Jacaylbaro Posted May 16, 2007 Somaliland challenges Africa to recognise it ADDIS ABABA, May 15 (Reuters) - Somaliland challenged African leaders on Tuesday to have the "bravery" to recognise the sovereignty it said was an overdue historical inevitability for the breakaway Somali enclave. "We are a de facto state, a stable democracy in one of the most troubled parts of Africa. We have done all the things a good country is supposed to," Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Duale said in an interview. "What we lack is the due recognition. So we hope some wise, decent, brave African head of state will call a spade a spade -- and say yes. Then others will follow." A former British protectorate in the Horn of Africa with semi-desert terrain roughly the size of England and Wales, Somaliland declared itself a republic in 1991 after warlords toppled Somali dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. But despite plaudits for its institutions and multi-party polls, no nation has recognised the independence it craves. The African Union generally adheres to a principle of respecting old colonial borders to avoid fanning secession conflicts. But Somaliland points to its five days of independence within the boundaries it had as British Somaliland, before it joined the former Italian colony of Somalia in 1960. And it argues there are African precedents for splits like Ethiopia and Eritrea in the early 1990s. With Somalia in chaos for the 16 years Somaliland has been developing and maintaining relative security, there would be no return to union, Duale said, though he hoped they could eventually co-exist with good trade and political ties. The pro-independence quest is, for many Somalilanders, fuelled by bitter memories of Barre's bombing of their capital Hargeisa in 1988, with massive loss of life. SWEDISH PRECEDENT Duale said his government was grateful to Sweden for recently announcing it would regard Somaliland as a self-governing area in terms of development aid, and believed others in northern Europe would follow suit. But it was from African "brothers" that a breakthrough was needed for Somaliland's 3.5 million people. "There is a great deal of sympathy which we want to transform into action ... We are challenging the morality of the African heads of state today." Headway was being made, Duale added, citing Somaliland's healthy trade ties with Ethiopia, which he was visiting. "Today we travel with our passports, and we are received with all the diplomatic niceties that any minister or head of state gets, with the exception of a flying flag," he said. "We are confident we will get our recognition soon." Diplomats say Somaliland's cause is winning most ground in east and central Africa -- notably Rwanda -- while resistance comes from Arab countries in the north like Egypt. It has had plenty of sympathisers in the African Union, but diplomatic considerations over the interim Somali government -- which claims sovereignty over Somaliland -- have kept the discussions low-key. But the minister said Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf would be "absolutely crazy" to think of annexing it. Duale dismissed as "complete lies" media reports that say Somaliland was holding secret talks, sponsored by Ethiopia and the United States, to consider reunification. "We are not going to back down. Ever." Somaliland resents being cut off from world financial institutions -- one of the main tangible benefits international recognition would give. "There is an element of hypocrisy on the part of the international community. We are fighting terror, we have democratised -- everything they preach. So give us access. Why put us in chains?" Duale said. Source Reuters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xiinfaniin Posted May 16, 2007 Originally posted by Jacaylbaro: "We are fighting terror, we have democratised -- everything they preach. So give us access. Why put us in chains?" Duale said. ^^They found someone else who could do it more efficiently…that’s why! That's what it comes down to. But JB, as usual, disagrees. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Castro Posted May 16, 2007 ^^^^ There's so much competition to fight terror in the Horn of Africa that one must beat Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya and the TFG to even qualify. These countries are experts in fighting the war of terror. Headway was being made, Duale added, citing Somaliland's healthy trade ties with Ethiopia , which he was visiting. LOL. Ethiopia would be the last to bestow recognition on Somaliland. If Somalilanders don't know that by now, they will never know. