In the first edition of our Horn of Africa podcast series, we start with Somaliland. Somali-American scholar at the Middle East Institute, Guled Ahmed, and I discuss Somaliland’s case for independence.
Gus Anderson: What is the case for Somaliland’s independence?
Somaliland Independence: 1960
Guled Ahmed: Somaliland independence started in 1960 today; it is almost 65 years. There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding from a historical and legal perspective. This brings challenges for the Horn of Africa and wider international community.
Somaliland was a protectorate before independence in 1960. Somalia, however, was under Italian UN Trusteeship from 1950 to 1960.
Therefore, Somaliland had its own parliament and president before then.
A UN Italian trusteeship had it’s own parliament and president also in Somalia.
Somaliland gained its independence on the 26th June 1960; Somaliland received official recognition by 35 countries including all UNSC P5 members: China, the U.S., and many other countries. Somaliland had independence for up to 5 days in July 1960. In July 1960, both Somaliland and Somalia were independent countries.
Yet people sold this idea of reunification without any legal aspect for reunification. Somalia went to the UN to say that we are one country now yet the UN denied this because of no legal ratification. Many legal scholars have written about this.
Events of 1961
After one year in 1961, Somalia did a referendum to remedy this issue. Both countries did a joint referendum where 54% of Somalilanders advocated for independence without reunification. However, Somalia mixed the data and forged the data to advocate for reunification.
In 1961, there was also a revolt by Somaliland military forces who were detained. The judge who prosided over the case even referred to the British colonial forces’ laws because the Somalia constitution was and remains incomplete.
Legally, this demonstrates the lack of reunification at that time despite Mogadishu’s ‘claims’.
British Depature, Somaliland Reclaims Independence: 1991
Guled Ahmed: Fast forward to 1991, when British were kicked out and Siad Barre committed a genocide against the ancient Isaaq tribe in Somaliland. This is documented by the UN.
From 1991 to now, over thirty years, Somaliland has developed a process of state building, development, and democracy. The results show six presidential elections which is very rare in the Horn of Africa.
Such elections have been ratified by monitoring groups such as Freedom House and the EU-27. It is the first country that has biometric data for elections.
Reconciliation: U.S. Recognition & Mogadishu’s Strategy
Unfortunately since 2012, the UK and U.S. organised a conference between Somaliland and Somalia. Somaliland was ‘tricked’, right, as if they didn’t go to the conference I believe Obama and Clinton would not have recognised Somalia.
President Obama visited and recognised Somalia in 2013.
For the last 14 years, the reconciliation process between Somaliland and Somalia has been a tool used by Mogadishu to hold Somaliland back.
Keep up with Daily Euro Times for more updates!
Read also:
Triangular Diplomacy: Djibouti, the Houthis, and Al-Shabaab
Looking for a Better Life: African Migrants Under Houthi Trafficking
The New Middle East: A Region In Flux
