The National Intelligence Agency has seized weapons, medical supplies and other materials that are said to have been meant for the allied groups in Lasanood.
Somaliland’s top security agency, NIA, seized the materials following a three-day monitoring operation that broke a network of the syndicate behind the move.
The agency revealed that it seized 200 tires, mostly of typical military nature.
The reports added that the agency has nabbed several individuals behind the supplies, though it gave no details about their number.
Also, last week, the Security Agency seized two vehicles that were carrying weapons to the allied groups fighting in Lasaanood.
The National Intelligence Agency has made a major change in operations since the appointment of a new commander a month ago, and the members of the public has greatly welcomed the efforts and measures to strengthen the security of the country by the leaders and operatives of the agency who have been successful in their arrests in a short period of time.
The Government of the Republic of Somaliland expresses its deep concern regarding the recent accession of Somalia to the East African Community (EAC) block. We firmly believe that this decision is a clear violation of Somaliland’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Somaliland, formerly the British Somaliland Protectorate, gained independence from the United Kingdom on June 26, 1960, predating Somalia’s independence by five days. On July 1, 1960, Somaliland voluntarily merged with Somalia, forming the Somali Republic. However, this union was marred by decades of brutal oppression and marginalization of the Somaliland people under the Somali Republic’s dictatorial regime of Mohamed Siad Barre.
In 1991, as the Somali central government collapsed, the people of Somaliland reclaimed their sovereignty and independence. On May 18, 1991, Somaliland declared its independence, a decision endorsed by all clan elders in a unanimous declaration. Since 1991, Somaliland has functioned as an independent and sovereign state, with its own democratically elected government, distinct currency, and effective control over its territory. We have established a stable and peaceful society, fostering economic development and social progress.
Somalia’s claim to Somaliland’s territory is unfounded and contradicts the historical and legal realities. Somaliland has never been part of Somalia since 1991, and Somalia has no right to represent Somaliland in any international or regional forum. We urge the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), and EAC member states to recognize Somaliland’s distinct identity and sovereignty. Somalia’s accession to the EAC without Somaliland’s consent is a grave injustice and undermines the principles of international law.
The Republic of Somaliland is committed to peaceful and constructive engagement with the international community. We seek a just and equitable solution that recognizes our right to self-determination and our aspiration for international recognition. We sincerely hope that the AU, UN, and EAC member states uphold the aspirations of our people and their inherent right to self-determination.
Minister of Information who happens to be government spokesperson Hon. Ali Hassan Mohamed called on the Senate to speed up the approval of the law of elections.
Minister Ali, who spoke to the media in his office said, “I am requesting the Senate house to speed up the approval of the electoral laws in view of the unity and solidarity of the Somaliland community”.
Hon. Ali who sent a call to the international community and the people of Somaliland, said that the government should encourage the election processes to go on smoothly.
“Our message to the Senate is recommendations to speed up the electoral law”, he said.
He continued, “I am telling the people that the president supports the election process, which proves how he sent the traditional elders recommendation to the parliament within three days; such underscored the importance that the Head of State put in the need to address the matter”.
“We have other work to do, such as national defense, unity, and solidarity and as such we ought to work together”, he underpinned.
East African Community heads of state attend the 23rd Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State in Arusha, Tanzania on Novemeber 24, 2023. PHOTO | X via @jumuiya
By VINCENT OWINO
Somalia has been admitted as the eighth member of the East African Community on Friday November 24, 2023, just over a year after the latest entrant, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was admitted into the bloc.
Mogadishu’s admission into the bloc was approved by the region’s leaders during the 23rd ordinary summit of the heads of state held in Arusha, Tanzania, on the same day, after successful negotiations that lasted close to a year.
The outgoing chairperson, Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye said the heads of state agreed to formally admit Somalia into the bloc, after the lengthy closed-door meeting which lasted more than five hours.
Somalia first expressed interest in joining the EAC in 2012, but was turned down due to its internal troubles with Al-Shabaab and lack of a stable legal and political environment at the time.
However, Mogadishu’s hopes of joining the regional bloc were rekindled when equally troubled South Sudan was admitted in 2016, and later DRC, which also has multiple conflicts within its borders, in 2022.
With the return of President Mohamud, who had initiated the first attempt at joining the EAC during his first term in office in 2012, Somalia renewed the bid to join the bloc, and a verification mission was dispatched in January this year to verify its readiness to join the bloc.
In August, Somali officials engaged in negotiations with EAC officials, after which a report was drafted and forwarded to the council of ministers for discussions, before it was forwarded to the heads of state summit, held this Friday.
Somalia’s entrance into the EAC will now pave way for the admission of its neighbours, Eritrea and Djibouti, which have also been targeted in EAC’s expansion plan to include the entire horn of Africa, including Ethiopia and possibly Sudan.
