While global attention is focused on Somalia, the self-declared republic of
Somaliland has been independent for 20 years without recognition by the
international community. This lack of recognition is an injustice to
Somalilander.
Hanna, not her real name, born in 1992 in New Hargaysa the Somaliland
capital celebrated her 20th birthday last 18 May, the Independence Day.
Twenty years after independence, little has changed in her life. Because her
country, Somaliland, neither has real independence nor unity with Somalia,
nor effective administration to deliver basic necessities let alone
guaranteeing better life for her.
Fleeing from the abject poverty and President Silanyo's government's
indifference towards the painful suffering of the people as well as the
international blockade in the form of denial of recognition by the
international community, Hanna perished in the Mediteranian Sea unnoticed
trying to reach to Europe.
The exodus of youngsters aged 18-29 years, of both genders, in attempted
escape from hellish conditions back home often turns their journey more or
less into mass suicide. But due to inherent uncertainty, many of Hanna's
peers worry more about the future and the risky voyage to Europe is the pnly
option that always comes to mind.
Somalilanders are law-abiding citizens who think the international laws are
based on a concrete basis of conviction and justice. They prevented terror
from ithe region and eliminated piracy from their seashore. According to an
Aljazeera program , "pirates set up some sort of stock exchange for their
companies that has drawn investment from Somali diaspora and other nations.
They started 15 maritime companies and now are hosting 75, not in the
capital of Mogadishu but Harardhere Stock Exchange making piracy a community
activities. One piracy investor contributed a rocket propeller grenade from
her ex-husband's alimony and has made $75,000 in only 38 days.
The growing demand and mounting risks pushed ransom from $2 million to $4
million to satisfy the rising number of shareholders.
In the process, the piracy stock exchange has transformed the once small
fishing village into a bustling town that earns a percentage of every ransom
to be used on infrastructure including hospitals and public schools".
Somalis are doing everything they can to survive or to make money. Why not
we? But we uphold the national and international laws and yet there is no
appreciation.
Somaliland and Somalia joined together in 1960 as two independent countries.
Somalilanders were unable to grasp how the world was led to believe
Somaliland was seceding rather than restoring its sovereignty from Somalia,
and thus becoming a liability on the region encouraging balkanization of
African states. But this is not true. Somaliland is an indispensable factor
for the stability of the whole region since 1991 by providing firm
intelligence to war on terror.
President John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, 'We pay any price, bear any
burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the
survival and success of liberty' seems to be failing if not obsolete since
the Obama administration is reluctant to extend assistance to hapless people
of Somaliland.
The absence of recognition of Somaliland threatens the lives of ordinary
nationals because its subsequent economic hardships have led to dramatic
exodus of Somalilanders to EU over the past 10 years.
Imagine living in a country without formal recognition and without Taiwan's
resources. However, still there's cause for optimism. The Wikileaks revealed
how Ethiopia's late Prime Minister Melez was lobbying for Interim Status and
had suggested Djibouti should recognize Somaliland.
The world, however, felt compelled to talk about the international isolation
upon Somaliland people and its urgency to break. No one can morally justify
the unwarranted suffering of so many innocent Somalilanders whose lives have
been shackled and devastated by the inadvertent embargo.
More recently, Prime Minister David Cameroon of the UK spoke out and called
Somalia and Somaliland to have 'exit' dialogue about their future relations.
The little unrecognized country took center stage globally as The New York
Times posted a startling, fascinating news article 'The World's Next State'.
The world has moral obligation to save the fleeing masses by changing its
attitude towards democratic Somaliland.
- Dirye is Somaliland activist and senior editor at the Democracy Chronicles
Africa's News Edition
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Received on Fri Jan 11 2013 - 18:15:44 EST
