SOMALILAND FORUM
www.somalilandforum.com
|
Why recognize Somaliland?
Recognition for Somaliland Is The Right Thing to Do; It
will Promote Democracy and Respect for the Will of the People: Somaliland
fulfils the criteria of statehood according to Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo
Convention on the Rights and Duties of State: Somaliland has a permanent
population; a defined territory (the former British Somaliland) with clear
international boundaries of which it has an effective control; a democratic
government, and a capacity to enter into relations with other states.
Somaliland fulfils the criteria for recognizing new states, according to the
guidelines set out by the European Union (EU) in 1992, even though they only
apply to European nations.
The existence
of Somaliland does not contravene the inviolability of colonial frontiers in
Africa, enshrined in the OAU Charter: Somaliland has reasserted
its statehood within the frontiers of the State of Somaliland of 1960, as
inherited from the colonial borders of British Somaliland. Additionally,
Somalia and Somaliland were born out of different colonial entities. Somalia
received its independence from Italy on July 1, 1960 while Somaliland received
hers from Great Britain on June 26, 1960.
Sovereignty is
an inalienable right of the people of Somaliland: Sovereignty is
vested in the people and it is the collective will of the people that
represents sovereignty. The Somaliland people have already spoken by approving
the constitution, with a majority of 97% vote in a referendum held in the Republic
of Somaliland on May 31st 2001. The constitution guarantees the sovereignty of
the Republic of Somaliland, the rights of its people and a democratic system of
government. It is in the best interest of the world community, in general and,
the Horn of Africa in particular that the will of the people of Somaliland be
heard and respected. To do otherwise will threaten the fragile democracy in
Somaliland and endanger the peace the people have worked so hard to achieve; it
will also bring fresh turmoil to the already troubled Horn of Africa.
Somaliland, a
model of peace and stability in the region: In just 10 years, the
people of Somaliland have rebuilt their lives from scratch, after Siad Barre's
dictatorial regime had razed their country to the ground and had slaughtered
thousands of people, while the world watched. Today, there are, in Somaliland,
a functioning State, controlled by the executive branch of
government, a parliament of two houses, a constitution, an independent
judiciary, and indeed a free press. There are two universities and many
colleges in Somaliland, built entirely without outside help; the economy of
Somaliland is thriving and the whole region of the Horn is reaping benefits
from the rebirth of Somaliland, and its nascent economy.
After 30 years of subjugation, the people of Somaliland,
through their civil society reclaim their independence: After 30
years of denial of their legitimate human and political rights, and finally the
destruction of their country throughout 1980s, today, the people of Somaliland
are harvesting the result of a decade long liberation war, in which they fought
and won a war against Africa's second biggest army to reclaim their
independence.
Somaliland is
not a new invention, nor is it "seceding from Somalia": It
was an internationally recognised political entity known as the British
Protectorate of Somaliland, until it had gained its independence on June 1960
as the State of Somaliland, and then was amalgamated with Somalia.
Somalilanders finally liberated their country from the Siad Barre regime of
Somalia in 1991; then they collectively declared their independence from
Somalia. To consolidate their gains and reinforce the rule of law and democracy
in their country, they have now adopted their own constitution based on liberal
democratic principles, and
participatory government with two parliamentary chambers (a representative
chamber and a chamber of traditional elders). A president with executive
powers heads the government of Somaliland and chooses his own Cabinet of
ministers. As a result, the country is now the most peaceful country in the
Horn of Africa, and one of the most peaceful in all of Africa; there is low
inflation, a growing economy and a balanced budget.
Somaliland's international trade links are also enviable as its balanced
current account indicates that, in spite of the destruction it had suffered
under the brutal rule of Somalia's Siad Barre, the country has made more
progress in the last 10 years, as an independent state, than in the previous 30
years under Somalia. As for the future, Somaliland is here to stay and
its sovereignty will be fiercely defended.
SOMALILAND FORUM
SLF Background: The Somaliland Forum (SLF) is an international
organization that brings together Somalilanders from all parts of the world
mainly, through the medium of the Internet. The primary objective of the
Forum is to work with the Somaliland communities around the world in order
to provide some lasting solutions to the needs of the Republic of
Somaliland and its people. For more information, Please visit forum's web
site at: http://www.somalilandforum.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING SPOKESPERSONS FOR THE FORUM:
North America: Farah Ahmed Hersi Toronto, Canada
Tel: (416) 630-3728 - E-mail: chair@somalilandforum.com
Europe: Dahir Abdi Jama - London, U.K.
