Somaliland — need to be noticed

[Jacaylbaro]

Keeping the question of Somaliland on hold for so long is a risky strategy that has security ramifications in this age of terror.

 

Somaliland is a peaceful entity in an unstable region with a large Muslim population susceptible to radicalisation. The longer the world ignores its achievement, the greater the risk.

 

A better approach would be for the international community to offer Somaliland an interim UN membership. This would put it in a position to consolidate on its democratic credentials, to support the regional peace making process and to deny international extremist groups of a potential recruiting ground.

 

This is where it all began. On June 26, 1960, Somaliland gained its freedom from Britain and was recognised by the UN, including Security Council member states, within its colonial boundaries. It, then, joined on a voluntary union with Italian Somalia on July 1, 1960. The goal was to liberate all the Somalia-inhabited areas in the region such as Djibouti and parts of Kenya and Ethiopia and to unite them under a single Greater Somalia state – a vision that had brought a lot of misery to the regions in the past.

 

The union of the two newly independent states was mainly intended to serve as a means to an end, not an end in itself. The political realities in the region and the view of the international community had taken the end away, probably forever. Sticking to the means in the absence of an achievable goal proved difficult.

 

The1960 union did not provide a national cohesion. During the following three decades, people from Somaliland were treated as second-class citizens and their expression of discontent was repeatedly crushed by Italian-Somalia dominated regimes. Later, the union-state collapsed and Somaliland reclaimed its independence on May 18, 1991.

 

Since then, the two parts have followed dramatically different paths. The international community launched several peace processes to try to restore a government for Somalia, but continuous fighting and violence have hampered progress. For nearly 20 years, Somalia, unfortunately, does not have a credible government. Islamic extremists control now most of the country.

 

In Somaliland, meanwhile, a political transformation and a nation building process provided different outcome: a national constitution ratified through a referendum, a bicameral parliament comprising an elected house of representatives and a nominated house of elders, a government elected through the ballot box, political parties, security forces and provisions of basic services. All were locally initiated and locally driven.

 

However, Somaliland did not yet achieve recognition even though it has a broader international sympathy. And despite various developmental initiatives and a relatively strong livestock export sector, accompanied with a generous inflow of remittances, the country remains poor and unemployment is very high. But the good news is that Somaliland’s claim for statehood is in line with the charter of the African Union. In a fact-finding mission report in 2005, the African Union said that Somaliland is “historically unique and self-justified in African political history” and that the AU “should find special method of dealing with this outstanding case”.

 

Offering an UN membership to Somaliland would be a step in the right direction. This will send a powerful signal to the countries in and outside the region that aspirations toward democratic process would be supported.

 

In exchange of this, Somaliland can give valuable support. Its location on the red sea, overlooking the Gulf countries and its closeness to Somalia and Yemen, makes it strategically an important country in dealing with regional and international security. The Berbera Port on the Red Sea and the nearby military base with one of the longest runways in Africa are also among what Somaliland can offer.

[Thankful]

The1960 union did not provide a national cohesion. During the following three decades,

people from Somaliland were treated as second-class citizens and their expression of discontent was repeatedly crushed by Italian-Somalia dominated regimes. Later, the union-state collapsed and Somaliland reclaimed its independence on May 18, 1991.

And then NW Somalia choose leaders that use to be part of the same regime they said persecuted them. Their government is full of them!

[Liibaan]

Stuff And Nonsense

 

Every Somali is from Somalia(Land of Somalis)

 

There NO such thing as British-Somalia or Italian-Somalia, there is only one Somalia

 

Somalidiid smell the coffee, there is NO British or Italians in Somalia today, your slave masters left Somalia 50 years ago

[Hales]

^

Does it also include Those from the NFD and ******, because they rightfully arent recognized and dont recognize themselfes to be from Somalia.

 

Why should the land south from Jubaland until north to Caloole represent Somalia when it never has in the past. That land always use to be a part of a colonial administration and like you lot was also known as "Somaliland" the masters were just from a different country, thats all.

SOmalia has never existed without the North-west region, without the North The South and North will always be known as Somaliland. So the SOuth cannot claim the name and country Somalia because it never was Somalia.

 

First step to curing the civil war is if all the lands of "not" Italian Somaliland but Somalia is united.

 

Cajiib, 20 years and the division is still ongoing, the Somali people are divided among colonial lines and thinking, clanism, application of shariah. I mean Somalis are shedding blood for every single trivial thing.

If the North West seccede, Sool and Sanaag is staying and a future Somalia state will take in these regions. Do you know why? because of the clan.

[nuune]

^^^^^^

Cajiib, 20 years and the division is still ongoing,

You just don't realize, but if you carefully read what you wrote there, indeed, you are creating more division, same others who come here to preach, just for your own revision and guidance, read your post again, PLEASE!

[Hales]

Originally posted by nuune:

^^^^^^

quote:

---

Cajiib, 20 years and the division is still ongoing,

You just don't realize, but if you carefully read what you wrote there, indeed,

you are creating more division, same others who come here to preach, just for your own revision and guidance, read your post again,

PLEASE

!

The last part implies that Somaliland is a clan state, so im saying it would be justifiable if a Somalia state played the clan card against them to take large swathes of these regions.

[Peace Action]

Somaliland — need to be noticed. That says it all.