     SOMALILAND REPUBLIC | Monday, October 09, 2000 - 04:20 am
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Editor: Yusuf Abdi Gabobe. Issue 129, Sept.23, 2000
Protests by Somaliland Diaspora held in Europe
By our London correspondent
The largest demonstration ever organized by Somalilanders overseas were held during the last two weeks in several West European capitals including London, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Leaders of Somaliland communities residing in various West European countries told the Republican that the demonstrations were staged to express support for Somaliland’s independence and to protest against attempts to undermine it in the aftermath of the Arta conference.
On last Saturday at 14:00 GMT about 1300 Somalilanders gathered in front of Tony Blair’s office at 10 Downing Street where they sang patriotic songs and shouted slogans expressing their opposition to what they termed as “plans formulated during the recent conference at Arta [Djibouti] by Djibouti’s President Guelleh together with remnants of late dictator Siyad Barre’s regime with the objective of undermining Somaliland’s peace, stability and independence.”
In a letter submitted to the British prime minister’s office, the Somaliland community in London appealed to the British government to accord diplomatic recognition to Somaliland, a former British protectorate. Chairman of the Somaliland community Mohamed Ahmed who spoke on the occasion said Britain was historically and morally obliged to support Somaliland’s efforts for gaining international diplomatic recognition and support. “Somaliland suffered a great deal under its union with Somalia. Thanks God that we are finally free and an independent country again,” said Farah Ibrahim Abdillahi ‘Sarhaye’ who fought as a marine in the world war two and the Falkland islands for Britain. Somaliland soldiers fought with the British against the Axis Forces during the second world war. According to surviving British officers, Somaliland soldiers were noted for their bravery in combat. Somalilanders in general view the passive attitude of the British government to Somaliland as a form of betrayal. Thousands of Somalilanders now live in the UK. Most of them were allowed into Britain during the eighties at the height of Siyad Barre’s repression against civilians in the North (Somaliland).
However, Somalilanders were known to have gone to Britain at the turn of the 20th century to work primarily as seamen. The demonstrators who took part in last Saturday’s picketing in front of 10 Downing Street though representing different generations of Somalilanders with distinct backgrounds, were however united in their opposition to any reunification with Somalia under any form. A middle aged woman Amina Aw Muse was charged with emotions when she said “They bombed out our houses from air during 1988, compelling us to flee and become refugees. Instead of leaving us alone, they are here after us again. Reuniting with them is impossible. We don’t want them.”
Referring to the proclamation of the SNM in London in 1981, to lead the armed resistance against dictator Barre, Somaliland House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Abdulqadir Ismail Jirde commented, “Our gathering today here has symbolically a historical significance. It was from here that the victorious struggle against Barre’s dictatorship was launched. Today it is here from where we are going to start the new struggle for the defense of Somaliland’s independence and sovereignty. After their defeat in the war, those tyrants who had massacred our people now want to subdue us by using this time other sinister ploys.” Ahmed Mohammed Silanyo a former SNM Chairman and Suleiman Gaal another SNM veteran and former Somaliland official also took part in the demonstration, in addition to the RRA representative in London Ali Abdi Baad who said the Rehanweyn people support the independence of Somaliland. A large demonstration in which thousands of Somalilanders are expected to participate is scheduled to take place in mid October in London.
The BBC Somali service which is headed by Yusuf Garad, a close relative of Abdiqasim Salad Boy, gave a one minute coverage to last Saturday’s demonstration by Somalilanders living in London. Its reporters though informed in advance about the event failed to appear at the scene. Few days earlier however, Yusuf Garad dispatched a reporter to a crowd of 70 people who came out to express support for Abdiqasim Salad Boy.
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Editor: Yusuf Abdi Gabobe. Issue 129, Sept.23, 2000.
Somalia’s new war lord Abdiqasim Salad
By our Staff Reporter
Abdiqasim Salad Hassan who was chosen towards the end of August as “President of Somalia” by Somali individuals who were assembled for thise purpose at Arta, Djibouti, is on his way to become another warlord. During the visit he had swiftly made to Mogadishu right after assuming his new title, Salad has assigned Nur Galaal, one of Siyad Barre’s generals to mobilize the Ayr armed militia groups with the mission objective of taking over, by force, positions occupied by rival militia men in Mogadishu, Merca and Kismayo.
Salad who loyally served dictator Siyad Barre until his downfall and Gen. Galaal are close kins. Both belong to the Ayr of the Hawiye Habar Gidir subclan. Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys of the Al-Itihad Islamic fundamentalist group is also from Ayr. Aweys, a former military commander under Siyad Barre’s regime works currently with Galaal in recruiting Ayr youngmen under the pretext that they were needed to police the capital and other urban centres. Aweys who had been trained in special commando operations is widely believed to have led the Habar Gidir forces that killed 18 American service men in Mogadishu in 1994 during military clashes between the two sides.
Last week, Aweys forces, most of them Ayr fundamentalists overran Merca evicting Hussein Eideed’s militiamen from there. The local Dir militia was also disarmed. On last Monday an ambush was laid to an Eideed entourage at Bermuda area in Southern Mogadishu. Eideed’s special driver, Garaad Dhoobey and two others were killed in the ambush which was carried out by forces loyal to Ali Mahdi from the Hawiye Abgal Sub-clan. Ali Mahdi who like Abdiqasim Salad was nominated as president for Somalia in a 1991 Djibouti conference, has been living in exile in Egypt for the last 3 years. He was called by Ismail Gelleh early this year to take part in the Arta conference in exchange for a position in the future “government” of Somalia. Ali Mahdi accepted the offer and declared his support to Abdiqasim Salad. Though Ali Mahdi’s political support among his Abgal Sub-clan has all but eroded however he did manage to stir trouble for Eideed on last Monday.
Eideed has of course retaliated by launching an early morning attack yesterday against the Bermuda militia group that killed his driver. At least 5 people died and more than 20 were wounded in a fierce battle between the two sides on Friday.
The escalation of tension and hostilities in Mogadishu since the proclamation of Salad as president could have grave consequences for the relatively improved security situation in the capital of former Somalia, during the last two years. Ever since he was crowned in Djibouti in last August, Abdiqasim Salad Boy has been primarily concerned with building international credibility for himself and getting financial and military assistance from charities, and Arab governments. Qasim believed and still believes that to prevail, he has to get diplomatic support and recognition which would pave the way for him to obtain enough material resources and armaments with which to subjugate any opposition to his made-in-Djibouti presidency. The world has almost succumbed to his strategy.
By conferring legitimacy on a man who was an active participant in the slaughtering of his own people by a dictator and who during the last ten years never contributed either a part of his wealth, time or knowledge to his people’s struggle for survival against the most tremendous odds, Abdiqasim has so far successfully portrayed himself as Somalia’s savior. During his tour of Gulf states recently, he received at least $50 million dollars in cash from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He was also welcomed in the Arab League and the UN Millennium conference held earlier this month.
With the Arab money to which he doesn’t need to be accountable, Abdiqasim has already bankrolled arms purchases. International dealers have been given orders to bring weapons from former Soviet bloc countries by air. Delivery will be done at Balli-Doogle airport which is controlled by the Ayr Militia. There is no doubt that the next step to be taken by Abdiqasim will be to use his own armed militia, mainly Ayr, to subdue all other armed groups. Ali Mahdi took the same path in the early nineties and that led to a bloodbath.
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Editor: Yusuf Abdi Gabobe. Issue 125, August 19, 2000
Gandi Memorial Library Established
Hargeisa (Rep)- The first private library named after the late Yusuf Ismail Samatar “Gandi” was formally opened on Tuesday. The library has been established with 5000 books and publications dealing with various topics and will serve the public during mornings and afternoons everyday except Fridays. Women will have an exclusive access during Sundays and Wednesdays from 4.00 p.m. to 8 p.m. The library was founded by Gandi’s son, Ahmed Yusuf Ismail who returned recently to Somaliland after living abroad for many years. Gandi who died over 3 decades ago was among the first group of teachers who taught in
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Issue 127, Sept.2, 2000.
Press Release
Somaliland Nordic Community
Signed by: Faisal A. Farah
The Djibouti manufactured so-called government in-exile does not represent the people of the Republic of Somaliland. We, the Somaliland community in Northern Europe (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway) would like to set the record straight and let the whole world know, that our communities do not support such a puppet government. Somaliland proved to be viable and stable for the last nine years. We, Somalilanders, have established our
own system which has been functioning for a long time and have no desire to destroy it for nothing. We would like to state that Somalilanders will not go back to the illegal union with Somalia. The union of Somalia and Somaliland is nothing more than a history and one should look at it as such.
The so-called Somali Democratic Republic, which was based on the union of two free states, the former British Somaliland and the former Italian Somalia, disintegrated in 1991 after a lengthy civil war. Like other unions of states that have not worked, the state of somaliland has reclaimed its sovereignty in 1991 and without any international support, rebuilt a peaceful and functioning democracy. But Somaliland is not the first African country which reclaimed its sovereignty from an unworkable union, as countries such as Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau have done it before. However, this African success story of Somaliland has not been acknowledged, whilst billions of dollars have been spent on reinventing a new government for ‘Somalia’, a state that no longer exists.
Somaliland has lived with the benign neglect of the UN and the international community since 1991. But the Republic of Djibouti, the former French Somaliland which on its independence from France in 1977 chose to remain a sovereign state rather than join the failing union of Somali states, has announced that it has manufactured a new exile government for the two Somali states. Djibouti has asked the international community to help legitimize this government in exile by repatriating it to a seat (Baidoa), which is nearly two hundred miles away from the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. And this only proves to show that the writ of
this government will not even extend beyond this site, let alone the rest of Somalia (ex-italian Somalia).
This Djibouti sponsored government puppet government is made up of those who worked with and helped the late dictator Siyad Barre destroy the whole Somali nation. The Crimes committed by these gangs are immense and far from being forgotten or forgiven. Such elements cannot build the very nation they themselves destroyed. More importantly, the people of Somaliland will never forget the suffering and human tragedy they went through. “If the government formed in Djibouti tries to use force (to impose its will), it will face defeat and humiliation. We cannot talk with an administration full of war criminals,” said Somaliland’s President, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal. “Those elected in Arta are the remnants of the toppled government of Siad Barre. Our people still remember the graveyards from mass killings by those people,” Egal continued.
Finally, we would like to stress that the Somaliland people will defend their country from outside aggression, be it from this made-in--Djibouti government or anyone else.
By our London correspondent
The largest demonstration ever organized by Somalilanders overseas were held during the last two weeks in several West European capitals including London, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Leaders of Somaliland communities residing in various West European countries told the Republican that the demonstrations were staged to express support for Somaliland’s independence and to protest against attempts to undermine it in the aftermath of the Arta conference.
On last Saturday at 14:00 GMT about 1300 Somalilanders gathered in front of Tony Blair’s office at 10 Downing Street where they sang patriotic songs and shouted slogans expressing their opposition to what they termed as “plans formulated during the recent conference at Arta [Djibouti] by Djibouti’s President Guelleh together with remnants of late dictator Siyad Barre’s regime with the objective of undermining Somaliland’s peace, stability and independence.”
In a letter submitted to the British prime minister’s office, the Somaliland community in London appealed to the British government to accord diplomatic recognition to Somaliland, a former British protectorate. Chairman of the Somaliland community Mohamed Ahmed who spoke on the occasion said Britain was historically and morally obliged to support Somaliland’s efforts for gaining international diplomatic recognition and support. “Somaliland suffered a great deal under its union with Somalia. Thanks God that we are finally free and an independent country again,” said Farah Ibrahim Abdillahi ‘Sarhaye’ who fought as a marine in the world war two and the Falkland islands for Britain. Somaliland soldiers fought with the British against the Axis Forces during the second world war. According to surviving British officers, Somaliland soldiers were noted for their bravery in combat. Somalilanders in general view the passive attitude of the British government to Somaliland as a form of betrayal. Thousands of Somalilanders now live in the UK. Most of them were allowed into Britain during the eighties at the height of Siyad Barre’s repression against civilians in the North (Somaliland).
However, Somalilanders were known to have gone to Britain at the turn of the 20th century to work primarily as seamen. The demonstrators who took part in last Saturday’s picketing in front of 10 Downing Street though representing different generations of Somalilanders with distinct backgrounds, were however united in their opposition to any reunification with Somalia under any form. A middle aged woman Amina Aw Muse was charged with emotions when she said “They bombed out our houses from air during 1988, compelling us to flee and become refugees. Instead of leaving us alone, they are here after us again. Reuniting with them is impossible. We don’t want them.”
Referring to the proclamation of the SNM in London in 1981, to lead the armed resistance against dictator Barre, Somaliland House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Abdulqadir Ismail Jirde commented, “Our gathering today here has symbolically a historical significance. It was from here that the victorious struggle against Barre’s dictatorship was launched. Today it is here from where we are going to start the new struggle for the defense of Somaliland’s independence and sovereignty. After their defeat in the war, those tyrants who had massacred our people now want to subdue us by using this time other sinister ploys.” Ahmed Mohammed Silanyo a former SNM Chairman and Suleiman Gaal another SNM veteran and former Somaliland official also took part in the demonstration, in addition to the RRA representative in London Ali Abdi Baad who said the Rehanweyn people support the independence of Somaliland. A large demonstration in which thousands of Somalilanders are expected to participate is scheduled to take place in mid October in London.
The BBC Somali service which is headed by Yusuf Garad, a close relative of Abdiqasim Salad Boy, gave a one minute coverage to last Saturday’s demonstration by Somalilanders living in London. Its reporters though informed in advance about the event failed to appear at the scene. Few days earlier however, Yusuf Garad dispatched a reporter to a crowd of 70 people who came out to express support for Abdiqasim Salad Boy.
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Editor: Yusuf Abdi Gabobe. Issue 129, Sept.23, 2000.
Somalia’s new war lord Abdiqasim Salad
By our Staff Reporter
Abdiqasim Salad Hassan who was chosen towards the end of August as “President of Somalia” by Somali individuals who were assembled for thise purpose at Arta, Djibouti, is on his way to become another warlord. During the visit he had swiftly made to Mogadishu right after assuming his new title, Salad has assigned Nur Galaal, one of Siyad Barre’s generals to mobilize the Ayr armed militia groups with the mission objective of taking over, by force, positions occupied by rival militia men in Mogadishu, Merca and Kismayo.
Salad who loyally served dictator Siyad Barre until his downfall and Gen. Galaal are close kins. Both belong to the Ayr of the Hawiye Habar Gidir subclan. Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys of the Al-Itihad Islamic fundamentalist group is also from Ayr. Aweys, a former military commander under Siyad Barre’s regime works currently with Galaal in recruiting Ayr youngmen under the pretext that they were needed to police the capital and other urban centres. Aweys who had been trained in special commando operations is widely believed to have led the Habar Gidir forces that killed 18 American service men in Mogadishu in 1994 during military clashes between the two sides.
Last week, Aweys forces, most of them Ayr fundamentalists overran Merca evicting Hussein Eideed’s militiamen from there. The local Dir militia was also disarmed. On last Monday an ambush was laid to an Eideed entourage at Bermuda area in Southern Mogadishu. Eideed’s special driver, Garaad Dhoobey and two others were killed in the ambush which was carried out by forces loyal to Ali Mahdi from the Hawiye Abgal Sub-clan. Ali Mahdi who like Abdiqasim Salad was nominated as president for Somalia in a 1991 Djibouti conference, has been living in exile in Egypt for the last 3 years. He was called by Ismail Gelleh early this year to take part in the Arta conference in exchange for a position in the future “government” of Somalia. Ali Mahdi accepted the offer and declared his support to Abdiqasim Salad. Though Ali Mahdi’s political support among his Abgal Sub-clan has all but eroded however he did manage to stir trouble for Eideed on last Monday.
Eideed has of course retaliated by launching an early morning attack yesterday against the Bermuda militia group that killed his driver. At least 5 people died and more than 20 were wounded in a fierce battle between the two sides on Friday.