The national conference on climate change in Somaliland held for two days in the capital of Somaliland, Hargeisa, was concluded yesterday.
The conference, which is the second of its kind organized by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, was opened by Deputy President H.E. Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail (Saili’i).
At the closing of the conference, resolutions were adapted through the points that were made hence intended to be a solution to save our environment from further degradation.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Somaliland Hon. Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare, who presided over the conclusion of the conference said that the ministry and the government are working hard but they need the community and the business to concertedly work with them for positive results to be achieved.
She pointed out that one of the weakest areas when it comes to the damage to our environment is deforestation, which is a major part of the problem of climate change.
Speaking about these issues, the minister said, “The only thing I ask you is that the community should work with us. We as a ministry are working hard, and we are working day and night”.
She continued, “The performance depends on three pillars namely, the government, one is the people, and one is our businessmen. If the three of us work together, we will produce something great”.
She decried poverty as a major issue that hinders the control of degradation.
She said that deforestation and urbanization has been a major catalyst to the degradation of the environment and a major negative impact would befall the livestock sector, thence posterity.
As concerns the energy used in Somaliland is indicated to be 150 KW, which means that 84 % of it comes from electricity, while the other 16% is generated from solar and wind energy.
She advised, “The energy of the sun, which is available to us at night and day, the big businessmen and the electricity companies that provide us, must invest in 150 Kilo Watt, which Somaliland uses annually, 16% comes from solar and wind”.
On the other hand, during the conference, studies were presented on the extent of the damage to our environment, and the best way to deal with it, to save our environment.
The conference had the participation of experts and experts in the field of environmental issues, and discussions were held to deal with the problems faced by the environment.
The Director of public awareness at SOLNAC Mr. Mohamed Haji Yassin has confirmed that their organization was planning to enact policies that will minimize the spread of the deadly scourge of HIV/AIDS.
He stated that cross-border checks of people were one way of preventing affected persons with AIDS from moving into Somaliland and vice versa.
He confirmed to our reporter that HIV/AIDS has increased in the country and pointed out that his institution was at hand to constantly give needed services and counseling on ways and means of managing the disease and preventing the malaise from spreading further.
The director said “It’s our responsibility as SOLNAC to make sure people living with HIV/AIDS receive their medications and are assisted in any appropriate manner. President H.E. Musa Bihi Abdi has put this policy at the forefront of his manifesto.”
The Director of public awareness campaigns at SOLNAC stated that their organization will continue sensitization of the masses to the dangers of all sexually transmitted diseases putting much emphasis on HIV/AIDS.
He confirmed that the commission headquarters is ready to mark World HIV/AIDS Day on 1st December 2023. “It’s an important day, we want people living with HIV/AIDS not to feel stigmatized hence understand the mainstream members of the public understand their plight and by thus aid in controlling the disease”, he said.
The local government of the capital Hargeisa has burned the seized expired foodstuff commodities that were mainly imported rice that they had earlier in the week pledged to dispose them publicly.
The 90 tonnes of rice was reportedly seized and entered the country through the Djibouti border three weeks ago aboard four trucks.
The Mayor of Hargeisa, Cllr. Abdikarim Ahmed Mooge, the deputy mayor Cllr. Khadar-Nur Ahmed Omar, and the local government executive secretary Syed Nur Jama, senior police officers and other officials were present at the location where the commodities was burned.
Officials of the local government of Hargeisa said that the rice was a threat to the health of the community.
On the other hand, the officials of the local government said that the expired rice was seized and held for several weeks and had legal court orders to destroy it.
The rice entered the country through the border of Somaliland with Djibouti loaded on four trucks.
The President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. Musa Bihi Abdi received over the week Mr. Mohamed Sahardiid, Foreign Trade Advisor appointed by the French government to open an office in Somaliland.
This was disclosed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Isse Keyd Mohamud who posted a message on his X tweet site saying,
“The president had a welcoming meeting with a new official appointed by France, who will be in charge of business affairs in Somaliland.”
Dr. Keyd added in his statement that the meeting between the two sides discussed the strengthening of business relations between France and Somaliland.
“The President has welcomed the business cooperation between France and Somaliland,” added Minister Isse in his message.
The meeting between the President and the French representative was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Isse Keyd Mohamud.
Hargeisa, Somaliland – November 22, 2023 –The Government of the Republic of Somaliland denounces the attack by a coalition of terrorists’ entities, and the Puntland Administration of the Federal Government of Somalia on innocent civilians in Buqdharkeyn town earlier this morning. This attack resulted in casualties and was an act of barbarity as well as a clear violation of international law.
The Puntland Administration of Somalia and terrorists’ entities will be held responsible for this heinous act. This coalition with the support of the Federal Government of Somalia have a history of destabilizing Las’anod and the surrounding areas, repeatedly sowing discord and violence on Somaliland soil.
This attack is also an attempt by the Puntland Administration of Somalia to divert attention from its own internal crisis. The Government of Somaliland, however, will not allow the suffering of innocent civilians being used as a political tool to continue.
The Government of Somaliland is committed to the safety and security of its citizens and will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens in the Sool region of Somaliland. The Government of Somaliland will not hesitate to defend its internationally recognized territory against any form of aggression.
Somaliland was a British Protectorate for 76 years (1884-1960). Somaliland was independent, recognized country before Somalia. Somaliland achieved independence from Great Britain on June 26, 1960 while Somalia achieved independence on July 1, 1960 from Italy. S.N.L Political Party headed by late Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal lead Somaliland to independence on June 26, 1960 and immediately Somaliland received International Recognition from 35 countries that included China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Israel, Libya, the Soviet Union etc. Somaliland achieved independence and recognition before Somalia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Algeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia etc.
SOMALILAND REPUBLIC LOCATION
Somaliland is located in the Horn of Africa. It lies between 08°00′ – 11°30′ parallel North of the Equator (Latitudes) and between 42°30′ – 49°00′ Meridian East of Greenwich (Longitudes). It is bordered by the Red Sea to the North (Southern Coast of Gulf of Aden), Djibouti to the West, Ethiopia to the South, and Somalia to the East. Somaliland has a coastline with the majority lying along the Gulf of Aden (Red Sea). The country is slightly larger than England, with an area of 176,000km² (110,000 sq. miles) and with a population around 5.8 million.
REASONS OF DISSOLVING 1960 UNION WITH SOMALIA
Sharing ethnicity, religion, language, culture, traditions, color etc do not determine the creation of union or federation or preserve the existence or survivability of union or federation but only fair power-sharing and justice determine the success and survivability of union or federation and that is what Somalia failed to understand and respect during the 30 years of the failed union (1960-1990).
Even though Somaliland was the parent country that invited Somalia for sharing union with Somaliland for achieving independence before Somalia, Somalia never respected the terms and conditions of the union by subjecting Somaliland people to 22 years (1960-1982) of power-sharing denial, oppression and injustice and 8 years (1982-1990) of all kinds of human rights abuses and heinous crimes such as suppression, persecution, imprisonment, genocide and destructions. Those two historical reasons ended the union between Somaliland and Somalia in May 1991 after devastating eight-year- long civil war (1982-1990) between Somaliland and Somalia. Somaliland people reclaimed their independence of June 26, 1960 again. One wonders why people of Somalia still pursue the revival of the disastrous union knowing power-sharing denial for 22 years and atrocities for 8 years. Unions are dissolvable but independence is indissolvable. June 26, 1960 is indissolvable.
SOME VIDEOS OF GENOCIDE AND DESTRUCTION IN SOMALILAND
Like Somalis, Arabs share ethnicity, religion, culture, color, traditions etc but , at the same time, disagreed to share union or federation. White Arabs have nearly eighteen countries (18) while Somalis have five (5). The Jordanian or Iraqi man or woman can not enter Egypt without legal documents (Passport and Visas) to get job or rank or any other Arab country. Every Arab country is independent of other Arab countries with each country having their independent state, government, flag and recognition based on their colonial borders. Greater Arab, like Greater Somalia, does not work in the Arab World to enter another Arab country. Citizens of Morocco or Libya are not citizens of Greater Arab but they are citizens of their own countries and Somalis are not different from them. Citizens of Somaliland or Somalia are not citizens of greater Somalia.
AFRICAN BORDERS ARE BASED ON LAND, NOT ON CLAN LINEAGE
There are no clan or tribal borders in Africa but there are state or national borders only. Borders of all African countries are based on land, not on clan lineage or tribal origin. The territory, independence and recognition of each African country is defined by its colonial power-drawn borders. The political map of Africa showing African countries was made by Europe, not by Africans. Somaliland territory, independence and recognition is based on Somaliland British Protectorate Borders.
The borders of Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia have internationally the same legitimacy and status for being all colonially-drawn borders defining their independence, territory and nation as the rest of Africa. European Colonial Borders define nationalism, independence, statehood and diplomatic recognition of each country in Africa, Asia, and Arab World.
FIRST ARGUMENT
In Africa, three conditions are usually required for continental and international diplomatic recognition of a country:
(A) Being separate colony
(B) Having proclamation of independence granted by Colonizing power
(C) And having separate, unique colonial borders.
Somaliland Fulfilled All Three Conditions : Somaliland was British Protectorate for 76 years, Somaliland was granted independence by Great Britain on June 26, 1960 [Shown below] and Somaliland has defined British Protectorate Colonial Borders.
