Interview with Hamud, Faisal Roble and Yasmin by VOA, and the Conference on NSPU.

[NASSIR]

BBC

 

Interview by James Butty , VOA

 

 

Somalia: Diaspora Group Hold Peace and Unity Conference

 

 

 

By James Butty

Washington, D.C.

04 December 2006

 

 

Butty interview with Hamud and Roble

 

 

There are reports Somalia's transitional government Sunday sent hundreds of troops backed by Ethiopian soldiers to recapture the strategic southern town of Dinsor, seized Saturday by the country's powerful Islamic movement. With the seizure of Dinsor, military sources said the Islamic Courts Union has now effectively surrounded the weak transitional government in its fortified base in Baidoa. Here in Washington, a group calling itself Northern Somalis for Peace and Unity held a conference over the weekend to discuss peace and unity in their country.

 

 

Yasmin Hamud, one of the conference conveners discussed the purpose of the conference.

 

 

“We believe that the Somali problem will only be dealt with within the framework of holistic and strategic approach aimed at the empowerment of a central government to rebuild national democratic government and institutions and restore law and order in the country. We want to lobby the Bush administration and the American government for the problems that they have ignored for the past 15 years in Somalia,” she said.

 

 

Ms. Hamud said the group also wants to bring all Somalis together and create a movement to preserve the integrity of the country as well as keep out what she called the chaos and mishap happening there.

 

 

Faisal Roble, another convener of the Northern Somalis for Peace and Unity conference, said the group wants to engage both sides in the Somalia conflict.

 

 

“We don’t support anyone in particular. However, we are calling for the resumption of the Khartoum talks. We want to engage both sides to put their differences aside and come to the table in the form of power sharing. In fact, we are calling on the U.S. as part of our resolution at the end of the conference to ensure that talks have been resumed and engagement of both sides be carried out by the US government and other bilateral countries,” Roble said.

 

 

Ms. Hamud said her group is against any outside interference in Somalia, especially Ethiopia.

 

 

“Considering our history with Ethiopia especially, and the fact that they do have a vested interest in Somalia, that we have been at war with them in the past, we don’t think that Ethiopia should be one of the first countries that should get involved with our issues and with bringing peace and unity within the various governments of Somalia. We do, however, encourage the American government to stop ignoring the situation in Somalia and to lend a hand to the situation because it has been ignoring Somalia for 15 years, “ Ms. Hamud said.

 

 

Roble said Ethiopia’s involvement in Somalia might encourage the Islamists to resort to terrorist methods as has been alleged by some.

 

 

“They want, and in fact it would be to their advantage for Ethiopia to interfere in Somalia affairs simply because of the fact that historically, Ethiopia has been a neighboring enemy of Somalia,” Roble said.

[NASSIR]

We, the Unionists of Northern Somalia (UNS) and the Northern Somalis for Peace and Unity (NSPU), wish to convey and share with the US Government, with the foreign participants in this week’s “Somaliland” convention in Virginia, and with the international community at large that the existence of the self-styled secessionists’ enclave of “Somaliland” is based on a number of fallacies and fabrications, including:

 

1. That: the people of northern Somalia—“ Somaliland” in their terms—are united on seceding from the rest of Somalia. On the contrary, many communities in the region are, indeed, opposed to the sentiment of secession. In fact, the region is adequately represented in the TFG under the 4.5-formula for power sharing in those Federal Institutions, now based in Baidoa.

 

2. That: the decision to secede was taken in a meeting held in Burao, one of the major towns in the region, in May, 1991. Indeed, the meeting was haphazardly held and the decision was taken on the spur of the moment when the SNM militia all of a sudden started saber rattling in a mob like atmosphere, forcefully calling for the separation of the region.

 

3. That: elections were subsequently held for the local governments, parliament and the president in a democratic way. On the contrary, those elections were held in the triangle between Hargeisa, Burao and Berbera, if at all. Especially, communities in the east—those in Sool and Sanaag - had declined to participate in any such elections. There may be a few individuals from those communities, who do not necessarily represent the people they claim to represent and who serve in the secessionist administration of Hargeisa. Some such individuals are now participating in this Conference, as a ploy to show the world a false unanimity of the people of the North on the secession.

 

4. That: “ Somaliland”, as a State, pre-existed the Act of Union of July 1, 1960 of the Somali Republic and that, on such baseless grounds, “ Somaliland” ought to be recognized by the international community. No “ Somaliland’ State existed before the Act of Union. It is ironic that the secessionists are holding their Conference in the backyard of the Federal Institutions of the United States of America to lobby the American Government. What a big, fat fabrication!

