Augustine Mahiga is Right Diplomat for Somali Affairs

H.E. Amb. Augustine Philip Mahiga is a Tanzanian veteran diplomat. He is the current United N ations General Secretary Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Political Offi ce for Somaliland and “Somalia”.

Mr. Mahiga is the only UN Representative to Somaliland and “Somalia” who brought acceptab le results to the complicated problems in Mogadishu. In his term, Transitional Government of “Somalia” (TGS) liberated Mogadishu from the terrorist groups and warlords in its history wit h support of UN and African Union (AU) Forces. Al-Shabab, terrorist group, are on the move and unable to establish save-heaven because of the combined efforts of the UN, AU Forces and TGS under watchfulness of H.E. Amb. Mahiga.

With his long experience in East African politics and UN, the latter studied the current Somali affairs and clinched that Somaliland is different than terror feasted “Somalia” and must be r ecognized internationally. This endorsement for Somaliland is highest from UN and merges wi th the report of AU fact-finding mission to Somaliland led by former His Highness the Deputy Chairman of AU Patrick Mazimhaka in 2005, who concluded that Somaliland must be considere d different than “Somalia”.

At the closing ceremony of an international conference on conducting a comprehensive Secu rity Sector Assessment (SSA) at Ambassador Hotel, Hargiesa – Capital of Somaliland, Mr. Ma higa praised Somaliland government and made it no secret that it deserves to get diplomatic recognition from the international community, as latter has functioning democratic governme nt.

“There is an elected government and parliament in place now in Somaliland and there was a transfer of power through peaceful means.” He went on saying that today we have the civil society organizations, the government and country’s armed forces discussing the security.
He acknowledged that Somaliland deserves to be assisted on the sides of security, promoting democracy and gain international recognition, and he hoped that world will recognize Somaliland one day in the near future. Mr. Mahiga underlined that Somaliland security is part of the world, ensuring that UN is committed to help Somaliland in building better security, in order the latter play lion’s share in the regional security.

SSA conference was attended by all Somaliland Security Agencies, Representatives of the Government, Parliament, Civil Society Organizations, and official delegates from Intergovernm ental Authority on Development (IGAD) of Eastern Africa and UN led by H.E. Amb. Mahiga.

Mr. Mahiga is not the first who endorsed Somaliland’s cause of independence, where, the Mini ster of Interior Affairs and National Security of TGS Mr. Abdi Samad Mallin Mahamud admitted Somaliland’s eligibility to diplomatic recognition last week.

Earlier, the President of TGS of “Somalia” Mr. Sheikh Sharif publically ensured that he suppor ts the decision of the people of Somaliland on independence. Speaker of TGS Parliament Mr. S harif Hassan, also, underscored that decision of the people of Somaliland must be respected. Former Prime Minister of TGS Mr. Geddi took similar stance of Mr. Mahamud on Somaliland. There are large number of TGS MPs who support Somaliland.

The Deputy Chairman of Kenyan Parliament Mr. Farah Mallin is another pro-Somaliland politicia n in the region.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki stated that he knew independent and Sovereign Somaliland before 1st July 1960, during an interview with Somaliland media. Somaliland united with “Somalia” voluntarily on 1st July 1960, exactly, four days after Somaliland won its independence from United Kingdom on 26th June 1960.

In other hand, H.E. Kenyan Prime Minister Ralia Odinga is very close friend of Somaliland, where he visited Somaliland as an Opposition Leader. “My father and Late President of Somaliland Mr. Mohamed H. Ibrahim Egal were very close friends”. Mr. Odinga went on saying “I visited Somaliland as Opposition Leader and I am ready to visit again as Prime Minister of Kenya, if Somaliland authority invites me.” He concluded.
Recently, President of South Africa Mr. Jacob Zuma asked his legal office to assess the case of Somaliland. The legal office underlined that Somaliland has all the legal rights to reclaim their sovereignty out of 1960 Union with “Somalia”.

High-ranking officials across Europe including Scandinavian countries, Denmark and UK are fr equent visitors to Somaliland. Denmark expressed its desire to recognize Somaliland if Afric an Union (AU) allows that, because Somaliland deserves diplomatic recognition. However, AU is failing to the understand the legitimacy of Somaliland Cause, and as per the AU regulations, which restores the colonial border. Somaliland is based on colonial border demarcated by United Kingdom.

H.E. Amb. Mahinga defended the Somaliland’s legitimate right of self-determination and he de fied stagnation on Somaliland cause of independence. The international community must follow Mahinga’s footsteps, as he understands the reality on the ground in the region. He knows that independence is final decision of the people of Somaliland.
With his long experience in Somaliland and “Somalia”, Mr. Mahinga has, finally, produced solid solution to stabilize the vicious horn of Africa by cutting the problem into modules where Som aliland will be considered as an independent country.

Today, International Community is approaching the instability in “Somalia” wrongly, but if world endorses Somaliland, it may enforce its military and experience to stabilize “Somalia” with minimum cost.

The International support for Somaliland is growing because the world is realizing that Somaliland is not “Somalia” and the 1st July 1960 Unity between Somaliland and “Somalia” ended. The people of Somaliland voted in referendum 2003 with 97% YES to independence. Observers from UN, IGAD, European Union and African Union were overlooking the process of the election, and later they declared the voting Free and Fair.

The never-ending support for Somaliland will continue, as long as, Somaliland maintains its current excellent record of democracy, good governance, human rights and state building. The opposition won the recent election with 49% vote, followed by peaceful power transfer that Africa never witnessed. The UN welcomed the civilized manner of power transfer.
It is obvious that Mr. Mahinga will face numerous attacks by the terrorist groups in Mogadishu after declaring the true democratic and civilized face of Somaliland. There are Anti-Somaliland figures, mainly in Europe and North America, will do everything to bring Mr. Mahinga down because he said the TRUTH!!. Mr. Mahinga will be targeted by terrorist groups like Al-Shabab, ONLF, SSC and other armed terrorist groups in “Somalia” after recent endorsement to Somaliland.

The people of Somaliland appreciate the brave and true stance of Mr. Mahinga on Somaliland Cause, where others failed to tell the world the fact in former “Somalia”.
 

BY: Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi