This is by far a display of childish behaviours in this thread. Nowhere else had I experienced the same kind of ignorance as in this very thread. It seems as if you have at last gotten something talk about, something that is not in favoure of Somaliland's progress. But as always, am here to let you guys back into their former sorrow selfs. First things first, we all agree the case is not of whether Somaliland could "AFFORD" to raise the $100,000 dollars by itself. This is clearified below. From simple calculations...The monthly income from passengers alone, is as follows: 4000 * $40 ($30 for arrivals, $10 for departure) = $160,000/month That does NOT include the monthly charges from United Nations flights, international airliners such as Ethiopian Air (3 flights a week), Djibouti Air (4 flights/week) and Regional Air (1 flight/week). And 5 local airliners Daallo, Star-Air, African Air Express, Gallad Air and Damal Air. Who all pay fees. And also, the number of Cargo services. If you add them all, the monthly income from Hargeisa's Egal International Airport could easily pass the 0.5 million dollar mark. OK, take that aside. Now, this leaves us to the "why then" question? To understand the "why then" question, you should first read this article (http://www.so.undp.org/pdf/cacas.pdf) CACAS, as you will learn from that PDF document above, is a United Nations funded program, that overseas the operational, safity, rehabilitation, maintainance and development of and I qoute "aviation infrastructure in Somalia". So, this leaves, me to ask you guys, when the whole airport is supposed be governed by that organisation for the duration of "in the absence of a recognized central government", why would Somaliland government take the blame then?? If you had been fair in this issue, then the ones that should be blamed for the problem is NOT Somaliland but rather it is those so called UN reps who dine and wine in Niarobi's expensive game park hotels, all in the name of "Somali"

Mr. Oodweyne, thanks for the deep analsys. But personally, I think Abdilaahi Yusuf has no the kind of guts needed for such an outcome. He might wished to drag his opponents into the indian occean, but doing it so, is wholly a different story. But one thing you left out in your long analysis is that, none of the current makeshift alliances (Abdiqasim's group or Abdulaahi's group) will last long. It is all a temporary solution for securing one's own interest, but outside that, there is clearly no common ground they agree on. Anytime one's interests change, that would be it. As we learned from the past, like Melbourne's weather, faction leaders' interests do change very quickly. All in all, anyone who is thinking of expecting anything of the now defunct talks at Doofaaraley, is fooling themselves. Anything that comes out of there, will only fuel the now subsided warfare of South Somalia.

Mr. Oodweyne, thanks for the deep analsys. But personally, I think Abdilaahi Yusuf has no the kind of guts needed for such an outcome. He might wished to drag his opponents into the indian occean, but doing it so, is wholly a different story. But one thing you left out in your long analysis is that, none of the current makeshift alliances (Abdiqasim's group or Abdulaahi's group) will last long. It is all a temporary solution for securing one's own interest, but outside that, there is clearly no common ground they agree on. Anytime one's interests change, that would be it. As we learned from the past, like Melbourne's weather, faction leaders' interests do change very quickly. All in all, anyone who is thinking of expecting anything of the now defunct talks at Doofaaraley, is fooling themselves. Anything that comes out of there, will only fuel the now subsided warfare of South Somalia.

This is just nothing more then a remake of the failed Artha attempt whereby they brought on board the "very small in number" yet pro-somaliweyn cohorts that hail from Somaliland, in order to blackmail the world. That attempt failed miserably. Today, the world has more information about Somaliland then it had previously. The thing is not who represents Somaliland, the real issue should rather be, do the Somalilanders (The people) want anything to do with Somalia in the first place?? As far as the people of Somaliland and their genuine political leaders are concerned, Somaliland's position is very clear. No amount of blackmail will derail this fact. At the end of the day, what the people want is what counts, and what the people of Somaliland want is nothing more then their right to self-determination.