 

We, the Unionists of the North of Somalia wish to inform the world that, for sixteen years—since the collapse of Barre’s government—we have tolerated the existence of this misleading notion in the hope that such a mythology as the secession would in the end crumble under its weight, since our people are not united under its banner. On the contrary, the secessionists have also waited in the hope that the rest of Somalia would disintegrate so that the world would recognize their so-called sovereignty. The unionists of the North have now come out to begin to organize themselves and to rally around the cause of unity with their brethren elsewhere in Somalia.

 

The unionists further call upon the secessionist leadership in the North to start considering meaningful reconciliation, and dialogue between the communities in the North and with their Somali brethren elsewhere.

 

The unionists of the North also call on the International community to continue to uphold the national unity and territorial integrity of the Somali Republic.

 

Note: For complete documentation of ‘Somaliland’s’ blatant lies and fabrications (cited above), which are in complete variance with historical facts surrounding the independence of British Somaliland and its immediate union with Italian Somaliland as well as with today’s reality on the ground, please refer to NSPU publication of “Illusory Somaliland: Setting the Record Straight”

 

 

Old Press Release.

[QabiilDiid]

What Faisal has said is what I have been saying in this forum and in others. Mele Zenawi has misread the tea leaves. He thinks the mujahidiins will disappear by his threads and chest beating. They really welcome and looking forward to fight with his tigrean militia because YOU HEAR ME SOOOOMAAALIA NEEEEEDS WAR and war is what she is will get….

[Jaylaani]

Originally posted by Caamir:

 

4. That: “ Somaliland”, as a State, pre-existed the Act of Union of July 1, 1960 of the Somali Republic and that, on such baseless grounds, “ Somaliland” ought to be recognized by the international community. No “ Somaliland’ State existed before the Act of Union.

Old Press Release.

I sense too much anger but no alternative, as usual.

 

 

This must be the most ignorant thing I've ever heard. They are playing with semantics here. Somaliland, waqooyi galbeed, geel , adhi ...call it whatever you want it but that region in the Northern part of Horn of Africa existed before the Act of Union of July 1st 1960. That is teh bottom line. Are they trying to rewrite history now? Habar taa taa ogi maxaa niman kani isku ceebaynayaan….please don’t insult my intelligence. What a shame.

 

 

Waryaa nimankii reer laas caanood way isku daateen mays tidhi. (not all of them of course)

[Khalid2]

Where is Duke To night

[Jaylaani]

Tonight? Its12: 30 Pm in my neighborhood. Where are you?

[Sophist]

Gaylani, what is your dislike? Ma buluuglahaa cudur kugu noqdey.

 

PS: I am ceergaabaawi!

[me]

thanx NSPU!

[Jaylaani]

Originally posted by Sophist:

Gaylani, what is your dislike? Ma buluuglahaa cudur kugu noqdey.

 

PS: I am ceergaabaawi!

Miya I have no problem with the buluugle nor do I care too much of it. However, I have a problem with people insulting my intelligence and trying to rewrite history like June 26, 1960 in BEERTA XORIYADA with Tima Cade reciting KANA SIIB KANA SAAR never happened. How low can you go? C’mon give me a break.

 

There are a lot of people who don’t support the idea of Somaliland independence but I never seen any one claiming that such state actually never excited.

 

You’re Ceergaabaawi? Nice to meet you Ceergaabo. I’m Hargaysaawi but I was born and raised in Djibouti until I was 11 years old.

[RedSea]

^lol..

[NASSIR]

Jaylani,

 

If you need to read more about the history of the union, read this article “SOMALILAND”: THE MYTHOLOGY DISPELLED, Calling the Spade a Spade, Part II: The Evidence By Abdalla A. Hirad

 

 

There is no secessionist scholar that could argue against that article. In other words, I have yet to see a rebuttal of that article. In the first of 3 Parts paper, written by Abdalla, the first one took three rejoinders of emotionally charged but none could forward his final rebuttal on the final Part.

 

Don't just parrot, learn from the old folks.

[RedSea]

Caamir,don't spin this one out of context,but who is Abdalla A.Hirad,his education,background,etc..(would do a research,but too tired to do that today).

 

thanks in advace,

[Jaylaani]

Cabdila Hirad waa ninka yimid WHEREEVER...

 

Waar ma imikay doonayaan in taarikhdaydiina aniga ii dhigaan ....han waynaa nimanku.