Mobile (cell): 07960 173 184, Email: Dahir@dahir.freeserve.co.uk
Middle East - Mr. A.Ismail Kuwait, Kuwait City
Email:- Tel: 965
2630592
SOMALILAND FORUM www.somalilandforum.com
|
THE REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND: CHRONOLOGY OF A NATION
Pre-amble:
Somali clan-families have inhabited the region of North-eastern Africa,
better known as the Horn of Africa, for close to three thousand years, as
some historical records indicate. The people were organized in nomadic
clans of herders. Therefore, there had never been any rigidly-organized
authority in the form of a state in the Somali territories before the
advent of European colonialism in the region. But there were locally
accepted customary laws in every Somali community which served each
community or local area as its own indigenous constitutional arrangements.
Hence, the idea that all Somalis formed a nation-state, once upon a time
and before colonialism, and that Somaliland is seceding from historical
nation-state called Somalia, is nothing more than a politically motivated
invention. This important piece of evidence, which is a historical fact,
negates the recent chorus of commentaries by some that Somalis should have
one state under all circumstances. It indeed undermines the hopes and
aspirations of the people of Somaliland, who have every right to remain
independent from the rest of Somalia, as they were twice before, once under
the British as the British Protectorate of Somaliland, and once, though
briefly, as the State of Somaliland, before they voluntarily merged their
post-colonial state with the former Italian Somalia that became independent
on July 1, 1960, days after Somaliland had become independent from Great
Britain. Now here are some important dates to remember, as to how the
Somaliland State has evolved since the colonial days:
1840: The British annex Aden, across
the Red Sea in present-day Yemen. They
then began to trade with the Somalis in the present-day Somaliland, mostly
in order to import meat for their sailors. This trade initiated the first
interaction between the people of Somaliland and the Europeans.
1870s: Alarmed by the growing European
presence in the region, and
encouraged by Great Britain, the Khedive of Egypt sent troops to occupy
some of Somaliland's coastal towns such as Zeilah and Berbera, as well as
the interior city of Harar, now in Ethiopia.
1877: Egypt and Britain signed a treaty
over the occupation of Somaliland.
Britain signed a treaty recognizing the Egyptian presence in Somaliland
coastal towns.
1884: When the Egyptians were forced to
withdraw from Somaliland because of
military threats from other neighbors and financial problems, the British
took control of the territory they had occupied, i.e., Somaliland. Britain
therefore occupied the territory that would become Somaliland.
1887: The British Protectorate of
Somaliland was established. Major A. Hunt
of Great of Britain, representing his government, drew up protection
treaties with several Somaliland clans guaranteeing them military support,
in case of an attack from other neighbouring territories, which were then
occupied by other Europeans(See The Map of Africa by Treaty written by Sir
E. Hertslet). As a result of this extensive colonial treaties, Great
Britain sent its Vice-Consuls to the Somaliland coastal towns such as
Berbera, Bulahar, and Zeilah. In effect, this was the beginning of the
first state(Colonial State) that would give way to the independent state of
Somaliland on June
26, 1960---that is before Somalia became independent from Italy.
1900: Trade increased both in volume
and value in British Somaliland due to
the relative political stability created by the colonial state. The port
cities of Somaliland were scenes of active trading during that era. In
fact, Somaliland was the only British Protectorate/Colony in East Africa
which not only balanced its books, but also had constantly reported a
surplus. The key to Somaliland's opulence was international trade, as the
people in the territory were, in the words of one British colonial officer,
"natural born traders." (See “Somaliland” by Andrew Hamilton). It is
this
age-old trading skills and business ingenuity on the part of the people of
Somaliland, observed by the colonial officer in the early part of the
Twentieth century, which currently sustains Somaliland's booming economy,
despite its lack of international recognition.
April 1960: The British government
agreed to Somaliland's independence.
Britain reluctantly agreed to withdraw from the British Somaliland
Protectorate. To facilitate this request from the Somaliland people, the
British colonial office had convened a constitutional conference held in
London in May, 1960. (See "Report of the Somaliland Protectorate
Constitutional Conference"; a government document). Technically, Great
Britain, acting on the strong request from the political leaders of
Somaliland, set in motion the wheels of abrogating its eighty-year old
colonial treaties with the people of Somaliland, which culminated at
independence day in June, 1960. Then the Somaliland leaders immediately
merged their country with Somalia (the ex-Italian Somalia) without
referendum or any constitutional safeguards for their people. Arguably,
this move by our leaders went down in our modern history as the biggest
political mistake that any group of leaders could make. It is a mistake
that we are still paying its price because of the simple fact that we are
now seeking international recognition, forty years after we first won our
independence from Great Britain.
