Should the World Legitimize the Independence of Somaliland?

[Jaylaani]

I always said recognition isn’t everything.

 

BTW, gabaygaa hadraawi meesha qabto saaxciib…waayo somaliland way heli kartaa aqoonsi!

[Abu-Salman]

Here is the secession apologetic, Ayann Hirsi-like, blasphemous Bashir Goth* who has finally seen the light when fellow collegues were thrown into jail (although now slightly more realistic, he has long been a dogmatic proponent of "Somaliland" recognition as an "idyllic, Western-friendly, Democratic State", bulwark against "Wahhabi extremism").

 

 

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Awdalnews, 2006

 

Editorial - Somaliland people will tolerate no more

 

 

Somaliland is often marketed as the darling of Africa; an oasis of peace and stability in a volatile region; a unique example of a homegrown democracy; and a country of resilient people crying for international justice. As true and uncontestable as this may be, it represents only one side of the coin.

 

The other side of the coin, often hidden from the outside world and often denied by Somalilanders themselves is an ugly one; a bitter reality that any visitor will notice at the first glance. The government is a lifeless scarecrow. Only the structure exists, but nothing functions. Many of the ministers, parliament members and senior officials are alien scavengers who carry foreign passports. Having lived many years in Canada and Europe as jobless refugees, they found the Somaliland project as manna from heaven. They left their families in secure environments living off western taxpayers charity and flocked to Somaliland with only one objective in mind to rob and run. Riding on the wave of the people’s yearning and wish for change and equipped with few political sound bites borrowed from western political rhetoric, they portrayed themselves as apostles of democracy and good governance and won the names they coveted for by ingratiating themselves to the President and unassuming clan elders.

 

Teaming up with equally power hungry former rebel fighters going by their popular name of Mujahideen, they created one of the most corrupt systems in Africa. They live off the meager revenues collected from the country’s limited income sources and international assistance. They roam in the streets of Hargeisa, Borama and Buroa with brand new SUVs among hungry populace. Each of the three bodies of government, the judiciary, legislative and the executive, smoothly fall into the greased grooves of this slimy jigsaw. Members of the elected lower house of parliament are opportunistic liars who took advantage of the people’s trust to grab their stinky share of the rotten and meager national cake and the elected President sits on top of the stenchy system that stands on collapsing pillars of corruption, nepotism and favoritism. The opposition figures are also scavengers waiting for their turn and share of the national booty.

 

At the bottom of this rotten heap are the people of Somaliland struggling for air and sunshine, always trusting this bandit government with their lives, their hopes and their dreams for independence, sovereignty, prosperity and recognition. The government amuses them and lulls them like children with the song of “Somaliland’s Recognition.”

 

The people are good citizens. It is they who keep the peace and stability not the government; they and not the government who reclaimed Somaliland’s sovereignty; they and not the government who sleep hungry every night and tolerate grinding poverty in order to achieve their goal, an international recognition for their country.

 

The people, however, are suffering greatly. The country’s public hospitals are in a pathetic state, patients are thrown like astray dogs on stinky beds with blood soaked linen, doctors are scavengers who suck the poor people’s blood by charging exorbitant fees in their private clinics, schools are used as cash squeezing machines for hungry teachers, city streets are punctuated by potholes, water is so scarce that the residents of Hargeisa are lucky to bathe once a week.

 

Public services are non-existent, garbage dumps grow into mountains at every corner, airports are filthy, sewage water is dumped in the streets, the economy is at shambles, livestock have no markets and there is no system of accountability in place for the tax levied on people. Nomads who represented the backbone of the economy over decades have become endangered species; they have no where to graze their animals as the grazing areas shrink by the day due to illegal land grabs by greedy individuals, the country’s ports are abandoned due to mismanagement and corruption. Most of the Somaliland people survive by the remittances sent to them by their sons and daughters living in the diaspora and humanitarian assistance from the international community, while the rest are fed by women selling Kat or other goods under the scorching sun. Tens of thousands of Somaliland's youth are loitering in the streets without any chance of employment in the horizon.

 

To add insult to injury, Somaliland’s territorial integrity is at peril. Somaliland government literally rules only the regions of Hargeisa, Sahel and Awdal. Sool and Sanag regions are internationally seen as contested regions and Togdheer is hanging in the air, still using the old Somali currency and relying on former Somalia for its economic survival. The country is internationally isolated, remaining as a pawn and playing to the tunes of its powerful neighbor Ethiopia that will not hesitate to sell Somaliland for a song to its stooges in Mogadishu.

