Somaliland
Somaliland is a peaceful, democratic country, which has written its constitution that has established structure and form of the state, the constitution also unambiguously sets out the prerogative powers of the three branches of the state namely; the legislative, executive and judiciary.
Somaliland is a nation that defends its borders, protects its citizens, and have own currency, Somaliland is an entity that works, a nation that its recognition is overdue.
Somaliland became an independent, sovereign state on 26 June 1960. Five days after independence, Somaliland chose to unite with Somalia with the aim of creating a Greater Somalia. Somaliland chose to withdraw from Somalia after the unification completely failed, Somaliland was a recognised country in 1960 after the failure of that greater Somalia.
Somaliland, like any other nation, has the rights of self-determination and territorial integrity. Somaliland’s recognition has been delayed, despite the facts that we have fulfilled the criteria of statehood for almost 24 years.
After unification, Somaliland was excluded from decision making and representative governance in the new Somali Republic.
The Somalilander and the northern politicians realised that they were in a disadvantaged position due to the inequality of the union administration, the South got most of the advantage from the coalition. The President was from southern Somalia, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Interior were all southern officials, as well as 90 of the 123 seats within the National Assembly, only Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, one would say was the most senior politician in the horn of Africa and Africa as whole, was appointed as Minister of Defence.
The creation of that so called greater Somalia led by Said Barre’s dictatorship and his gang in the early 1980s embarked on a violent campaign against the people of Somaliland, killing more than 60,000 civilians, mostly children and women and displacing fifteen times as many people. Despite all that atrocity and bombardments committed, Somaliland rose and shined from the ashes to rebuild and emerge stronger than ever before. We will not allow anymore massacre to ever happen again at any cost, we will defend our land, Somaliland people would no longer be victims in their own land.
Despite facing many challenges during the early independence, especially financial challenges, Somaliland now has become Africa’s best kept secret (Jhazbhay,
2003). Unlike Somalia, Somaliland did not get assistance from international financial institutions, nor did we receive humanitarian interventions and peacekeeping missions to restore and develop the nation. However, since the separation with the Somali Republic, the Somaliland government has moved forward, unlike Somalia who moved backward.
We, Somaliland has proved to the world and to ourselves that our state is well-functioning and peaceful for over 23.5 years compared to the ‘failed state’ of Somalia. Despite the hard work for almost 23.5 years to achieve all these notable successes, Why has Somaliland not had state recognition?
Recognition, first of all, one must believe that recognition and self-determination for any nation lies within and has to come from that particular nation in the first place. Meaning that we have to recognize ourselves and show the world that we Somaliland people recognized our self-determination and sovereignty. What will happen and whatever impact it will have on us if we recognize our statehood first and then let the whole world and the international community know that we have decided our destiny. So what do we need to think about?. We need to choose and set a particular day/date to recognize ourselves and call that day the national day, this will then at least attract attention to the international community to acknowledge our rights, you will notice people writing about it, more countries will at least know who we are, where we came from and to some extent what we want…. Self-belief is very important, As mentioned above, the world recognition will follow suite when you first recognize your very self. Recognize yourself first, let the world know that you recognized yourself. Let us set or choose a date to recognize ourselves and then start celebrating each and every year. This will at least let the whole world know that as of that chosen day/date we have recognized our statehood..
Anyone or country who have an interest on somaliland will come running to you and I am sure that we have loads of interesting things, whether it the security of the horn or our natural resources. It’s all about what interests that one wants from you or want to gain, no one will recognize a poor country like us who don’t bring any economical benefit to the world around us. Let us show the world what we do for the world in terms of terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, etc. I am sure the international community is aware what our contributions are in the world. Let us write, let us tell and explain what our contributions are, they will at least know or at least aware what is what, if one does not promote his or her interests, I am sure no one will come running and stick words into their mouth. Are we lacking logic or understating or it’s that we are a lazy nation that does not know how to promote themselves
Let us highlight some of our important, very important contributions to the world. I am sure there are countless contributions…..
- We control and controlled piracy in our 880 km sea and beyond.