guraad, Wax isku la hadh, ninweyn baad tahee. Dadka been lagama sheege.. This is what she said: "“The warlords in southern Somalia are interested in protecting their own interests by supporting terrorism and have not got the interest of the Somali people at heart,” Adan Ismail, who is the only female cabinet member of Somaliland, told Reuters. She never said anything about the ordinary Somali people. How desperate can some people get? they lost their morale compus intey islahaayeen been iyo balaayo faafiya. Munaafiqnimodu ilaahay iyo nabigiisiba way xaarantimeeyeen

Yusufaddie Well, I know of a couple of firms based in Malaysia, but the only Muslim owned firm of the size of BERGER that I know off was perhaps the Bin Ladens firm. The Saudi based engineering firm that built Baytal Xajj in Mecca El-Mukarama and Baytal Nabbawi in Maddiina El-Munawara, both are the biggest and most breathtaking architectual masterpieces. I don't know if it survived the American anti-terrorism/arabism sword. OG_MOTI, Ethiopian, is not a my enemy... my enemies are those who destroyed my beloved country and are bent on to repeat again. On can only appreciate the Ethiopian government and its people of their hospitality they forwarded to Somali refugees. You can't compare the Ethiopians to the Kenyan thugs who on daily baes raped the Somali refugees or on broad daylight robbed SOmalis in the middle of Niarobi. That never happens in Addis Abeba. In fact, the Somali has more rights in Addis Abeba then say, an Amhara or Oromo. Back to the Berbera Proejct, I say, i is a win win deal... any questions??

Exactly nomadrebell !!! Mr. Bari_Nomad, You know, there is an old Somali adage that goes: "Laylugu biyaha kashkiisa ku jira ayuu ka didaa"... ! Anyways, Mr. Nomad don't twist my words, the question I asked was simple. Was the camp destroyed on purpose (citing the repeated attempts if you like to set afire the camp previously), OR was it just a natural accident. This btw, has nothing to do with whether NE or NW or whatever is a heaven for poor refugees or not. That is quite a story of different interest. But at the moment, lets just focus on this camp and why it has ended up in smokes.

This is not the first, not second or even the third time this refugee camp had been set ablaze. The last time a wild fire swept through this refugee camp which located in Boosaaso, was just less then 2 weeks ago. That fire almost wiped the whole camp out. In the past, the camp survived similar destatereous fires. The few tents and make-shifts that survived the cult of the last fire that devastated the camp, has fanished in this latest fire outburst. The question that begs answers is that, is this a well orchestrated crime against the needy or just few accidents that happened to come one after the other in a coordinated way?

The company that won the contract of the Berbera project is LOUIS BERGER, a reknowned world leader in its sector. LOUIS BERGER GROUP, was also selected by USAID to develop an extensive road and airport system for Afghanistan. They are currently developing the road that links KABUL to HARIT. http://www.louisberger.com/index1.php?id=services

Berbera Corridor Project, supported and funded by the EC (European Commision) is a project to develop the economic backbone of Somaliland and Ethiopia. The $160 million dollar project is divided into four main areas of development. 1. The development and expansion of the road system between Berbera-Hargeisa-Jigjiga. This includes the development of four lane highway system which will go through the city of Hargeisa, named "Hargeisa Crossing". 2. The expasion to the Port of Berbera, so that it could accommodate larger vessles and cargo ships. This includes the installation of state of the art navigation and loading system for the port, and also the development of larger storage warehouses for Goods and Fuel, that are destined for Ethiopia. 3. The modernisation of Berbera and Hargeisa Airports, so that the airports could accomodate larger cargo airplanes. This huge project, named "Berbera Corridor", will definately create more jobs, in a nation where unemployment rates are into the 90% area.

xiis, sxb, it was a voluntery union in the first place, no body forced us to unite with them... and now it is the same thing, it is a voluntry withdrawal. The unity desolved when the state that existed in between the years 1960-1991 became what deplomats term as "a failed state". Somaliland meanwhile is functioning and has every organ a normal state should possess. It has a a clear internationally recognized borders (this takes the border issue out of the question). It has a distinc national flag, it has a constitution that works, it has a democratically elected president, it has its own currency, it has its own police and military forces, its own miniteries that do function, supreme courts etc etc. All that without any help from the outside community. Somaliland as many would love to label it as a seccessionist region, is not!! it is a state regaining its lost glory. It is the first independent Somali inhabited region, it gained its independence from the colonial powers before all the other Somali regions gained theirs.

