[Clandestine] Radio Kulmis (in Somali) to Somalia 1800 GMT

[Announcer] You heard in the previous program about the merger of three Somali political opposition groups. These were among the first groups to form opposition movements. Tonight we have in the studio the three leaders of the organizations to talk to us:
‘Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, previously leader of the Somali Salvation Front, Idris Jama Husayn, previously leader of the Somali Workers Party, and ‘Abd ar-Rahman Aidid Ahmad, previously leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Somalia. All three men are members of the 11-man committee which leads the new front, the Democratic Front for the Salvation of Somalia (DFSS):

[Begin Recording]

[Question] Gentlemen, can you tell us more about the merger or unity you have created? Is it full unity, is it just cooperation, or have you joined in a federation?

[Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed] In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. The question is a very good one and I assure you the answer is not that difficult to comprehend. Our agreement is a full agreement with a united political program a united name, symbol, flag and leadership. This is the highest level of [words indistinct] to come together.

[Question] ‘Abd ar-Rahman, what do you think?

[Abd ar-Rahmann Aidid Ahmad] As Abdullahi has pointed out, the unity is a full unity under one front, the DFSS. This front streamlines the work of those fronts who were all struggling for a cause all come under the DFSS. This is how I explain the full unity of the three fronts. It is not a partial unity, it is not cooperation or a federation, but is one with a single aim, policy and goal.

[Question] Idris Jama, as Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad and ‘Abd ar-Rahman Aidid have explained, the merger of the three fronts is a full unity. This, of course, has been brought about by the pathetic situation into which the Somali masses have been placed by the imperialist puppet, traitor and tribalist, Siad Barre. Injustices have made them unite forces in order to quicken the pace of victory. The talks on the unity and [words indistinct]. Was it a longstanding issue or a recent action taken after a brief meeting?

[Abd ar-Rahman Aidid Ahmad] The process of reaching an agreement lasted a long time. It started in different places, both inside the country and in other countries [words indistinct] The basic meetings were held inside the country [words indistinct]. When it was necessary to tackle issues on politics and technology, meetings were held in foreign countries. What I am getting at is that it took at least 6 months to come to a merger.

[Question] Many Somalis believe that your three former groups had different policies and conflicting ideologies. Is there any truth in this, and if so how can this unity work? I shall first start with you, Idris Jama.

[Idris Jama Husayn] Thank you, Muhammad. It is true that the three groups now united in the DFSS had different programs, as you have been told by my brother, ‘Abd ar-Rahman Aidid. Despite this, the major aims uniting them are elaborated in the program of the new front. I shall quote a few articles from it:

The forces from the above groups which today joined in the new front unanimously agree on toppling the dictatorial terrorist regime in our mother country; they are committed to closing the military bases given to the Americans; they are committed to destroying the repressive machinery used to cause suffering to the Somali people; they are committed to establishing a national administration based on democratic socialism enabling the Somali people to participate in formulating its policy, to be part of the administration and to be a major force behind the implementation of its policy.

These objectives formed the basis of unity among the three groups and thus one can see that there can be no tactic or political policy that can break them. Their unity will grow stronger day by day and cannot be destroyed.

[Abd ar-Rahman Aidid Ahmad] Every program aimed at determining a nation’s destiny has a mechanism to determine that the proper course has been taken and mistakes corrected. The point is: How should we go about promoting the nation’s overall interests so that there can be no misunderstanding? Whatever is said about the existence of differences should be regarded as an attempt to divide the forces fighting for freedom. What we face today is one thing, namely saving the Somali people, safeguarding their traditions and culture and uniting and holding our nation together. What we want is to share resources equitably, to secure the freedom of the individual Somali with his views and thoughts, and to share his views in the decisionmaking process. There are no contradictions in this respect. As regards the long term aims of international society, there is no country where there is complete agreement. Matters should be discussed democratically with everyone on equal terms.

[Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed] Muhammad, since the Somali nation’s freedom and existence are in jeopardy, as has been shown in the program and the statement of the DFSS, I think everything else should be subservient to the Somali nation’s interests. It is in the service of this aim that we have merged. It is a fact that we were fronts that have now become a single front. A front and a party are different. It is, therefore, possible that when the Somali people say so, they may be thinking that all opposition groups belong to one party, and people join parties for their policies. As for fronts, it is possible that some of our members may have different views, but these views are less important than the interests of the Somali people who must get rid of oppression.

Anyone who has different views can put them to the Somali people in a democratic manner later on and the Somali people will be able to support him or oppose him. This is provided for in the program, but the time for it has not yet come, because it is the Somali people who will decide later.

As regards having identical views on the program, both Jama and Aidid have expressed themselves. Therefore, contrary to what people think, there are no differences among us regarding the interests of the Somali people, be it on internal policy, foreign policy, economic or social policies.

We all agree that on foreign policy we should be and [word indistinct] and Somalia, after Siad Barre, becomes a nonaligned country, a country whose nonalignment will be real. We all agree that colonialism must be fought and our people’s freedom and dignity safeguarded. We all agree that peoples fighting for their freedom, such as Zimbabwe, Palestine, South Africa, and other peoples in that category should be fully supported. We are also unanimous on the immediate removal of foreign bases from our country, as was said by Jama, because they threaten the existence, freedom and dignity of the Somali people. We also agree on preserving world peace and on Somalia’s participation in the activities of international bodies and the preservation of the rights and charters of those institutions.

_{FBIS-MEA-81-203, 21 Oct. 1981, pp. R3-R5}