WHITHER ‘SOMALILAND’ AFTER THE FIASCO IN BANJUL?-(NSPU)

[General Duke]

Northern Somali for Peace & Unity (NSPU)

P R E S S R E L E A S E

 

WHITHER ‘SOMALILAND’ AFTER THE FIASCO IN BANJUL?

 

July 10, 2006

 

For the last decade and half the secessionist leaders in the Northwest region of our country have been deploying efforts far and wide to get diplomatic recognition for an independent “Somaliland†of their own. They have been knocking all doors and turning every stone to achieve that purpose. Although there was no central government to frustrate their efforts the manifold distortions of the facts on the ground – both historical and current – on which they built their case laid bare the bankruptcy of their claim. We have recently explained the nature of those distortions in our pamphlet, “The Illusory ‘Somaliland’: Setting the Record Straight†(June, 2006).

 

But in the course of the last two years the secessionists have launched intensified campaigns because they were scared to death by the prospect of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) gaining legitimacy and increasing international recognition, a prospect which would spell out the end of secession. Such campaigns were launched in concert with individual journalists, academics, as well as the International Crisis Group (ICG) which dealt a death blow to its claim to being a “Think Tank†by so openly becoming an advocacy group for secession (vide their report: “SOMALILAND: Time for African Union Leadership’, 23 May 2006, prepared in Hargeisa, the capital of the secessionist enclave). Even the AU Secretariat was prevailed upon to play a part in the conspiracy to dismember our country (see its unpublished report: “AU Fact-Finding Mission to Somalilandâ€, 30 April to 4 May 2005). Numerous articles were also published in newspapers and journals by the hirelings of the secessionists in order to carry forward the propaganda of the breakaway administration in Hargeisa.

 

The ‘President’ of the enclave, Mr. Dahir Rayale Kahin, using the two mendacious reports of the AU and ICG, himself went on a diplomatic offensive and tried to bring the campaign to a successful conclusion by undertaking visits to six countries ( Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda and Ethiopia) just before the AU meetings in Banjul early this month. We know how he was met and what he was told in each country and we know that his mission failed. Upon return to Hargeisa Mr. Kahin was , according to the secessionist media, in an angry mood and, asked what he had achieved in his mission, he took refuge in brevity and resorted as usual to prevarications and equivocations but claiming success and refusing to give details. He had left behind in Addis Ababa two of his ‘ministers’ to make further diplomatic contacts there and then travel to Banjul to lobby for an invitation to be sent to him to attend the AU meetings.

 

Naturally, the ‘ministers’ were denied access to the meeting halls and had to make whatever contacts they could (at lower levels of course) on the fringes of the meetings – the corridors and snack areas. Mr. Kahin, though he told his people that he was going to Banjul, did not receive any invitation and had to stay behind. The fiasco in Banjul was blamed on Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and the TFG as if the other 49 countries would have otherwise welcomed Mr. Kahin to the meetings.

 

Despite the fiasco, however, the ‘Minister of Information’ of the secessionist enclave made in his interview on the BBC (Somali Service) on 3 July two important points both of which were totally inaccurate. He said: (a) that there were a few countries which were friendly to and even lobbying for ‘Somaliland’; and (b) that the ‘question of Somaliland was discussed in the Executive Council’. However, he declined when pressed for details to name the countries. These two points fly in the face of logic. First, one would have expected countries that were convinced of a case for ‘Somaliland’ to recognize it first before they would lobby with others for its recognition. That the ‘minister’ does not ‘want’ to name those countries indicates that there were no such countries, and the fact still remains that there is not a single country that has recognized a state called ‘Somaliland’: there is not a single African country which condones, , much less supports, secession. On the second point of the ‘minister’ we know that Somalia as a whole (which includes ‘Somaliland’) was discussed in the context of supporting the TFG and restoring peace to Somalia. The case for secession did not figure anywhere in the agenda of the Executive Council or that of the Summit and, of course, it received no mention in the deliberations and the resolutions that came out. Yet we find articles by foreign interlopers who drum up support for the secession of our northwestern region (see, for example, James Butt. “Somaliland Statehood Discussed at the AU Summit, Washington, DC 6 July 2006). Such a headline could not be farther from the truth.

 

Conclusion

 

Our people in the Northwest of the country have been led through a dark alley by secessionist politicians who have been feeding them with hate for their fellow compatriots in the other regions. The history of secession in that part of Somalia has been for the last fifteen years nothing more than a cycle of climax and anticlimax, of expectations and frustrations, of hope and despair. The struggle for the minds and hearts of fellow Africans and of the rest of the world for that matter to support secession in our country has led to a cul de sac. It is therefore time for reflection, time for revision and reversal of sterile policies; it is time for sense to prevail and to realize that unity is more attractive than division because it is productive of peace and progress while division is costly and ruinous. It is senseless to dissipate meager resources which should be spared for development and for the fight against poverty.

 

We call upon our brothers and sisters in the Northwest of our country to forgo secession and to join hands with us in order to ensure that the federal structure which has been adopted will mean genuine devolution so that we will all be masters of our homes. We should channel our energies and resources towards building a peaceful, prosperous and united Somalia. Long may our unity live!

 

Contact:

Gamal Hassan,

Communication Director

 

NSPU

P O Box 5470, Merivale Rd. Ottawa, Ontario. K2C 3M1 Canada

E-mail: info@somaliunity.org website: www.somaliunity.org

_______________________

 

NORTHERN SOMALIS FOR PEACE & UNITY (NSPU) is a grass-root organization based in Ottawa and with Branches in Somalia, United Arab Emirates, USA, UK, and South Africa. We are dedicated to the promotion of peace and unity among the long suffering people of the Somali Republic. We believe the ‘Somalia problem’ can only be dealt within the framework of a holistic strategic approach aimed at the empowerment of a central government to rebuild national democratic governance institutions and restore law and order throughout the country.

 

 

We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on WardheerNews.com So please email your article today Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of WardheerNews

[me]

NSPU:

 

We call upon our brothers and sisters in the Northwest of our country to forgo secession and to join hands with us in order to ensure that the federal structure which has been adopted will mean genuine devolution so that we will all be masters of our homes. We should channel our energies and resources towards building a peaceful, prosperous and united Somalia. Long may our unity live!

 

I agree with it 100%, except that federal part. Somalia doesn't need a federal system that would recognize these clan divisions, clans should not be rewarded for the mess they created. The clan system is obsolete and should be abolished not repackaged under the disguise of federalism.

[Gediid]

If Somaliland is to join an entity within Somalia ,I think it would only join the Islamic courts under the Islamic Sharia, but those hoping for them to rejoin a government packaged in Kenya controlled by a warlord and a dimwit tool of a prime minister are dreaming.

As far I am concerned its only a matter of time before Yusuf and his sidekick Geedi start searching for a new city to relocate to cuz you know the wadaads are heading to Baidoa soon as Kismaayo and the surrounding areas have been liberated.....

[Che -Guevara]

Join courts aa, War Gediid, you are going soft.

 

Duke..Your adeer has bigger headache now than Sland. Yeey's days are numbered.

[me]

Gediid the wadaads can liberate all Somali territories according to me.

Aways telling the Ethio's to handover Western Somalia was a great moment, the first Somali leader in ages to be that brave. If the wadaads are planning to UNITE all of Somalia. Then why not support them. They are as Somali as any other faction, plus they seem like an attractive option.

 

-United country

-Unitary system

-Anti-corruption

-They would also resist Ethiopian meddling in our affairs

-Pro-business

-And ruthless when it comes to law enforcement

 

Well the wadaads are not a bad option and they would be a more attractive option if they mixed some more nationalism with that Islamism. And them showing a more diverse face in their leadership would appeal to all Somali groups.

 

I am waiting for their grand plan for Somalia.

[Gediid]

^^^^Great but do you think we could get folks like Duke and his like to say the same or are they going to label them as qabiil hebel?????

 

YO YO Ma

Is that you Che.....

[me]

Gediid if you agree with unity among Somali people and taking qabiil out of the equation. Then we are on the same side.

 

Welcome my brother.

 

As for whether people like Duke and Oodweyne will drop their rooting for certain factions well, I am in no position to speak for them, but I do hope that we all choose for unity over division, for peace over conflict, for prosperity over underdevelopment.

 

Once again I welcome your courage for choosing the right thing.

[Che -Guevara]

It is Che. Long time no see. How have you been?

 

Me....Everything sounds great in theory.

[me]

Lets start with an IDEAL theory then and see how far it gets us. Everything is better then the curent situation.

[SOO MAAL]

Originally posted by me:

Gediid the wadaads can liberate all Somali territories according to me.