July 1, 1960: Somalia became
independent from Italy. Somaliland and Somalia
amalgamated in a new formation without the benefit of a signed treaty of
union or any referendum. Additionally, Somalia kept for itself the
presidency, the prime ministership and almost all of the key posts in the
Cabinet. The seat of the government, Mogadishu, went also to the former
Italian Somalia. There were no constitutional guarantees for the people
of
Somaliland either, as the creation of the "Union" between the two
independent states was unimaginatively quick. Soon, the first political
rupture came when Somalia politicians acclaimed the constitution in
parliament, despite the very high percentage of nay votes from the people
of Somaliland.
1961: Somaliland officers outraged at
the illegality of the political
processes initiated by Somalia and the glaring inequalities of the unsigned
and popularly unapproved "union" between Somaliland and Somalia,
staged a
coup to sever ties with Somalia, once and for all. However, the coup,
poorly organized, failed as some noncommissioned officers did not follow
their orders. The officers were ar-rested but could not be sentenced in a
court. The judge decided to acquit them "on the basis that, in the absence
of an Act of Union, the court had no jurisdiction over Somaliland." (See
Carroll, Anthony J. and B. Rajagopal, 1993. "The Case for the Independent
State-hood of Somaliland. American University." Journal of International
Law & Politics 8, no. 653.) Juridically, therefore, there has never been
any legal union between Somalia and Somaliland, as the case has been
settled in a court of law, sitting in Mogadishu, Somalia, of all places,
there and then. Any territorial claims on Somaliland, coming from Somalia,
are thus illegal and have no basis.
1960-1969: Somalia politicians little
by little changed the name that
Somalia and Somaliland were to have together, as a new country, from the
'Somali Republic' to Somalia, in order to erase any trace of Somaliland,
its history and previous existence.
October 1969: A military coup
overthrew the civilian government and ended
nine-years of "artificial" democracy, as Prof. Hussein Adam of the
College
of Holy Cross put it. Following the assassination of President Sharmarke,
the military seized power and the coup leader, Gen. Siad Barre, from
Somalia proper, assumed the control of the country. Siad Barre pronounced
it a socialist state and re-named it The Somali Democratic Republic(SDR);
however, in all international arenas, the country was presented always as
'Somalia.' General Barre established a tightly controlled dictatorship that
soon afterwards imposed a severe curtailment of civil liberties. The
already ill-conceived constitution of the first nine years was suspended
and the country's civilian parliament was replaced with Revolutionary
Council composed of military and police officials. The naturally democratic
people of Somaliland, who even had basic freedoms and liberties under
the British, unlike the people of Somalia, who had experienced Italian
fascism and forced labor, were immediately in the firing line of the
General, who professed socialism, but was actually harking back to fascism,
as practised by his Italian commanding officers. In the end, Somalia's
strongman waged a relentless campaign of genocide against the majority
population of Somaliland, while the world watched in silence.
1981: The Somali National Movement
(SNM) was formed in London, in order to
save the people of Somaliland from total annihilation. This popular
organization sought to liberate Somaliland (the former British Somaliland)
from general Barre's murderous army and Somalia rule.
1988: General Barre signed a
non-aggression pact with Ethiopia, where the
SNM had some of its bases. In return, Ethiopia
expelled SNM members operating within its borders. The SNM then launched a
major offensive in Somaliland, capturing Burao and Hargeisa, the two larger
cities in Somaliland. General Barre's government in Mogadishu bombed these
cities and others to the ground, resulting in widespread death and
destruction. Hired mercenaries from the former Rhodesia were even used to
bomb civilians fleeing from artillery shells and burning cities. Most of
Somaliland's population crossed the border into Ethiopia to seek sanctuary
from Barre's killing army, while as much as one hundred thousand lost their
lives in the process. The international human Rights organizations such as
Amnesty International and Africa Watch have documented this widespread
torture and killing of the people of Somaliland in the 1980s.
1991: The SNM finally won the war
against Siad Barre and rolled back his
army. They then called on all the communities of Somaliland to determine
the future of their country. After long discussions in Burao, Somaliland,
they all decided, across the communal lines, to reclaim their sovereignty
and once again form their nation, the Republic of Somaliland. Today, this
de facto nation stretches for 400 miles (644 kilometers) along the Gulf of
Aden and to the east Djibouti. It has an estimated population of 3, 875,000
people.
1993: Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was named
president of the Republic of
Somaliland. Though not yet internationally recognized, Somaliland has
already made great strides, in both the economic and the political fronts,
since the declaration of its independence in 1991. For example, work on a
new constitution was completed in 1996, and was adopted at the Hargeisa
national conference of 1997.
May 31, 2001: Somaliland re-affirmed
its independence and sovereignty by
voting overwhelmingly YES in an internationally witnessed free voting, in
which 97% voted yes for Somaliland's constitution, whose first article
affirms Somaliland's independence.
© SOMALILAND FORUM 2001