To Haystak; I think you should re-read Suburban-Nomad's post... HornAfrique; What was the motive behind posting that map of yours?? Do you think it hold of any value in our part of the world. ... FYI: In Somaliland, we had the SNL not SYL!!! SNL was led by prominent Somaliland politicians like Marxuum Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, Ahmed Duale, Marxuum Mahamoud Ahmed Ali, Micheal Mariano, Faarah Omaar etc etc...

Baashi, Brother you and other pro-secessionist have an interesting dilemma to deal with; on the one hand you want to unilaterally disregard the legitimate “Act of Union” in 1960. It is always wise to cross check you arguments with the facts... Mr. Baashi, you termed the so called fake union of the 1960s as a "legitimate" one... I would like to see your prove of that... Mr. Baashi, the facts on the ground is there were never an "Actual Union", since the parties involved never signed the actual "Union" documents. THIS IS THE FACT!!! I ask you: Assume the recent "Puntland Peace Accords" document were never signed by both Col. Abdulaahi Yusuf and Gen. Adde Muse... Would say then, that document is a legitimate one, if it were never signed nor any witness?? Another case to consider is the recent "Sieze Fire" document signed by the Warlords in Eldorete, Kenyna. Assume the Warlords never signed that document... would you then say, it is a valid and legitimate one?? The answer is, obvious to both cases and all other contract documents... they need to be signed to become valid. The same applies with the 1960s "“Act of Union”, I repeat, that document was never signed!!! So, essentially, there was never a legally valid "Act of Union" between Somaliland and Somalia. The whole fiasco was a highway robbery, aided by the overwhelming Somaliiland support for il-fated dream called "Somaliweyn". In reality and in legal terms however, the whole union, has no bases whatsoever. And to futher clearify, the Somaliland people overwhelmingly rejected the 1961 referendum. But again, a Southern greedy warlords, ignored the fact that Somaliilanders were not happy with the union. So, therefore, Somaliland has a clear legal grounds to stand on its own. That was only a clearification and corrections.

Baashi; Greater Somalia is a dream, a vision if u will, conceived by well-intended Somalis... Indeed, Mr. Baashi... but funny ( or sad however you like it) isn't it, the same people who backstabbed it yesterday, are todays self appointed spokesmen for it. It has become a crywolf for certian people who are genuinely sincere about its well intended vision NOT, but instead are using it as a vehicle to further their dastardingly malicious plans. Anyways, how ever you like it.. We've been there, done that!!! guess what?? it stinks! And none is gonna fall into that same silly trap, particularly Somalilanders, let alone Djiboutians (mind you, Somaliweyn includes Djibouti as well). Somalilanders have learned their lessons "the hard way". I don't think they are gonna make the same mistake as they had done in the 1960s... "Qosol beena, Ilko wada qayaxan, Qiil aan garanaayo, Booraan afkii laga qafilay Qabri'na hooseeyo, Maanaa mindiyo lay qarshaa, Laygu qali doono, Abtiyaalse kala quusanee Qoomamoda la'aada" Mr. Baashi if you consider yourself as part of the neo-Somaliweyn vanguards, as they have become known for, as of after Afweyne's ouster. My advice to your kind would be, to keep matters to your own very self. If you want to bring Somali-Galbeed into your fold, be it; just know that we will be watching from the sidelines. Of course as things unfold dramatically. BTW: We have no problems with our neighbours, and there is no way we would support one over the other.