SECOND ARGUMENT
Somalia does not have the right to challenge or lobby against Somaliland independence and recognition because Somaliland is older country than Somalia in achieving independence and recognition in Africa in 1960. Somaliland was independent, recognized nation while Somalia was still Italian colony. Somaliland achieved independence and recognition on June 26, 1960 from Great Britain while Somalia achieved independence on July 1, 1960 from Italy. Then the two shared disastrous union for 30 years (1960-1990) from which Somaliland withdrew in 1991 after devastating civil war. The world should reject Somalia’s lobbying against Somaliland recognition because it is unfair for Somaliland. It is like younger brother bossing his older brother.
THIRD ARGUMENT
After dissolving their unions, Senegal/Gambia, Egypt/Syria and Ethiopia/Eritrea each restored and retained its original independence and recognition at OAU and at UN that they had before unions. The countries emerging from the former Soviet Union and Federal Yugoslavia have been all recognized by the United Nations. So, why not letting Somaliland Republic restore and retain its original independence and recognition of June 26, 1960 after dissolving the disastrous union (1960-1990) with Somalia and withdrawing from it on May 18, 1991.
FOURTH ARGUMENT
OAU and UN both recognized South Sudan without having previous colonizing power and colonial borders separate from Sudan. South Sudan was integral part of Sudan which was British colony. So, why not recognizing Somaliland which was separate colony with different colonizing power from Somalia. Somaliland was British Protectorate while Somalia was Italian colony.
MISINFORMATIONS OF SOMALIA AGAINST SOMALILAND RIGHTFUL RECOGNITION
FIRST MISINFORMATION: Somalia claims that Somaliland was a province of Somalia to label it with secessionism or separatism while in fact Somaliland was separate colony from Somalia named Somaliland British protectorate for 76 years and became independent country in Africa before Somalia achieving independence and recognition by 35 countries on June 26, 1960 when Somalia was still Italian colony and achieved independence on July 1, 1960. The proclamation of Somaliland independence granted by the colonizing power (Great Britain) is shown below. How Somaliland Republic, becoming independent and recognized country by the world on June 26, 1960 before Somalia, become a province of Somalia? Somaliland achieved independence before Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Algeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia etc. So, this argument of Somalia is baseless.
SECOND MISINFORMATION: That the recognition of Somaliland will open Pandora’s Box in Africa to encourage secessionists or separatists to change the borders of the continent of Africa implying that Somaliland was secessionist province that broke away from Somalia. If Nyanza Province of Kenya or Arusha Region of Tanzania or Puntland province of Somalia secedes or breaks away from their own respective countries, they would definitely qualify to be secessionists, separatists or breakaways and that would change or shift the colonial borders of Africa inherited from European colonial powers thus creating instability and political unrest in the continent of Africa as those provinces share history, colonial borders, independence and recognition with their own motherlands.
But Somaliland was older country than Somalia in Africa in achieving independence before Somalia in 1960 as its proclamation of independence shows below. The independence and recognition of Somaliland will be based on Somaliland British protectorate colonial borders and will not influence secessionism or separatism in Africa but will enhance the African Conference of 1964 for reaffirming Africa colonial borders to keep the security, peace and stability of the continent [The location of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa determines its borders. It lies between 08°00′ – 11°30′ parallel North of the Equator (Latitudes) and between 42°45′ – 49°00′ Meridian East of Greenwich (Longitudes)]. How the independence and recognition of Somaliland based on its legitimate colonial borders will open Pandora’s Box for secessionists or separatists while the independence and recognition of all African countries are based on their colonial borders? This argument is baseless too and illogical.
THIRD MISINFORMATION: That Somaliland accepted the terms of the union set by Somalia in 1960 that it cannot withdraw from the failed union. There were no terms set between the two countries in 1960 at all. Somaliland (parent country) initiated the unification between the two countries in 1960 then Somalia violated the conditions of fair power-sharing of the failed union by hijacking it for the 30 years of its existence (1960-1990) and inflicted genocide and destructions against Somaliland people after raising grievances against injustice and oppression. Somaliland withdrew from that union after bloody war of liberation on May 18, 1991. Hence, how Somaliland which was the initiator or host of the union accepted terms dictated or set by Somalia which was the guest or invitee to the union? If one side had to set terms to the other side, it would have been Somaliland because it initiated the birth of the failed union. This argument does not hold too and it is baseless.
Now with the three misinformations refuted and eliminated, Somaliland Government and Somaliland expats around the world must fight back too to refute and eliminate the misinformations so that Somaliland will be recognized soon, In Shaa Allah. There is no way to go back to the disastrous union with Somalia. Somaliland returning to the disastrous union is like the Sun rising in the West. Somaliland cannot let Somalia abuse it with the independence it achieved before it and with the failed union it created. No more injustice, genocide, destruction and looting.
