Somaliland: Somalia Deems its own Generation to Generation Fabrications as Facts

[Deeq A.]

Somaliland signed a tripartite agreement with DP world and the Ethiopian government. This tripartite agreement allows DP world and the Ethiopian government to operate and invest on Berbera port and corridor. The Berbera port and corridor are expected to boost the economy of the greater Horn of Africa region and beyond.

Landlocked East African countries like Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda are expected to benefit enormously from the development of Berbera port. This project will encourage international investment, create much needed jobs and enhance the socioeconomic development of the whole region. Additionally, the development of this mega project will very much contribute to the larger political and socioeconomic integration of the African continent.

The primitive clan-based and selected Somalia government in Mogadishu has a different short-sighted take on the tripartite agreement. Since the so-called Somalia leaders were neither consulted nor a signatory to the tripartite agreement, do they believe that they can render Berbera port and corridor agreement null and void.

Somalia leaders are blinded by their ignorant super egos and corrupt minds; they only measure things on their own personal bribery gains, which are usually achieved through intimidation, falsehood and coercion. This besmirched mind is what makes them statesmen during the day and Al-Shabaab cohorts during the fall of the night.

Somalia fallaciously claims that its jurisdiction falls over the Republic of Somaliland. Since the signing and sealing of the Berbera agreement, Somalia’s prime minister and president began throwing televised tantrums. They have issued televised sadistic legal and military terrorization threats against Somaliland, UAE and the Federal Republic of Ethiopia.

In contrast to its claim, Mogadishu government does not have legal jurisdiction over the Republic of Somaliland.  To begin with, Somaliland and Somalia were not legally united in 1960. There was no legally binding Act of Union that was agreed upon and signed with Somalia. Suffice to say, there wasn’t even an official celebratory signing event that took place to triumphantly commemorate the alleged union of the two states.

On June 1960 the Somaliland council of ministers prepared an Act of Union for the merger of the two neighboring Somali states, that act consisted of 23 articles and it was also endorsed by the Somaliland parliament. The Somaliland Act of Union was thrown to the dustpan by the Somalia legislators and it was replaced with a two- article act of union solely drafted, and retroactively endorsed by the Somalia parliament. From then on, Somaliland was considered as Somalia colonial territory and not a partner in a two state union.

Regrettably after that bogus union, Somalilanders were treated worst than second class citizens. Somaliland was in the receiving end of inhuman political and socioeconomic alienation, which finally culminated to genocide. At the end, Somaliland defeated Somalia’s atrocious war machine and reclaimed its independence.

Subsequent to the re-proclamation of Somaliland’s independence on May 18^th, 1991, Somaliland has become an oasis of peace and democracy in the troubled Horn of Africa. It made great effort to become a reliable international partner in the war against terrorism, piracy and human-trafficking.

The geographic location and its political stability make Somaliland a very suitable center for international trade. Somaliland aims to become a magnet for a worldwide investment. For that reason, Somaliland is trying its best to get integrated into the geopolitical, financial and the international economic systems.

On the other hand, Somalia does not have plans for its future and it uses all its energy to bring Somaliland down to its miserable levels. One must ignore Somalia’s delusional and spurious claims and must effortlessly read the International law to discover that Somaliland meets all the conditions to qualify as an independent state. Article 1 of Montevideo accord defines the state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications:

a.	a permanent population;
b.	a defined territory;
c.	government; and
d.	Capacity to enter into relations with the other states. Again, Article 3 of Montevideo convention states: “The political existence of the state is independent of recognition by the other states. Even before recognition the state has the right to defend its integrity and independence, to provide for its conservation and prosperity, and consequently to organize itself as it sees fit, to legislate upon its interests, administer its services, and to define the jurisdiction and competence of its courts. The exercise of these rights has no other limitation than the exercise of the rights of other states according to international law.” Despite all these legal, historic and moral facts on the ground, Somalia absurdly insists that it has jurisdiction over Somaliland.  Somalia is not only flexing its atrophic military muscle and boorishly threatens to wage a war against Somaliland, but it also an unrealistically threatens Ethiopia and UAE, who are both major contributors to Somalia’s defense against Al-Shabaab and to Somalia’s economy respectively. Somalia has already filed a complaint against the UAE with the Arab League secretariat, the Islamic congress and the United Nations. Somalia is also preparing to forward a similar complaint against the Federal Republic of Ethiopia to the African Union. Somalia leaders have perfectly fallen to believe the generation to generation inherited mendacity. They think, if they close their eyes then the International Community will see nothing and that they will be able to get away with their distortions of facts. It is widely believed that Somaliland-Somalia talks are fruitless and waste of time.  Somalia did not honor any of its previous agreement with Somaliland.  There is no hope for an amicably aligning  the political divergence of the two neighboring countries. Therefore, a Somaliland-Somalia dialogue is only a hindrance to the international recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty. Somaliland must quit the talks with Somalia unless Somalia acknowledges its past wrong doings and agrees to all Somaliland’s preconditions.

 

Dr. Yusuf Dirir Ali, MD

Burao, Republic of Somaliland

E-mai: drdirir@gmail.com