Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
90MOGADISHU9970
1990-11-15 10:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Mogadishu
Cable title:  

BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING: ABDIRAHMAN ABDULLE OSMAN

Tags:  PINR PREL PGOV SO 
pdf how-to read a cable
R 151019Z NOV 90
FM AMEMBASSY MOGADISHU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0708
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 09970 


FOR AF, INR/B AND INR/DB

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PINR, PREL, PGOV, SO
SUBJ: BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING: ABDIRAHMAN ABDULLE OSMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 09970


FOR AF, INR/B AND INR/DB

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PINR, PREL, PGOV, SO
SUBJ: BIOGRAPHIC REPORTING: ABDIRAHMAN ABDULLE OSMAN

1. (C) ENTIRE TEXT.

2. SOMALIA'S CURRENT MINISTER OF PLAN WAS BORN ABOUT
55 YEARS AGO IN GAROE IN NORTHERN SOMALIA. A MAJERTIAN,
HE CAME TO MOGADISHU AT THE AGE OF 17. HE WAS TRAINED
TO BE A TEACHER, FIRST IN SOMALIA AND THEN IN ITALY.
LATER HE PICKED UP MASTER'S DEGREES IN INDIA AND AT
REDDING UNIVERSITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. AS HE MOVED
UP THE BUREAUCRATIC LADDER AT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,
HE ALSO TOOK SHORT COURSES ABROAD, INCLUDING ONE IN
PROJECT EVALUATION AT THE WORLD BANK'S ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE. IN 1986, HE LEFT HIS HOME MINISTRY
AFTER SERVING FOURYEARS AS MINISTER WHEN NAMED SECRETARY
GENERAL OF THE PEOPLES ASSEMBLY. HE WAS APPOINTED TO
HIS CURRENT POST EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE MINISTER TOURED
THE U.S. ON A USIS GRANT IN 1988, ATTENDING AND ENJOYING
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN ATLANTA.

3. IN A LENGTHY BUT THOUGHTFUL AND WELL ORGANIZED
DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL SCENE DURING MY
COURTESY CALL NOVEMBER 6, THE MINISTER STRESSED THAT THE
CURRENT GOVERNMENT IS A CIVILIAN ONE. IN LANGUAGE AND
TONE SUGGESTING HE FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK
WITH "RIGID" MILITARY OFFICERS, OSMAN WAS CRITICAL OF
MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL. HIS
ANALYSIS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE DIFFICULTY TRYING TO
INSTILL DEMOCRACY IN A SOCIETY IN WHICH 60 PERCENT OF THE
POPULATION IS UNDER 25 YEARS OLD AND THUS HAS NO MEMORY
OR, OR EXPERIENCE WITH, REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. HE
SAID THE REGIME PLANS TO SEND MEMBERS OF THE CABINET INTO
THE COUNTRYSIDE TO TRY TO EDUCATE THE POPULATION TO
DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND PROCEDURES (COMMENT - GIVEN THE
DEGREE OF INSECURITY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE IT IS DOUBTFUL
MANY MINISTERS WILL VENTURE THERE).

4. THE MINISTER DESCRIBED AS IRONIC HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO
PLAN AN ECONOMY WITHOUT RESOURCES. HE POLITELY CRITICIZED
THE USG FOR WITHDRAWING ITS SUPPORT, JUST AS THE
GOVERNMENT BEGINS A PROGRAM OF POLITICAL REFORM. HE ALSO
CLAIMED THAT OTHER DONORS ARE TAKING THEIR CUE FROM THE
USG AND PACKING UP. WHEN I COUNTERED THAT REFORM IS A
VERY RECENT PHENOMENON AND THAT OTHER DONORS ARE CUTTING
BACK THEIR ACTIVITIES DUE TO INSECURITY, INCLUDING DIS-
ORDERLY AND OCCASIONALLY DEADLY MISBEHAVIOR BY GOVERNMENT
TROOPS, HE GAVE ME NO ARGUMENT.

5. COMMENT: LIKE MANY TEACHERS, OSMAN APPEARS TO ENJOY
THE SOUND OF HIS OWN VOICE. BUT HE IS BRIGHT AND
ARTICULATE. JUDGING ONLY BY THE CONDUCT OF SEVERAL
YOUNGER CABINET MEMBERS WHO WERE WITH HIM WHEN WE FIRST
MET ON A CEREMONIAL OCCASION, HE APPEARS TO ENJOY SOME
RESPECT AMONG HIS PEERS.

BISHOP