R 160854Z MAR 86
FM AMEMBASSY MOGADISHU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9986
INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
AMEMBASSY CAIRO
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY RIYADH
AMEMBASSY ROME

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 02896 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL: OADR 
TAGS: MCAP PINS PREL SO LY IZ XF
SUBJECT:  LIBYAN AND IRAQI RECRUITING ATTRACTS 
          SOMALI APPLICANTS 
 
¶1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
¶2.  IN RECENT DAYS, FLIERS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED BY 
THE LIBYAN EMBASSY AROUND THE CITY OF MOGADISHU WHICH 
SEEK RECRUITS FOR AN "ALL-ARAB ARMY".  THE "ARMY" IS 
AIMED AT FIGHTING "IMPERIALISM AND ZIONISM" AND ON 
FREEING ARAB LANDS FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE ARABIAN 
GULF FROM FOREIGN DOMINATION.  THE FLIERS TELL 
PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS TO GO TO THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S 
BUREAU IN MOGADISHU, WHERE THEY WILL BE TREATED 
"AS LIBYANS".  SIMILAR FLIERS ARE REPORTEDLY BEING 
PASSED AROUND BY THE IRAQI EMBASSY, AS WELL.  THE LIBYAN 
FLIER IDENTIFIES AS PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES THOSE 
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SOME TECHNICAL OR MILITARY TRAINING. 
- 
¶3.  THERE HAVE BEEN LARGE CROWDS OUTSIDE THE LIBYAN 
AND IRAQI MISSIONS HERE, LIKELY IN RESPONSE TO THE 
FLIERS.  ON BOTH MARCH 12 AND 13 POLICE DISPERSED 
THE CROWDS, AND ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 13, THE 
MILITIA, WHICH IS ORGANIZED BY THE SINGLE POLITICAL 
PARTY HERE, WAS TAKING INTO CUSTODY THOSE PEOPLE WHO 
REMAINED HANGING AROUND THE LIBYAN MISSION. 
- 
¶4.  COMMENT:  THE SOMALIS HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE 
GETTING ENOUGH RECRUITS TO MAN THEIR OWN ARMY, 
AND HAVE BEEN FORCED TO SEND PRESS GANGS PERI- 
ODICALLY AROUND THE CITY.  THEY PROBABLY WILL LOOK 
ASKANCE AT SOMALIS RESPONDING FAVORABLY TO A FOR- 
EIGN MILITARY RECRUITMENT.  SO FAR THE FOREIGN 
MINISTRY HAS NOT CALLED IN EITHER THE LIBYANS 
OR THE IRAQIS TO COMPLAIN OF THESE RECRUITMENT 
EFFORTS. 
 
 
BRIDGES