Like Communism, the Idea of Somaliland is Dead

By Aman H.D. Obsiye

The winds of unity are blowing in the Northern Somali territories. Since the fall of the Siad Barre’s regime, there have been two fighting ideologies in the territory that was known as British Somaliland. The first ideology was the belief in one unified Somali Republic, led by Northern Unionists. The second ideology was the belief in dividing the Somali Republic on early European imperial boundaries, led by the SNM, also known as the Secessionist. The Secessionist strong holds are Hargeisa, Berbera, and Burco, what can be called the SNM triangle. The western and eastern regions, of what was known as British Somaliland, have decided to join the Somali Republic in the forms of two federal states:

1. The Awdal State and
2. the Khaatumo State.

These new federal states, within the Somali Republic, are following international law and policy towards the Somali territories which explicitly dictates that the Somali nation is one and that it must be federated. With the emergence of the Awdal State and the Khaatumo State the idea of two Somali nation-states, the idea of secessionism, is dead. Like Communism, the idea of Somaliland is dead.

Today the SNM military apparatus has decided to send hundreds of troops to the western and eastern regions to conduct armed suppression on the innocent Somali populace. There are currently 400 troops on the outskirts of Borama to violently suppress the emergence of the Awdal State. There are currently many hundreds troops on the outskirts of Buhodle to violently suppress the emergence of the Khaatumo State.

Currently, the Somaliland Army (the SNM Army) is committing crimes against humanity against the innocent Somali populace in Buhodle. The only crimes these people are committing are to be Unionist. The Awdal State and the Khaatumo State have declared their territories to be unionist territories, within the Somali Republic.

Therefore, the international community must recognize the breach of sovereignty the Somaliland Army is committing against the sovereign territory of the Somali Republic. Sovereignty is the main pillar of international law, and de jure sovereignty of the Awdal State and the Khaatumo State are solely with the Somali Republic, and not the illegal secessionist entity known as Somaliland.

Like Hungary and Czechoslovakia during the Soviet era, the Somaliland Army is seeking to suppress the will of the people, but like Communism, the idea of Somaliland is dead. With the emergence of the Awdal State and the Khaatumo State, the winds of unity are blowing in the Northern Somali territories.

The idea of a federalized central government for the Somali Republic is the widely accepted logical option. The Awdal State, Galmudug State, Khaatumo State, Puntland State, and an executive federal state of Benadir (Mogadishu), will be the foundation for the new Somali Republic. These five states, with the emergence of few more federal states in South-Central Somalia, will collectively provide personnel for the new Somali government that will emerge after August 2012. The post August 2012 Somali legislative and executive branches should be firmly inclusive to insure an organically accepted central government.

aman.obsiye@gmail.com

Source: Mareeg Online