Somaliland: the only hope remaining in Africa's Pandora's box

[Qudhac]

Somaliland: the only hope remaining in Africa's Pandora's box

Bashir Goth*

July 2nd, 2006

 

A Somali anecdote says that the elders of a clan had agreed to call for a council meeting.

 

"Call all the elders," one of them said, to which a little boy who was up in the tree under which the meeting was to be held responded:

 

“Don’t call only the elders; call the intelligent people of the clan?†Realizing the sagacity of his words, the elders decided to include him in the meeting.

Over the last 15 years, Somaliland has been like that little boy, calling African elders to heed the voice of sagacity and wisdom on its issue, while African leaders have been blocking their ears and turning their backs to it.

 

Often described as “ Africa’s Best Kept Secretâ€, Somaliland is the youngest and best example of an African homegrown democracy. Its statehood, however, goes back into the dawn of Africa's postcolonial history when Somaliland emerged as an independent and sovereign state from the British rule in 1960 as part of Africa ’s wind of change.

Amid the euphoria of nationalism spearheaded by Africa's liberation fathers of the day, Somaliland gave up its hard won independence to unite with Italian Somalia as the precursor of a greater Somalia, which included bringing all the Somali territories in the Horn of Africa under one national flag.

 

The dream of a greater Somalia has not only brought misery to the Somali people but has caused great suffering and instability to neighboring countries as well. Finally, the destruction and disaster that the successive Somali governments had exported to neighboring countries has come home to roost. With his army defeated by Ethiopia in 1977, Somalia's late military dictator Mohammed Siyad Barre turned his anger against the people of Somaliland. Under a scorched earth policy, he razed major towns to the ground; burnt villages to ashes and the whole population of three million took flight to refugee camps in neighboring countries.

 

When Siyad Barre was ousted from power in 1991, Somaliland people gathered under their famous acacia trees. With all their clans and all the sectors of the community represented, they made a unanimous and spontaneous decision to reclaim their statehood that they had naively gave up in 1960. Ever since, the Somaliland people have rebuilt their towns and villages, rehabilitated their farms, re-erected their schools and hospitals and reconciled among themselves.

 

Refusing to waste their precious time and energy waiting for foreign assistance and relying instead on their meager resources and their will, Somaliland people had embarked on a unique process of self-healing, peace consolidating and democratization.

Somaliland today has an elected president, elected parliament, elected local councils, a vocal free press and civil liberties enshrined in a secular constitution, a record that many African countries can only envy.

 

Honorable leaders of Africa, this is why in Somaliland we find it hard to understand why you cannot see the difference between Somalia and Somaliland, between lawlessness and rule of law, between a country that cannot stand up despite all foreign help and a country that helped itself to stand up and walk without any foreign assistance. How can you deny legitimacy to an elected government and extend your hands to self-imposed warlords and extremist forces that held their people hostage more than 15 years?

 

Honorable leaders of Africa, how can you hug, kiss and share food with dictators who created some of the worst human disasters in the world today and turn your backs on an elected leader of one of the most peaceful states in Africa. We are perplexed, your excellencies, why you love hotel politics and big budget conferences and loathe African traditional peace deals struck under the acacia trees. We wonder why Somaliland's homegrown democracy scares you? Is it because you think our example will set a bad precedent of self-reliance and self-reconciliation for Africa? Do you think such a precedent might deny you millions of dollars that you receive from the international community for peace making in Africa? Would you prefer to see us convert into another Darfur that could turn us into a milking cow?

 

Honorable leaders, Somalilanders wonder how you can meet in Banjul and not confuse Gambia with Senegal, while you confuse Somaliland with Somalia. We are confused by your double standards. You have bestowed your blessing to the death of Senegambia and you allowed Eritrea to secede from Ethiopia, but you refuse to recognize Somaliland's colonial borders.

 

Your Excellencies, you say that allowing Somaliland's independence will open a Pandora's box; but there is one thing you are forgetting, all the evil has already been let out of Africa Pandora's box and Somaliland could be the only remaining hope to come.

 

Bashir Goth

E-Mail:bsogoth@yahoo.com

 

* A veteran African journalist, from Somaliland, who is currently based in Abu Dhabi. He regularly contributes to UAE, African and Some European journals. He is also the editor of the Somaliland online journal Awdalnews and the first Somali blogger.

[QabiilDiid]

^^^^

African intellectuals and opinion leaders are well aware of the fact that it will be a shame on the black continent if one of its oldest and purest races can not agree to live in one administration because an armed gang hijacked the political leadership of one region. The concept of nation-estate is meaningless if the Republic of Somalia’s geographical integrity is comprised because of baseless lies fabricated by godless people like Bashir Goths who can not come up with one good reason why Somalia has to be dismembered. Sakhradda iyo mirqaanku urge you to drink from mirage in a desert. Keep drinking from it until Abdillahi Yousuf your legitimate president rescues you from this illusory state.