2-We kept all sorts of terrorism at bay.
3-We are the only country in the world that have no debt
4- We must remind the international community that peace in Somaliland is also peace for the horn, the African continent as well as the whole world.
5- We must remind the world that 30% of their oil is transported through between Berbera and Yemen. International energy markets depend on reliable transport routes. Blocking a checkpoint, even temporarily, can lead to substantial increases in total energy costs and world energy prices. Checkpoints also leave oil tankers vulnerable to theft from pirates, terrorist attacks, shipping accidents that can lead to disastrous oil spills, and political unrest in the form of wars or hostilities, any disruptions to any routes could affect oil prices and add thousands of miles of transit in alternative routes.
According to U.S Energy administration, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a checkpoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, and it is a strategic link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean and connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
An estimated 3.8 million bbl/d of crude oil and refined petroleum products flowed through this waterway in 2013 toward Europe, the United States, and Asia It is time to recognize Somaliland because we can’t join enemy’s who pray for our downfall. Time to recognize SOMALI LAND because we are surrounded by enemies who want to finish us off, As per our president of Somaliland mentioned in 2014. President Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Silanyo, said in London that our country has been living independently of Somalia for a very long time. We would like recognition, he says, but we can only appeal to other governments and put our case to them.
Somaliland like any other nation, is entitled to recognition – we’ve been waiting a long time’
All this ignorant talk about only Mogadishu can give Somaliland it’s independent is a talk from an uneducated jealous
With no respect whatsoever for Somaliland and its sovereignty, remember Somaliland created the unity in the first place, so why would Mogadishu be responsible for our determination, sovereignty and decisions
The Kingdom of the Royal Windsor house gave Somaliland a full fledged Colonial Independence on the 26 June 1960 with all the necessary official paper work of the UNs fully recognizing the Independence of Somaliland which was under the British UK colonial protectorate since 1884-1960.
However, that union of Somaliland and Somalia in 1960 which was wrong (which Somaliland has created in the first place) failed and ended in 1991 due to liberation war which at the end resulted in the dissolution of the Union for both Countries. Somaliland doesn’t need a gathering of momentum of signatories to petition the World Governments, but needs the world to come to their sense and come to the Aid of recognizing the Somaliland’s Sovereignty which is fully already there without going into any political precarious mechanism manipulations. Somaliland sovereignty had been there already in 1960, it was us who united with the south Somalis and now its us who returned after that unification failed.
Now my question is that if Somaliland has survived for over 23.5 years without any help or assistance from the international community and has been the most peaceful and secure country in the African continent, if not the world. WHY and WHY the international communities are so hesitant to support the peace and the stability that is not only important to Somaliland and its neighbours but also important to the international community. We need to ask why are they so hesitant to grant us our rights as a sovereign country. One should also ask why they are bombarding the dysfunctional Somali Federal Institutions with countless aid and support
AND FINALLY. CONGRATULATIONS to Cardiff City and SHEFIELD CITY
Let us now say congratulations to Cardiff and Shefield for recognizing Somaliland and congratulation to Somaliland community in Cardiff and Shefield.
Remember, Every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than the current situation.
Remember, If we do not step forward, then we step back. If we do not protect a right, then we deny it. Remember the small things leads to big things and I know it’s the beginning.. Now let us concentrate in other cities in the united kingdom, especially when elections are due and there is need of people to vote for them. If you get 50% of cities in the UK to recognize us then its an automatic recognition
A right step forward.. Congratulations!
Thanks Sheffield. Bristol and Cardiff cities for recognizing Somaliland. We appreciate what you have done for us.
Well done to the Somaliland communities who campaigned tirelessly for this recognition.
Well done! You are destined to make it big, you just didn’t know it. This recognition is surely deserved and will give us an opportunity to spread our wings.
You worked hard, you deserve it, you have got it! Congratulations on this wonderful recognition.
Hope London will follow to do same and start campaigning very soon. Hope every Somaliland community in other countries will do the same!
Peace and Milk
Viva Somaliland
Somaliland ha noolaato.
Ahmed Yasin Mohamed Jama
