Somalis Talk Politics

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31993, 21 May 1969, Page 7

Somalis Talk Politics

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) MOGADISHU. A curious mixture of Italian, British and Arab influence still pervades the Republic of Somalia nine years after independence. Mogadishu, the capital, looks very much like an Italian port city such as Bari, but traffic moves British-style on the left. Moorish and Italian architecture blend—both striving for coolness in the torrid climate.

In the evening, a merciful breeze blows off the Indian Ocean and flutters the palm fronds along Mogadishu's streets as the townsfolk sip cold drinks or hot sweet coffee—and inevitably talk politics.

Most of the political talk concerns the elections late last month for the new legislature. About 1000 candidates contested 123 seats amid charges that the ruling Somali Youth League had tried to rig the elections. Although the complete official results are not yet available, the S.Y.L. is expected to remain in power.

Whatever international influences are at work, the Somali is very much an individualist Personalities of the candidates played a large part in the election. The break from colonial rule was comparatively amicable and in Mogadishu’s Central Square, there is still a triumphal arch inscribed to ex-King Umberto, of Italy. Somalia is perhaps unique as an African nation. The Somalis are neither Arabic—although Moslems in religion—nor African.

Originally from the Arabian Peninsula, they have been on the Horn of Africa for nine centuries. The majority, to this day, are basically nomadic herdsmen living traditionally off the milk and meat from their cattle, camels and goats. A sense of nationality and the existence of the Somali language (as yet, unforunat.ely, there is no Somali script) allowed the smooth integration of the formerly Italian

southern half of the country with the formerly British north. It was also this nationalism that provided the mainspring for the republic’s foreign policy towards its neighbours. Written into the Somali Constitution is the need to bring into the republic the “lost” territories, comprising Ethiopia’s Ogaden Province, Kenya’s North-East Province, and the French territory of the Afars and Issas (formerly French Somaliland). In these territories 1,500,000 Somali tribesmen live.

After years of wrangling and fighting, a detente came with the appointment as Prime Minister in 1967 of Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, a shrewd businessman from the north. He believes in negotiation, not force, but is still pledged to create the greater Somali nation. Non-aligned Somalia has its budget deficit underwritten by Italy. The Soviet Union and the United States compete in providing aid. This basically poor country exports livestock to the Middle East, bananas to Italy and even produces frankincense and myrrh. Oil prospecting in the south has so far produced no tangible result. Now hopes are pinned on three western groups—ltalian, West German and American—searching for uranium west of Mogadishu.