 

Born in Daami

[Qudhac]

nayruus

 

are you still carrying those shoes, my friend my advice to you is to put those kabo shaag down of ina yey, even the duke of comical Ali has grown tired of the "legitimate president".

 

 

but rest assured the day ina yey becomes legitimate president of umada xalaashaa its the day you will see the sun rise from the west.

 

 

but moving on from the ba5tardised government how do you feel about the African Union decision to fully engage with somaliland on political front under the banner of Afrcas best kept secret, i think Au fact finding mission report that rubbished the long held believe of opening "pandoras box" has been watershed moment in the somaliland relationship with the Au.

 

 

political opponents of somaliland such as those shoe carriers of ina yey have been falling behind tit-for-tat game of politics, indeed the end is neight for the Siyadist and the children of nepotism.

[QabiilDiid]

Qudac,

 

African union recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

All Arabic and Islamic countries recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

United Nations recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

E.U. recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

The sole superpower recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

All Asian countries including China and Russia recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

Basically all the nation-states on planet earth recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

The last but not the least Sheik Sharif and IUCs recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

Mr. Orphan, the queen of UK recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT.

The one you consider your “saviorâ€, Mila Zanawi of Tigranya, who you can never measure up with because he has the guts to rule different races in one nation-state called Ethiopia while you are running away from own flesh and blood just because Siyad Bare bombarded Hargeisa, he Mr. Zanawi didn’t even mention your Hargiesa municipal council in his last speech to the parliament but he recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESINEDT. By the way two of my uncles died in that bombardment yet that can make me a separatist with a begging bowl.

 

Thus, if you are not willing to carry his shoes for the sake of Somalia’s wellbeing or not is irrelevant but Abdullahi Yusuf is still is your PRESINEDT.

 

Qudac, are you willing to stop this nonsense and be a Somali nationalist? A lot of people will carry your shoes plus polish them sparklingly clean if you repent.

 

Born in Daami and proud of it.

[QabiilDiid]

CORRECTION

 

Qudac may have been happy with my typo

 

 

Qudac,

 

African union recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

All Arabic and Islamic countries recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

United Nations recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

E.U. recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

The sole superpower recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

All Asian countries including China and Russia recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

Basically all the nation-states on planet earth recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

The last but not the least Sheik Sharif and IUCs recognize Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

Mr. Orphan, the queen of UK recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT.

The one you consider your “saviorâ€, Mila Zanawi of Tigranya, who you can never measure up with because he has the guts to rule different races in one nation-state called Ethiopia while you are running away from YOUR own flesh and blood just because Siyad Bare bombarded Hargeisa, he Mr. Zanawi didn’t even mention your Hargiesa municipal council in his last speech to the parliament but he recognizes Abdullahi Yusuf is your PRESIDENT. By the way two of my uncles died in that bombardment yet that can NOT, I REPEAT CAN NOT, make me a separatist with a begging bowl.

 

Thus, if you are not willing to carry his shoes for the sake of Somalia’s wellbeing or not is irrelevant but Abdullahi Yusuf is still is your PRESIDENT.

 

Qudac, are you willing to stop this nonsense and be a Somali nationalist? A lot of people will carry your shoes plus polish them sparklingly clean if you repent.

 

Born in Daami and proud of it.

[Suldaanka]

Waar Qudhacow ina adeer

 

Waxa kan reer Daami isoo xasuusiyey ninkii reer berbera ee yidhi "Afka kama hadline meel kaloo huguntay weeyaane"...

 

Waa halkii Ruwaayaddi Qabyo 2 ee Singub Marka Golaha la joogo "get outta way" ayaa la yidhaa.

[Saalixa]

Nayruus correction Abdilaahi Yusuf was made president to a state called somali weyn. And that means he should rule muqdishu and its near territories. and the funny thing is He doesnt. He just lives in abroad comes to Jowhar where in that city he has supporters so how can one be a president of a place he was appointed to and he is never in...becuase simply he has no support of the the whole somali nation simply coz he was not elected by them but by corruption and he has neither their vote still nor support. He is in that seat just by force.

 

So dont tell me that is a legitimate President MR! because i see it as a hide and seek game where is so called MR PRESIDENT? In abroad meetings and and UN gatherings where he begs for Help and aid with ethiopian armies to establish peace. its been more than a year and no peace in the country he was Supposedly elected for. and when the ethiopian armies bombard muqdisho then you would cry for help to remove them again?WHy cant he do it on his own like the Somaliland Government has 15 years ago? Get his hands dirty or like the MAXKAMADAHA (islamic militias).

 

No Legitimate President. Maybe to You so keep being blinded by it simply coz u chose to.