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xiinfaniin Posted May 16, 2007 Of course Ethiopia is the mother of [the notion of free] Somaliland...ayadaa naas nuujisay! Problem is these politicians seem to be caught in the middle of Ethiopia's regional ambitions and uncle Sam's terrorism project! In that scheme, Somaliland did not fare well, and apparently is missing like a broken tooth on a comb. Who to blame, then? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roobleh Posted May 16, 2007 ^The usual "I cry when I hear Somaliland" statements coming from the 'nolanders.' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Che -Guevara Posted May 16, 2007 ^^^^LooooooL Xaad dhaantaa nolander. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Castro Posted May 16, 2007 'nolander' eh? I love it. I'm a nolander alright. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caano Geel Posted May 16, 2007 ^ how do you manage to live with yourself?! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacaylbaro Posted May 17, 2007 loooooooooooooooooool@nolander ,,,, Thanks roobleh for this ,,,,,, you hit the point sxb ,,,,, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted May 17, 2007 Horta idinkaba maalin Eebbe keeno afaaraha dalka dhan, ha kasoo biloow Raaskambooni ilaa Eebbe knows where waaka hadashiin, ee maxaa u diidaayo dadka kale markee ka hadlaan Waqooyi Galbeed. Haddaa ilowdeen mise isa ilowsiiseen, well take a note again: Waqooyi Galbeed is part and parcel of Soomaaliya. The residents there still are in Soomaaliya and are Soomaali; they still use the green, old Soomaali baasaboor, most notably to Xajka and other countries. They also use the still surviving, strong Soomaali shilin. Waa dhul Soomaaliyeed iyo dad Soomaaliyeed, and every Soomaali has a right to talk and comment about it, as any other Soomaali has a right to comment about any other issue that concerns about dhulkooda, dadkooda, dalkooda iyo diintoodaba. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roobleh Posted May 17, 2007 Horta yaa idin yidhi mahadli kartaan? Hadday suurta gal tahay 'sharooto' ayaan afka idinkaga dhajin lahayn. Waayo wax wanaagsan marka Sooomaliland laga sheego ayaad afka gacanta saartaan. Runtii Somalilander ka ayaa had iyo goor wanaagiina jecel, taana markhaati baad ka tihiin hadaydaan nagaga bakhayleen sxb. Midda kale, Soomaali waanu ka dhalanay, laakiin dhibta idin haysataa waxay tahay waxa iskaga kiin khaldan macnaha country and ethnicity oo East Africa oo dhan baad sheeganlahaydeen haddii ay idiin suurageleyso. Midda saddexaad, sawtaan madoobe dheere bedelnay berri horre intii aad yara mashquulsanaydeen. Somaliland passort ka waxaanu ku tagnaa England. Marka dhawaan Somaliland la aqoonsaddo, sacuudigu way aqbali doonaan passport ka. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacaylbaro Posted May 17, 2007 Well said roobleh ,,,,,,,,,,,, they cannot even see my new passport And who bothers to go to Saudi Arabia if they do'nt want to accept our passport ??? ,,,, Of course Allah gave us another options if we are denied ,,,,,,,,, I'M PROUDLY SOMALI ,,,,,,,,,,,,, BUT I BELONG TO SOMALILAND AS A COUNTRY ,,,,,,,, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baashi Posted May 17, 2007 ^Haters, that's what they are! I mean how come they dare express their view on the secession!!! Waligay niman ka digteersan! Waxuba waa cara wiree juuq ii dheh? Maxaa la ii dhugtay? Sidee xaafadaha nala degaa tooda u damceen inay gaarkooda u maamusheen? Ma mustacmarka baa isku kiin tolay hadaa? War annagaa wax aragnay! Halkee bay iska qaban la'dahay? Somalia waa run oo waa sarifantay laakiin xaafad xaafad bay u sarifantay. Shidada idin haysataa nimankiina gooni isu taaga ku riyoonaya waa waxa aad ka jawaabi la'di lihiin sida aad xal ugu heli lahaydeen Puntland. Niman aan kala jeclayn Somalia sarifankooda baa waxa ay kala garan la'yihiin sababta ay laba recovery zone u kala doortaan oo midna u gacan bidixeeyaan midna u badhi-taaraan. Labudaba waa rafiiq shisheeye. Labaduba waxay farabaxsi u yihiin wadaadada. Labudaba waxa leeyihiin maamul. Labudaba waa ardul nabad. Berri baa Egland i gumaysatay boowe macne waa u sameyn weyday Habashka. Xagga iyo xageerba wuu ka eegay oo sinaba macna doodiinu waa u sameyn weyday. Rooble laguma nebca. Ee xaafad walba its bottom line bay gaar u eeganaysaa ee sidaa u faham kidos. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted May 17, 2007 ^^Happy May 18th Baashow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
me Posted May 17, 2007 Originally posted by roobleh: Horta yaa idin yidhi mahadli kartaan? Hadday suurta gal tahay 'sharooto' ayaan afka idinkaga dhajin lahayn. Well said roobleh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites