Sunday, July 02, 2006

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

By Bashir Goth
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 Secret”, 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.

Read full story on Awdalnews;
Wardheernews; Qarannews

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:08 AM

    Good comment.

    Idris

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous7:40 AM

    The southern part of Somalia was also known as the Italian Somaliland not as Italian Somalia.

    It astounds me and I am not sure why the people from the north think only their part of the country was called Somaliland by the European colonialists.

    Regards

    Girdif

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've a some insight into Somalia and "Somaliland" by virtue of being from there and I would respectfully disagree with some of what you've said.

    Firstly, the borders of "Somaliland" is disputed. The two major clans in the north Isaq and Dulbahante don't agree on the borders and the future of "Somaliland". The states of Nugaal and Sanaag both say they're part of Puntland. If that's the case, then "Somaliland" is left with very little.

    Puntland has also been stable and more or less democratic and it has a bigger economy than Somaliland. Though Puntland isn't asking for independance, there's nothing to prevent them if "Somaliland" gets it.

    I don't think "Somaliland" can or will become independant and luckly the world realizes that it isn't in anyone's interest.

    ReplyDelete