hoisting of the American flag over our national Defense Headquarters–then you will realize that our country has been completely sold out to the American imperialists.

All you can do now is go to war.

Those who understand the situation prevailing in Somali are already fighting.

Those of you who are enlightened and still in Somalia should set forth before it is too late and join in the liberation war, which is already in progress.

Join us before our religion, culture and dignity fall under imperialist America’s domination.

[Announcer] Thank you, Colonel Abdullahi. You have shown how Somali forces and territory are falling under foreign domination and manipulation. We must not allow this to happen for as long as there is a single Somali still alive.

_{FBIS-MEA-81-143, 3 Aug. 1981, pp. R2-R4}