The day when the people’s aspirations were achieved hence colonial yolks severed in Somaliland was commemmorated last night in the country.
The apex of the celebrations got underway at the presidency.
Earlier in the week the Head of State revisited the importance of the day at a time that conceded with Brexit (the UK referendum that saw it bow out of the EU).
H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Mohamud Silanyo was quite candid as he gave his points that cased in clear terms the need for UK support for a sovereign SL.
This country has a unique history well spelt.
While we celebrate this day hence remind ourselves where our long journey started from, we clearly know and understand where we stand today.
Again, well put by President Silanyo, SL is still paying dearly today for the mistake it made way back in 1960.We squandered our dear independence and are now paying even more dearly!
While we are quite aware of Brexit, few, if any, commentators have said its impact on/to SL.
As any informed pundit may argue, the people of this country should shower the British with praise for having acted as per their aspirations given two very good reasons:-
- The UK populace have the right to chart out their cause as per their aspirations
- SL should be happy for them and solicit for their support given that the former colonial master has now the right to go about his/her duties henceforth without being bound by the so called “collective EU foreign policy” burden.
In other words we know that the UK could not recognize SL before while as a EU member since, according to their rules, one country out of the 28(now27) could veto against a decision not palatable with any one member of the caucass.
We at the same time should know that Italy, for instance which occupied this country for six months before being pushed out by the locals and the UK, have no longer any say if the British decide to recognize SL once more.
If anything, is it not that the freedom of commercial choice (or patner etc) is one of the reasons Brexit referendum took place?!
Whatever the case, for Somalilanders, we ought to develop our commercial stratagem to exploit our priorities. At the same time we have to maintain our peaceful stability at all costs.
Having said this, we, as the UK and any other country elsewhere on earth, have to pursue our aspirations to the hilt.
All conducive atmosphere needed to this end should be created, developed and maintained.
We should be jealous of the Madagaskari-land of the Malagasy people.
The renamed Madagascar got their independence from the French incidentally on the 26th of June 1960!
While they happily celebrate theirs, we too should celebrate ours, albeit with chagrin, but with the mind set at putting things right this time round.
That’s why we have held fort for the past quarter of a century and will continue to do so, if need be.
