US embassy cable - 90MOGADISHU9970

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