 

Same reason there was a SYL in Somali books but not SNL.

 

Caamir,

 

I don't have to read any article to know who I'm!

[General Duke]

A great thread, once again thanks to brother Camir. I always like how Ridwan says the following," dont spin this out of context" when ever the idea that is Somaliland is on the ropes.

 

Update us lads have they released the Suldan yet?

[NASSIR]

NSPU Conference Stirs up a Hornet’s Nest

By Mohsin Mahad

December 06,2006

 

 

The conference held in Washington on Saturday 2 December and organized by the “Northern Somalis for Peace and Unity” (NSPU) has predictably stirred up a hornet’s nest in the secessionist camp and more so enraged their foremost bastion – the Somaliland Policy and Reconstruction institute (SOPRI). In a press release published in the secessionist websites on the eve of the conference, and under the title “Exercise in Fantasy,” SOPRI has launched a rearguard action and churned out its well-worn and hackneyed secessionist mantra, aiming to nip the conference in the bud and thereby blunt its impact. If any of the parties is engaged in an “exercise of fantasy”, it is surely SOPRI and not NSPU. The readers can judge for themselves on the basis of the following quoted extracts from SOPRI’s press release:

 

“Somaliland’s independence ….is in conformity with the AU principle of the inviolability of the territorial integrity inherited from colonialism…”

 

The principles of the inviolability of borders and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the OAU/AU charters, are applicable to former colonies that gained independence and thereafter retained their independence. For such countries, who became members of the OAU/AU/UN, their inherited colonial borders are inviolable. Those principles however do not apply to former British Somaliland, or the former Somaliland that had independence for a couple of days in June 1960. This is for the simple reason that former independent Somaliland had, of its own free will, gave up its independence and separate existence when it joined former Italian Somaliland and became part of the united Somali Republic. It Somalia, and not former British Somaliland or former independent Somaliland, whose borders and territorial integrity are recognized by the OAU, AU, UN and all other international and regional Organizations.

 

Except for the secessionists, no one else will ever question the fact that former British Somaliland or former independent Somaliland had ceased to exist as a separate entity. It goes without saying that a territorial entity that does not legally exist by national or international law has no recognized borders and hence can not claim the relevant AU articles or principles relating to the inviolability of borders and territorial integrity. If these principles are applicable to the secessionist enclave around Hargeisa, as SOPRI claims, the AU and the rest of the international community would have recognized its independence long time ago. The reason why they did not do so after all these years speaks for itself. SOPRI and fellow separatists would rather close their eyes and minds to the reality and instead continue to indulge in futile make-believes and fantasies.

 

“Somaliland’s independence is legal”

 

This is another fantasy not different from the statement in the preceding section . The fact that the secessionists have unilaterally bestowed ‘legality” upon their secession does in no way confer international legitimacy on them..

 

The people of Somaliland refuse to be linked to, and have nothing to do with the borders inherited from Italian colonialism.

The memories of the secessionists are short or selective. Obviously, they want to close their minds to certain uncomfortable historical facts. But the rest of us ARE not suffering from amnesia and have not forgotten that it was the people and government of former independent Somaliland who freely initiated the union with former Italian Somaliland. If some sections of that population now want to put the clock back and reclaim their separation from the rest of Somalia, they would need to be reminded that neither Somalia nor the AU nor the UN nor the rest of the international community will countenance or sanction clan or regional secessions.. Having learned from their bitter experiences with the secessions of Biafra and Katanga, Africa and its regional organizations see any secession as only opening a Pandora Box that would de-stabilize its fragile member countries in the continent..

 

The secessionist could only achieve separation if, and only if, such an act is approved by a truly national and representative Somali government and then overwhelmingly endorsed by the Somali people in a national referendum in the country as a whole - a probability which is as remote as the dead coming back to life.

 

Somaliland’s independence was adopted unanimously in a nationwide referendum

This is one of the oft-repeated lies spread around the world for the purpose of hoodwinking international opinion. The so-called referendum was conducted in the limited areas under the control of the administration based in Hargeisa. Close to half of the geographical area of former British Somaliland, comprising the regions of Sool, Eastern Sanaag and Cayn had nothing to do with this treacherous act. Little participation also took place among the Issa clan area bordering Djibouti and only some of the Awdalites in the West did so under duress. It is not as if these facts are not known to SOPRI and its followers. Rather, denial of the facts - a form self-delusion - and the dissemination of disinformation are key pillars in their secessionist strategy.

 

“There is zero (repeat) zero constituency for unionism in the country”.