 

Being good citizens, the Somaliland people have been patient until now. But not anymore as the government has taken their silence for ********* and decided to drive them like a donkey. Knowing Somaliland people, they can survive without food and shelter but they cannot tolerate to survive without dignity. The illegal imprisonment and harsh treatment of the Haatuf journalists is the latest signal of the government’s misreading of the people’s patience. Previously the government banned all kinds of public gatherings, government representatives attend clan meetings to witness and report back and people’s loyalties are won by threats and arm-twisting.

 

Well, the government of Somaliland should know that the people’s patience has a limit and by silencing the free press, banning newspapers and imprisoning journalists it has invited people’s anger. And people’s anger will be ruthless and unforgiving when the time comes. So we tell the government, the parliament, the judiciary and the opposition to be forewarned and heed history. We also tell them that they are all guilty of the press-silencing act either by direct action or default and no one can use the Haatuf predicament as Othman’s blood soaked shirt.

 

 

*: Not only is Bashir Goth an avowed secularist, but he also busies himself by regularly relaying anti-Islamic myths and fairy tales as a freelance writer (where he disclosed his nostalgia for our womens' tradition of nudity, his abhorence of the "Wahhabi veil & ideology" a la neo-cons ect).

[xiinfaniin]

^^Aside from its angry tone and choice of slurring diction, this write-up represents legitimate grievance against the failed project of the secessionist drive.

 

Is it not a hightime for Oodweyne to depart from his lame moves and address the gaps in his project?

 

Jaylaani, Hadraawi's wisdom applies adeer. It's timeless in its literary value.

[Gordon Gekko]

The economy in Somaliland (read: Hargeisa) would quickly evaporate as soon as Mogadishu alone becomes stabilized and rebuilt. It would be interesting to conduct a public opinion survey at that time to see what the average somalilander thinks about becoming "independent".

[SomaliThinker]

Dji-Somali, i must ask you this question. Do you think Djubuit should join and me part of Somalia? Second is how the political and social case of your nation, are there free rights for everyone, are their free speech and movement in Djubuti? Answer me these question and i will further debate you.

 

 

For TheSomaliEconomist, i must say for Economist you really dont make sense for a Unionist. In this TFG format is it not it to be a federal system were each region will develop and build so IE Hargesia if it joined would get large sum of development money to improve and build on its infursturer like other region IE Puntland and so forth. The way you make it sound is of Centeral system like before were no region would have development but Mogadishu, so please make up your mind is a the TFG Centeral system or is it a Federal lol.

[Jaylaani]

Originally posted by TheSomaliEconomist:

The economy in Somaliland (read: Hargeisa) would quickly evaporate as soon as Mogadishu alone becomes stabilized and rebuilt. It would be interesting to conduct a public opinion survey at that time to see what the average somalilander thinks about becoming "independent".

Think before you write saaxiib. You're NOT making sense. Hargeisa is light years ahead of Xamar economically, what makes you think it will go back wards?

 

Given the opportunity, the people of Somaliland were known for being real business oriented society. That is historical fact. Due to the large of diasporas, people have become the movers and the shakers of the new Somaliland business culture not the government. This only enhances our potential.

[Gordon Gekko]

SomaliThinker: Although it might not have been clear; my previous post was written from the 'secessionists point-of view'. With other words, I, as a TFG/Unionist supporter, was simply conveying a cautionary statement for a possible scenario, in the case of Somalilands independence from the rest of Somalia. Now having understood this, I'm hopeful that my post will make sense to you.

[Jaylaani]

^^ So you chew both sides of you mouth. Waa af miishaarnimo waxaasi maad iska daysid.

[Caano Geel]

No i dont think it will be a good thing.

 

From a practical perspective it sets a precedence that a republic/nation is defined by a very narrow sense of homogeneity - the infamous Balkanisation effect. It gives weight to the next group claiming their own sovereign reign over xyz and because grand-dad had once camped there or waa lagu gumeystey.

