- [SW News]( BBC ) Ali Khalif on BBC Focus on Africa on 25 Feb 2002 : Posted on [05/19/07 04:23
]
BBC
World Service at 1706 GMT. This is Rick Wells with Focus on Africa
Rick Wells: Well, the former PM
in Somalia's national TNG, Ali Khalif Galeyr is in London today. In
our studio. Robin White asked him what he made of this latest
fighting.
Ali Khalif: My reaction is that
this might lead to the whole thing spinning out of control. My fear is
that it might even go beyond slugging it out between these
two factions who belong to the same militia; and Osman Atto might be
involved, others might be pulled in. It is most unfortunate. That is
my worst fear.
Rick Wells: could the
whole interim government collapse?
Ali Khalif: the whole interim
government is in a very difficult times. The interim government
started with a lot of good will... I’m still supportive of the
outcome of Arta; for the constitutional arrangement, for the
institutions that has been established. But unfortunately the
political culture of Somalia from 1969 has been that of one-man rule
and I think that is what we're drifting back into; one-man rule. And
each of these warlords and the president of the recent government is
probably showing its true colors now...
Rick Wells: The president of the
interim government doesn't seem on the face of it very dictatorial
person...
Ali Khalif: Well, I wish that
was the caaaaaaaaase. That is not truuuuuuuuue. He definitely is the
man who is calling the shots. He is the one who, whatever now
financial assistance that they got from Libya; he has it [laughing] in
his office. He's been instrumental in the vote of confidence against
the government I headed and is instrumental [changes thought] and it
took three months to form this government and it was because he was
always pushing for the people he wanted to be in the cabinet, and the
PM and even the cabinet who are supposed to be the executive branch
really don't have in terms of day-to-day running of the state affairs.
Rick Wells: It sounds that
you're rather bitter about your sacking.
Ali Khalif: No, I’m realistic,
not bitter. In politics, one has to move on...
Rick Wells: so, what are you
working for yourself, apart from slugging your president?
Ali Khalif: well, what I’m
trying to do is to see if one can get a handle on what's to be done,
not only in Mog but also the opposition groups outside Mog, weather it
is the SRRC, who are beholden to the Ethiopians, weather it is
Puntland, weather it is Somaliland. The great majority of the Somali
people are really sort of fed up with what has been going on, the
blood-letting that has been going on for so long...
Rick Wells: Ali Khalif
Galeyr, former PM in TNG who is currently in London ( and a very
bitter one, indeed)
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