 

As mentioned in the preceding section, the totality of the people in the Sool, Eastern Sanaag and Cayn regions are solidly committed to Somali unity as do the Issa clan and the majority of Awdalites. Even within the secessionist heartland, support for the secession is far from being unanimous. Once again, these facts count for nothing for those, like SOPRI, who prefer to live in a world of make-belief and who in the end come to believe their own fantasies.

 

“The chance of the Somali state coming back to life as remote as the Ottoman Empire coming back to existence”.

 

The inappropriate analogy drawn between the end of an empire, and the temporary absence of a Somali state only reflects another fantasy, and the nefarious wish of the secessionists to see Somalia remain stateless forever for the benefit of their recognition. Despite the bitter and long-enduring national strife – initially clan-based but subsequently perpetrated by the warlords in their fiefdoms for their personal gain - Somali unity has at no time been questioned anywhere in Somalia, North or South, except in the secessionist enclave around Hargeisa.

 

The Somali state may be temporarily dysfunctional or defunct as some may prefer to call it, but Somali unity is alive and becoming increasingly vibrant thanks to the advent of the Islamic movement. The revival of the Somali State is not a mirage as the secessionist would wish. Sooner or later, it is as sure to emerge as day follows night. All it requires is the establishment of a truly representative national government and that is on the horizon, a prospect dreaded only by two sides -: needless to say Ethiopia and the separatists like SOPRI.

 

A civil war with catastrophic consequences is looming in the horizon [between] the forces of the Islamic Court Union (ICU) and Baidabo on the other.

 

The secessionists have cherished the Somali strife in the hope that this would benefit their recognition. They had fully exploited the mayhem caused by the warlord’s rein of terror in Mogadishu and Southern Somalia. Now that the warlords have been chased away, the secessionists are once again banking on another strife or civil war- this time between the ICU and the clique based in Baidhaba. A civil war in Somalia would entail by definition a national strife engulfing most of the country and fought along clan, ethnic or regional lines. None of that exist, or will happen in Somalia. Contrary to the wishful thinking of the secessionists, there will be no war between the ICU and the clique in Baidabo. What may happen instead is a war between Somalia and an Ethiopia that is determined to keep its puppets in Baidhabo in power. Almost all the Somalis, less the secessionists, are united in defending their country and chasing the Ethiopians and their lackeys from Somali soil.

 

"Any effort for reunification will spark a bloody confrontation of unprecedented proportion."

 

SOPRI’s blood curdling predictions are only meant for the international audience and are unlikely to materialize. The support for Somali unity has never wavered in most parts of the North West region. At a time when Islam and Somali nationalism had conquered Southern Somalia and are spreading throughout the rest of the country, not least in the North West region support for Somali unity is likely to spread to the whole North West region. This wind of change, rooted in Islam and Somali nationalism, can only win hearts and minds and serve as an antidote to the secessionists’ siege mentality - except perhaps those diehards among the Diaspora who from their safe distance in the USA or elsewhere choose to be hooked to the secession cause at any price.

 

Conclusion

 

The Northern Somalis for Peace and Unity (NSPU) is to be commended for organizing this successful conference. Some may lament the fact that the northern unionists, as organizations or individuals, are somewhat tardy with their initiative, having by default allowed SOPRI and its secessionist associates to have the field all to themselves during all these years, and to spread disinformation throughout the world unchallenged. But it is better late than never. Now that the nationalists/unionists from Northern Somalia have risen to the challenge, their initiative can only trigger an unstoppable chain reaction. Rather than being “an exercise in fantasy”, as SOPRI claims, this conference would have on the contrary achieved two important objectives: firstly, the message of the conference, and in particular the views of its prominent participants, have been broadcast over the BBC Somali Serve and disseminated in the internet. This will undoubtedly serve as catalyst to rally to the unity cause millions in Somalia, in particular in the North West region. And equally importantly, this conference, and those that will follow it, will debunk the secessionist lies and propaganda - still maintained by SOPRI - that population in the North West region as a whole fully support the secession.

 

Much as they are on opposite poles on the politics of Somalia and the North-West region, yet NSPU and SOPRI do at least share one common destiny: They will both close shops on the day Somalia’s national unity is restored- a prospect only doubted by cynics and secessionists . For NSPU, on that day, it will be a happy occasion of “mission accomplished”. For SOPRI, it is the end of the road though they still have the consolation to indulge in their delusions and fantasies – an exercise in futility? Yes

 

By Mohsin Mahad

Email:Mohsinmahad@yahoo.co.uk