Tehran Resalat (in Persian), pg. 3

(Interview with General Farah Aideed, leader of the Somali National Alliance, by an unidentified Africa Events magazine correspondent in “the center of Mogadishu”)

In May, the United Nations sent its troops to Somalia, which can perhaps be considered the greatest interventionist operation by that organization. The peaceful UN operations, however, have metamorphosed into a disaster.

The so-called humanitarian operations have degenerated into a bloody war.

In June alone, more than 150 Somalis were killed in UN attacks and 35 “blue berets” were killed, which represents the highest number of casualties ever sustained by that organization.

The United Nations blames all its sins on General Farah Aideed! In an unprecedented order it has also issued instructions for the arrest of Aideed, who is the leader of the largest Somali movement, the Somali National Alliance. Following the storming of his residence by UN soldiers on 17 June, the 59-year-old Aideed began his life in hiding.

In this interview, which took place in the center of Mogadishu, for the first time Aideed has elaborated on the incidents pertaining to his clash with the United Nations:

[Resalat] What is your reaction regarding the UN version of these events?

[Aideed] I do not accept the UN explanations regarding the 5 June events, which began with the UN forces’ attack on Radio Mogadishu. The people of Mogadishu then staged demonstrations protesting the attack. The UN forces were dispatched to all the areas and they fired on innocent and defenseless people who were merely expressing their sentiments. The people clashed with the UN forces and American soldiers and a large number of them were killed.

In any case, the people were able to take back Radio Mogadishu. There was no attack on our part; the people had launched this attack. The claim that we attacked them is baseless and the report by the UN force commander to the Security Council is completely groundless and misleading.

The Security Council made its decisions on the basis of this report, which was a rather hasty step. I have reiterated that the United Nations should only take such measures when it has carried out independent and impartial investigations. It should only decide on the basis of facts.

[Resalat] The United Nations has issued orders for your arrest. What is your opinion?

[Aideed] The issuing of such an order for my arrest is illegal. I have not committed any crimes. The aggressive actions of the United Nations and Americans have resulted in the killing of a large number of people and they have sustained immense losses. The criminals are those who have issued instructions for the killing of the Somali people and for destroying their property.

[Resalat] What is your opinion of the accusations that your people are responsible for killing the UN soldiers?

[Aideed] The fighting began when the UN and U.S. forces fired on the protesters and the people reacted. None of our forces resorted to firing, as I do not have any forces. The Somali National Alliance has been disarmed and we do not have any armed units. The United Nations is well aware of that. We are tired of the repeated remarks of the UN officials in New York and the U.S. ambassador in Mogadishu who keep saying that we initiated a war and have killed UN soldiers.

These allegations are completely groundless. The UN and U.S. forces initiated the war and they bombed the private and government buildings and killed a large number of people. Even a hospital in Mogadishu was attacked and bombed by a helicopter.

[Resalat] If you are truly innocent, why do you not come out of your hideout and confront the UNOSOM (the UN Operation in Somalia) outright?

[Aideed] I do not trust those who have attacked the people of Mogadishu, killed them, destroyed their property, and are proclaiming that General Aideed and his forces have initiated the war and the massacres. The United Nations is not neutral. Only when an impartial and independent delegation comes to Somalia on a factfinding mission and informs the people of the world of the actual situation will I be able to trust them.

[Resalat] The United Nations states that the buildings which were attacked were secret arms and ammunition dumps.

[Aideed] There were no arms or ammunition in the bombed premises; what has been destroyed was only agricultural machinery, spare parts, a cigarette and match factory, private houses such as mine and that of Osman Ato.

The only service the UNOSOM and Americans can provide is to assist us in our quest for national reconciliation and peace. What they are actually doing is trying to annihilate the leaders of the various movements and those who love their country.

They wish to establish a judiciary in Somalia and they have a very unpleasant attitude toward the Somali people. They are tormenting and torturing the Somali people and arresting and killing them. At present hundreds of Somalis are in UN prisons.

They do not have the right to set up a judiciary in our country. The role of the United Nations should be to assist the Somali people and not to impose on them what they do not want. Such measures are not to the benefit of the Somali people.

[Resalat] You are living in Mogadishu at present. Do you not intend to leave the capital?

[Aideed] No. I will remain with the people in Mogadishu to help them. I wish to live alongside them and to share their tribulations and sorrows. I hope that we will be successful in attaining our objectives and in opposing the imperialistic actions against our people and country.

[Resalat] The United Nations is after you. What will you do?

[Aideed] I live here in my city along with my people. God and the people will support me. Therefore, I do not have any fear or qualms regarding their pursuit of me.

[Resalat] In case they find you, then what will happen?

[Aideed] I believe that the people will defend me, as the efforts to arrest me are illegal. They know what has happened. The Somali people are well aware of the unjust actions of the UN forces.

[Resalat] Are you not apprehensive of their success?

[Aideed] I do not think that they will be successful. You know that my wishes are the same as those of my nation. If you cast a glance at history, you will realize that no one can deter the will of a nation. No one could thwart the path of the nations that struggled for freedom, justice, peace and development; and they succeeded. This is my belief.