Ali Mahadi accuses Sudan of interference into Somali internal affairs by supporting Hussain Aideed

Sudan News, no. 27, June 1997

Ali Mahadi, former president of Somalia and who is now chairman of the Somali Salvation Conference accused Sudan of continuous interference in Somali internal affairs by supporting Hussain Aideed. The Sudanese influence on Aideed is making him take hard lines and hence hampering reconciliation efforts, he said.

The Sudan is keeping a big Diplomatic Delegation in Mogadishu at Aideed side in a country where there is no Government. Sudan is believed by many Somalis to stand behind the idea of the faked Somali currency which was printed in Malaysia. The faked currency has damaged the Somali economy and affected neighboring countries. When the Kenyan government refused to transit the faked currency to Somalia, the Sudanese government helped to take it to Khartoum and then by sea to the area controlled by Aideed.

Out of the24 Somali factions. only about four factions, including Aideed, are not part of the Somali Salvation Conference. The conference is recognized and supported by IGAD, OAU, Arab League and many other countries. The Conference is supposed to pave the way for national reconciliation, form a Somali national government, maintain unity and seek international support to build new Somalia.

The Sudanese government is said to be taking steps to sue Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the British House of Lordsfor contravening the Sudanese passport and immigration laws.

She uses human rights issues as a pretext to realize her political aims against the Sudanese government, a Sudanese government official said. The British human rights activist has paid several visits to rebel held areas in Southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountain region in southwest Sudan to the disappointment of the Khartoum government which has been accusing her of violating Sudan’s sovereignty and supporting the Sudanese rebels.