Aways telling the Ethio's to handover Western Somalia was a great moment, the first Somali leader in ages to be that brave. If the wadaads are planning to UNITE all of Somalia. Then why not support them. They are as Somali as any other faction, plus they seem like an attractive option.

 

-United country

-Unitary system

-Anti-corruption

-They would also resist Ethiopian meddling in our affairs

-Pro-business

-And ruthless when it comes to law enforcement

 

Well the wadaads are not a bad option and they would be a more attractive option if they mixed some more nationalism with that Islamism. And them showing a more diverse face in their leadership would appeal to all Somali groups.

 

I am waiting for their grand plan for Somalia.

Well said

 

thanks me

[Gediid]

Che

Tik tak meri bhai, aab ke se

 

Me

Well said.As for getting even the extreme of them lot in, I think it would be easier to simply over run them with brute force cuz somali horey u tidhi Dofaar abidkii ma daahiro, and qabyaalad nin yaqaan will never turn a new leaf unless aad maskaxdiisa transplant ku sameysid but lets hope for the best.....

[SOO MAAL]

Originally posted by Gediid:

Che

Tik tak meri bhai, aab ke se

 

Me

Well said.As for getting even the extreme of them lot in, I think it would be easier to simply over run them with brute force cuz somali horey u tidhi Dofaar abidkii ma daahiro, and qabyaalad nin yaqaan will never turn a new leaf unless aad maskaxdiisa transplant ku sameysid but lets hope for the best.....

Well said also

 

I agree with both you, to think out of the dark box (qabiil), and loyalty to ruthless warlords

[General Duke]

Geediid says

As far I am concerned its only a matter of time before Yusuf and his sidekick Geedi start searching for a new city to relocate to cuz you know the wadaads are heading to Baidoa soon as Kismaayo and the surrounding areas have been liberated.....

Geediid says

Great but do you think we could get folks like Duke and his like to say the same or are they going to label them as qabiil hebel

Gediid, these courts have only beaten their unpopular and idiotic warlords, I supported this move just like the countless souls who lived under these tyrants. I wait to see them take over Basidoa as many here predict, but as I know the accuracy of your prediction I am at ease..

 

Hold on a second, what has this go to do with the article regarding the failure of Dahir Riyaale to get any support from neighbouring countries?

 

ME. Col Aways, comments regarding his love for the occupied people of western Somalia or the ******, is like President Bush's professed love for freeing the people of Iraq. If he wants to start let him deal with the savage Inda Cade, Cirfo in Afgoyee and Marka...Words mean nothing, actions are required.

 

His comments were ludicrous and was meant to gain the support of the ONLF..

[Che -Guevara]

Gediid... Jal Rahaahee Yaar. Sab Kheyr hee Walaalkiis.

 

Duke...Walaalkiis, I have never someone change sides so fast. Anyone who remotely poses a challenge to your Adeer automically becomes an enemy. Yeey had chance to do something for Somalia and Somalis. He failed so miserably. Atleast admit dat to yourself. It is time for something else other than Yeey.

[RedSea]

assalamu calaykum,

 

If the courts can install a Islamic government that operates under the Islamic sharia, then Somaliland will volunterely march towards that way. What the courts should do now is make sure they don't blow this once in a lifetime oppurtunity. they need to bring the whole south under one unmberella, the Islamic unmbereralla. By then I am very positive everyone from Somaliland and Puntland will want to have a position in this newly Islamic society under Allah. I can only dream that this happens, but unity is not possible under the TFG, because it's corrupt itself.

 

Duke, Riyale Kahin, Abdullahi Yusuf are all the same list, they are on the criminals and the get rid of them list. They and other so called politicians are the source of the Somali problems.

 

The Indha Cadde that you have mentioned is fired from the cabinet of the courts. But before, that Cirfo guy can be taken care of, the thug in Baidhabo has to be removed first.

 

You speak of action being taken by the courts, how bout smoking out the warlords in Muqdisho within a few months buddy? besides, what action has Abdullahi Yusuf taken since he was "elected" other than offcourse beg for militar supplies and the armsembargo to be lifted? and perhaps go few visits down to Addis Ababa to take few plans from Males Shaydaan Zenawi on how Zenawi wants things to go in somalia. So sorry Duke for you are pushing the wrong bandwagon.

 

assalamu calaykum.