WSLF REPORT "Conditions For Resolving The Western

Somali Issue"

April 29th 1981

''Voice of Western Somali and Somali Abo Liberation Fronts'' in Somali 0930 gmt 29 Apr 81

Text of report

The years 1977 through to 1980 were years when the world was looking at the Horn of Africa with keen interest, and particularly at the Western Somalis. That was due to the war being waged by the Western Somali liberation forces against the Abyssinian blackcolonialist soldiers and the interference by foreign forces, led by Russia.

That was said in a report from the information bureau of the WSLF yesterday. The report said that the interference by the foreign forces had increased the problems in the area and at the same time threatened the lives of people living in the area of the Red Sea and the Gulf.

After the situation in Afghanistan, the Iraq-Iran war and the confused situation in Poland, it can be seen that the Russian expansionist policy has spread and therefore the issue in the Horn of Africa has merited particular consideration.

On 22nd April 1981 the BBC broadcast a commentary about the Western Somali territorial issue and how it relates to neighbouring countries, and also about the raising of the Western Somali issue at the forthcoming OAU conference to be held in Nairobi in July.

The question is, said the WSLF report, how is this issue of the WSLF going to be viewed and what groups are to participate. The WSLF is of the opinion that no initiatives will succeed if the people concerned are not consulted. The WSLF issue came to light as a result of the genuine armed struggle waged by the Western Somali people, who are fighting for self-determination.

The WSLF makes the following points to the world, for solving the Western Somali issue:

(1) The Mengistu regime should recognize the WSLF as the legitimate and sole representative of the Western Somali people;

(2) the Western Somali people should be allowed to run their own affairs without any preconditions and at the same time all foreign forces should be withdrawn from Western Somali territory.

Source: WSLF Radio