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of the African Virtual University-Indiana University of Pennsylvania Partnership.

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SNM Women association calls for help

The Somali National Movement’s  women association has called for help to the SNM’s needy people. Anisa H. Abbi, Director General of SNM’s women association said that the SNM war-widows and their children are the most needy people in Somaliland society.

Speaking on a special ceremony held at Mansor hotel in Hargeisa to commemorate 16thanniversary of SNM invasion of Burou and Hargeisa  in  1988 Anisa reminded participants that hundreds of mothers lost either their husbands, sons  or  daughters in the struggle for freedom of Somaliland.

“I was widowed and left with two children in the 1984 guerilla operations inSomaliland mountain. At the time  I was only 15 years old” she said.

“Thanks to Allah. SNM liberated Somaliland in 1991. But, unfortunately, the widows, orphans and parents of the  SNM martyrs as well as handicapped mujahedins were neglected. They didn’t get support and reward they deserve from Somaliland nation,” she added.

Hundreds of SNM veterans, including leaders and co-founders of SNM, war-widows (women and children), politicians and other guests participated in the ceremony, which was organized by the SNM women association. In the ceremony members of the SNM women association called for the participants and Somalilanders as whole to help those who lost their beloved ones for the liberation of Somaliland.

During an interview Anisa  was asked about her organization and its activities. She said SNM’s women association was founded in2002 by group of widowed women, who lost their husbands in the struggle for liberation of Somaliland.

“We came together, when we  saw  that the widowed mothers and children of SNM’s martyrs, handicapped mujahideins were neglected and   had a low standard of living. We decided to create an association to speak for these people.” 

In answer to another question Anisa said: “Since we founded this association we didn’t get any help from the government or any one else, except a little amount that we have been given  by some businessmen. “  But she added that was amount enough tothe establish of their office.

“The government told us to change the name of the SNM women association, because SNM’s term was over, and government would give us assistance." She said her organization had shied away from international  aid agencies  “because we have the name of SNM, which liberated Somaliland.” she said.

“And we can’t change this name because it is the name that our men lost their life, and liberated Somaliland.” Anisa  said “Our beloved ones lost their lives for Somalilanders and we areexpecting them to help us. As our men gave for the independence of Somaliland we hope that our people will help us if we tell them our problems." The ceremony was  for the full-scale military offensive launched by the SNM onMay 27-31, 1988 and  continued the most significant historical turning point inthe organization’s decade-long war of liberation against dictator Barre’s government.

Following the agreement reached between Siyad Barre and Mengistu Haile-Mariam in the previous April, 1988, placing both sides under obligation for a  complete cessation of hostilities across the common border. The SNM became confronted with the painful decision of either giving up the fight or convoying under the full view of enemy forces in the Somaliland heartland.

Choices were suicidal, but the SNM took option of going home with the intension of saving the armed struggle from doom by taking it to the people.