 

Ultimately this bad for all groups -if nothing else a smaller country means even smaller means to compete in an increasingly global world - most of all your competitors don't want this. Somalis have more power to attain for themselves if they can consolidate their lot - and since we cant produce the next luxemburg in a 100 or 200 years, we need to think about how a nation that can compete globally and provide for its people can brought about.

 

What the administration in the waqoooyi has done is amazing, but also look at the Bari it has also done well. To go ahead, the administrations in these regions aught to be given the chance to expand the structures they have implemented to the rest of the country.

 

But hey what am I on about... we're still talking about maryooley arn't we..

[Gordon Gekko]

Originally posted by Jaylaani:

Think before you write saaxiib. You're NOT making sense. Hargeisa is light years ahead of Xamar economically, what makes you think it will go back wards?

I understand that this is a sensitive case and that one also should apply extensive analysis before drawing any decisive conclusions but I'm firm in my belief that Xamar has far more economic potential than Hargeisa. The main contributing factors to this are (as I see it):

 

1. The status of being the capital city of the country alone, directly entails into hastened economic growth.

2. The port of Mogadishu (Hargeisa is dependant on Berbera port which in turn is inferior to the more competitive Djibouti port)

3. The Mogadishu international airport which was previously the only well-known in the country and could regain it's status following some basic reconstruction.

4. The presence of the governmental and diplomatic offices & headquarters which could trigger more Foreign Direct Investment to the country (of which most would flow through the capital).

5. Inhabitants: the commercial value of the increased population in the city (which I would predict would increase in a post-war rebuilt scenario) would create a more favourable and vigorous business market.

 

Given the opportunity, the people of Somaliland were known for being real business oriented society. That is historical fact.

Last time I checked, the people of Somaliland are somalis (or are you referring to the history of a specific clan?) and as far as that goes, yes, I can agree that most somalis have been widely acknowledged for their entreprenurial spirit and business savvy.

 

Due to the large of diasporas, people have become the movers and the shakers of the new Somaliland business culture not the government. This only enhances our potential.

Well this pattern is not exclusive to Somaliland but is a system that comes closest to be described as the norm, the new law of corporate and societal evolution, in the whole of the Somali contintent. Examples of diaspora financed venues in Somalia include Dayax Islamic Bank which provides full commercial/corporate banking services, The Coca-Cola bottling company in Mogadishu, construction firms and several of the countrys telecoms. The latter is an interesting case as the largest telecoms in the country are based in Mogadishu and not Hargeisa; the reason? Point number 5 - the greater commercial value of inhabitants.

[Abu-Salman]

Dji-Somali, i must ask you this question. Do you think Djubuit should join and me part of Somalia? Second is how the political and social case of your nation, are there free rights for everyone, are their free speech and movement in Djubuti?

 

First of all, Djibouti is mainly an Afar Territory as up to two-third of the country is their ancestral land.

 

Somalis may represent now between 60 and 75% of its population (partly thanks to immigration); however, we have to convince both Somalis and Afars should any union be realistic in the futur.

 

Of course, a union with Somalia is a better option than being incorporated into the Ethiopian empire for reasons of economic sustainability and strategic security; indeed, not only Addis economy regularly register an estimated 8-10% growth but also its population increases exponentially...

[Fabregas]

I think Somalilanders have come to far. They are not gonna suddenly turn the clock back after all these years and join Somalia.Either, Somalilanders are gonna have a change of heart or Abdullahi Yusuf is gonna conquer Hargeysa and bring them back in the Union. Both of these are impossible. Thus i fail to see people bickeing about Somaliland is part of Somalia. When it is clearly not...........

[roobleh]

It is really shame that most of Somaliland's opponents who are writing on this thread do not show interest to address the issues that are relevant to them: The plight of somalis in the south. Many of Somalia's children are right now dying either from bullet wounds or diarrhea. Yet, you're eager to talk about "forced unity."

 

What kind of man do you think talks about forced unity when he cannot even manage himself? What kind of man talks about building a nation when supporting thugs and criminals?

 

Talking to you is like talking to deaf person on the phone!

 

You need to defend the people in mogadishu from the criminals and do away with the hotbeds of terror.

 

This is your chance boys. Stop worrying about somaliland. People are dying everyday in your country for no reason.

[Caano Geel]

Roobleh

"People are dying everyday in your country for no reason."

 

^ your or our country?

[Fabregas]

Caano Geel, Somaliland is not part of Somalia remember?