Somaliland: Africa’s 56th country at the doorsteps

"If South Sudan and Eritrea could gain sovereignty, so will
Somaliland" Somaliland President Mo hamed Siilaanyo said.
Somaliland President was officially invited to attend the 1st
independence day of South Sudan, and Juba administration received
the president with head of state reception and Somaliland fl ag was
flying high in Juba. This is very courageous step that acknowledges
the status of Somal iland, and towards better cooperation between Hargiesa, Somaliland and Juba, South Sudan in the future.
Hundreds of South Sudanese danced in the streets on Saturday for a
joy and to mark their lo ng-awaited independence, a hard-won
separation from the north. There is a lot of uncertainty waiting
this fractured region. The people of South Sudan lived under gun
point from 1953, in which they started their armed struggle against
their former compatriots in North Sudan. The regime in Khartoum used
all means of discrimination against citizens in the south, as they
were regarded “Second Class citizens”.
On 9th July 2011 will always remain in the hearts of every South
Sudanese because it is the day that defined their existence with
defined territory. The oil deposits in South Sudan attract ed the
attention of the western countries, who later led the disintegration
campaign of Southe rn Sudan from Khartoum.
Today, Somaliland is in very similar situation to that of South
Sudan and asking for self-determi nation with all conditions of
statehood fulfilled. Somaliland case could be much stronger than
t hat of Juba because it was an independent for four days upon an
agreement signed between Britain and Somaliland.
Somaliland case of independence neither violates the A.U's charter,
nor UN's definition for stat ehood. Its borders are defined by the A.U's Article 4 that respects the borders inherited from the
colonial powers. Somaliland has democratic and liberal system of
governance. It hosted fre e and fair elections under independent
observer, and opposition won. The peaceful and civilized power
transfer in Somaliland after election results caught the world in
surprise.
Somaliland permanent population and it not only controls its
territory, but it also practices democracy and the rule of law
through the country. Furthermore, Somaliland engages other nations
bilaterally.
Somaliland was not the first country that unconditionally united
another, and as the hasty uni on went from jubilant to disastrous
abandoned that unity. Egypt and Syria, Senegal and Gambi a, Cape
Verde and Guinea Bissau, and Senegal and Mali all renounced their
original commitment to unity and reverted to their colonial borders,
and today Somaliland is not an exception.
On 26th June 1960, Somaliland was formally recognized as the
Republic of Somaliland by UN and other 35 countries including
Britain, Israel, Egypt and USA.
However, Somaliland united with Italia Somalia (Today's South
Somalia) to bring all Somali speaking people in horn of Africa
(Djibouti, parts of Ethiopia and Kenya). This unity created an
illegal territorial expansion policy by regime in Mogadishu, which
resulted instability in the region.
"In 1960, I took a country - Somaliland - with a viable economy and
budget of 2.5 million poun ds to Mogadishu” he continued “Our
Somaliland's previous existence, history and everything el se has
been eliminated and erased" Late President of Somaliland Mohamed H. Ibrahim Egal said.
After realizing infertility of the unity, Somaliland demanded their
lost sovereignty from Mogad ishu administration in 1963, and regime
responded with indiscriminate killing, displacement, eth nic
cleansing and bombardment.
Between 1979 and 1991, Mogadishu regime used all means of force to
silence freedom demand s of self-determination. The citizens of
Somaliland were not given their share in power and pub lic services,
as they were regarded “Second Class citizens” just like South
Sudanese counter pa rts. The regime air-bombed the cities and villages
in Somaliland leaving 500,000 people dead in less than 6 months
during 1988. The militias loyal to Mogadishu regime committed rape,
killed c hildren and displaced more than 2 million civilians.
UN received the displaced people from the major cities like Hargiesa,
Burco, Berbera and Eriga vo in refugee camps in eastern Ethiopia, who
fled the indiscriminate killing by militias loyal to Mo gadishu
administration.
Thousands of children died from dehydration and other diseases in
the camps, where an estimated asset worth millions of dollars was
destroyed and looted by the militias.
Somalilanders formed an armed freedom fighting group called SNM
(Somali National Movement) in 1979; they continued fighting
Mogadishu administration until Dictator Mohamed Siyad Barre was
terminated in 1991.
SNM headquarter was located in Addis Ababa nearby the office of SPLA.
Both SNM and SPLA were fighting for freedom. Finally, SNM defeated
the regime and re-declared Somaliland on 18th May 1991.
Somaliland is facing growing hostile by terrorist groups and piracy.
The terrorist group Al-Sha bab claimed responsibility of bomb attack
on Somaliland Presidential Palace, UN Office and Ethio pian Embassy
in Hargiesa. Somalia pirates are another threatening factor to
Somaliland’s sea trade.
Somaliland is cooperating with AU, USA and Britain over ending the
piracy on high-water, and thousands of pirates are in Somaliland
jails.
Finally, recognizing Somaliland will benefit the regi on, Africa and
international community on security, good governance and promoting
democrac y. Somaliland established one of the best democracies in the
region without outside help. Soma liland will help the world in
ending the anarchy in Somalia. Somaliland will be ready to
contribute its experience in democracy building with their
counterparts in Juba.
By\ Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
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