How do we Define SomaliLand?

[ANWAR]

I stumbled upon this exquisite article the other day. A very articulated & moving article pin pointing the term "SomaliLand". Enjoy its reading and boost your mind again.....

 

After I witnessed the carnage and the confusion that took place in the

Horn of Africa particularly in Somalia during the past two decades, I

find my self a strong supporter of self determination and clan chiefdom.

After all, if people can not get along for their good let them be alone

for their good. Equipped with the knowledge that there is no single

substantial reason that can permanently separate the Somali People, willingly,

I would adventure the creation of small clan chiefdoms if it can cool down the

present hatered and insanity among many Somalis.

 

 

Eritrea went its way, but the Ethiopian government with strong support from

the powers of today's world suppressed directly or indirectly the

aspirations of the Oromos, Somalis, and the Afars. However, "Somaliland"

failed to join the community of independently recognized countries of today,

despite the lack of any Somali central authority that has a say over the

Somali territory. I believe that there are strong underlying reasons for it.

 

 

For the British , the English name "Somaliland" means the land of the

Somalis. After the Europeans arrived in Somalilands, the names have been

British Somaliland, French Somaliland, and Italian Somaliland. To avoid

any confusion I will use the name Somaliland to to signify the Somalilands

that the British ceded on June 26, 1960.

 

 

Internationally today, Somalis are seen as the lowest of the low, people

who failed to govern themselves. However, I would have taken some pride

had those Somalis in Somaliland, for the purpose of governance, named it

"Dal Somali" or for that matter other Somali name, even a Somali clan

name rather than the British naming it for us. In order to undersrand

Somaliland on the basis of the British Somaliland that Britain ceded on

June 26, 1960, I will divide its history into: 1) Before the arrival of the

Europeans, 2) During the presence of the Europeans, and 3) From 1960 till

today.

 

1) Some presence of the Ottoman Empire has existed in some towns in

Somaliland before the Europeans. However, the main authority of the land

was the prominent Somali clan elders. The law of the land was the

unwritten Somali constitution "Xeer Somali". Every Somali in this land has

been a sultan for himself and family besides some alliance to his clan.

No record of a Somaliland country before the arrival of the Europeans.

 

 

2) By mid 19th century the British entered some agreements with different

Somali coastal clans. The presence of the British authority grow by the

year. But, at no time before the defeat of the Drawish Movement in 1921

has the British exercised authority over all Somaliland, despite agreements

with Italy that Somaliland is a British sphere of influence. Moreover, the

British Somaliland, then, included large parts of what is now Eastern

Ethiopia. During the second world war after the defeat of Italy the Italian

Somaliland fell under the British Administration like Somaliland until 1950.

An exclusive British Administration which was exclusive for Somaliland took

place from 1954, after the British ended its administration on parts of what

is now Eastern Ethiopia, until 1960. The only record for separate British

Somaliland administration for Somaliland dates only during the 6 years

from 1954 to 1960.

 

3) After the British surrendered Somaliland there was a transitional period

from June 26, 1960 to July 1, 1960. During this period there is no record

that there was a recognized Somaliland government that entered either an

agreement or an understanding with an other government. It was a waiting

period for the formation of a Somali government. There was no Somaliland

after July 1st 1960 till the collapse of the Somali government 1991.

Four months after the collapse of the then brutal Somali government some

Somalis in Somaliland declared secession from Somalia. Up to now, no

government recognized Somaliland as a separate government since there is

no government to separate from.

 

Since we now know the history of Somaliland let me answer why Somaliland

aspirants could not have a Somaliland government, at least for now. We

know many historical,territorial, and clan lineage reasons that make

the international governments to wait and watch the situation.

 

 

Somaliland could only be defined, distinguishably from the rest of the

Somali lands, as that piece of Somali territory that the British

administered separatly from 1954 to 1960, or that piece of Somali territory

that the British surrendered on June 26, 1960. We can not define it as a

former British Somaliland since former British Somaliland consists of othe

Somali territories. We can not define it as a Somali territory

where the inhabitants are unique in culture, character or clan lineage

since the Somali clans in Somaliland differ and spill over its assumed

borders.

 

Some of the main reasons that the world governments are reluctant to rush

recognition of Somaliland are obvious. There is no history of any

organization that actively sought separation from Somalia. As such, its

separation is seen as part of the present Somali quagmire. Somaliland

does not have a clear definitive meaning other than that the British

where there once for a while. Sure it is a piece of history, but so is

the history before and after the British. The British came and left in

other parts of Somalia as we have seen above. Moreover, many governments

learned that the debacle in Somalia today is neither regional nor pure

clan hatred. It is a nomadic culture aggravated by individuals

maneuvering for absolute superiority over others, so that they might

enjoy the kind of power Siyaad Barre enjoyed in the past, i.e. " ANAA IRI

OO LOO NOQON MAAYO, ARKAY OO ANAA ISKA LEH."

 

 

Above all, since there is no understandably a distinctive historical,

religious, cultural, geographical, or clan lineage for Somaliland that

distinguishes it from the rest of Somalia, the international governments

are hesitant to consider recognition. They do not want to jump into a

band wagon that they are not sure of its direction or whether it is a

real entity. They prefer to wait and watch.