The escalation of tension and hostilities in Mogadishu since the proclamation of Salad as president could have grave consequences for the relatively improved security situation in the capital of former Somalia, during the last two years. Ever since he was crowned in Djibouti in last August, Abdiqasim Salad Boy has been primarily concerned with building international credibility for himself and getting financial and military assistance from charities, and Arab governments. Qasim believed and still believes that to prevail, he has to get diplomatic support and recognition which would pave the way for him to obtain enough material resources and armaments with which to subjugate any opposition to his made-in-Djibouti presidency. The world has almost succumbed to his strategy.
By conferring legitimacy on a man who was an active participant in the slaughtering of his own people by a dictator and who during the last ten years never contributed either a part of his wealth, time or knowledge to his people’s struggle for survival against the most tremendous odds, Abdiqasim has so far successfully portrayed himself as Somalia’s savior. During his tour of Gulf states recently, he received at least $50 million dollars in cash from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He was also welcomed in the Arab League and the UN Millennium conference held earlier this month.
With the Arab money to which he doesn’t need to be accountable, Abdiqasim has already bankrolled arms purchases. International dealers have been given orders to bring weapons from former Soviet bloc countries by air. Delivery will be done at Balli-Doogle airport which is controlled by the Ayr Militia. There is no doubt that the next step to be taken by Abdiqasim will be to use his own armed militia, mainly Ayr, to subdue all other armed groups. Ali Mahdi took the same path in the early nineties and that led to a bloodbath.
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Editor: Yusuf Abdi Gabobe. Issue 125, August 19, 2000
Gandi Memorial Library Established
Hargeisa (Rep)- The first private library named after the late Yusuf Ismail Samatar “Gandi” was formally opened on Tuesday. The library has been established with 5000 books and publications dealing with various topics and will serve the public during mornings and afternoons everyday except Fridays. Women will have an exclusive access during Sundays and Wednesdays from 4.00 p.m. to 8 p.m. The library was founded by Gandi’s son, Ahmed Yusuf Ismail who returned recently to Somaliland after living abroad for many years. Gandi who died over 3 decades ago was among the first group of teachers who taught in
The Republican, a weekly English language publication based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Issue 127, Sept.2, 2000.
Press Release
Somaliland Nordic Community
Signed by: Faisal A. Farah
The Djibouti manufactured so-called government in-exile does not represent the people of the Republic of Somaliland. We, the Somaliland community in Northern Europe (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway) would like to set the record straight and let the whole world know, that our communities do not support such a puppet government. Somaliland proved to be viable and stable for the last nine years. We, Somalilanders, have established our
own system which has been functioning for a long time and have no desire to destroy it for nothing. We would like to state that Somalilanders will not go back to the illegal union with Somalia. The union of Somalia and Somaliland is nothing more than a history and one should look at it as such.
The so-called Somali Democratic Republic, which was based on the union of two free states, the former British Somaliland and the former Italian Somalia, disintegrated in 1991 after a lengthy civil war. Like other unions of states that have not worked, the state of somaliland has reclaimed its sovereignty in 1991 and without any international support, rebuilt a peaceful and functioning democracy. But Somaliland is not the first African country which reclaimed its sovereignty from an unworkable union, as countries such as Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau have done it before. However, this African success story of Somaliland has not been acknowledged, whilst billions of dollars have been spent on reinventing a new government for ‘Somalia’, a state that no longer exists.
Somaliland has lived with the benign neglect of the UN and the international community since 1991. But the Republic of Djibouti, the former French Somaliland which on its independence from France in 1977 chose to remain a sovereign state rather than join the failing union of Somali states, has announced that it has manufactured a new exile government for the two Somali states. Djibouti has asked the international community to help legitimize this government in exile by repatriating it to a seat (Baidoa), which is nearly two hundred miles away from the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. And this only proves to show that the writ of
this government will not even extend beyond this site, let alone the rest of Somalia (ex-italian Somalia).
This Djibouti sponsored government puppet government is made up of those who worked with and helped the late dictator Siyad Barre destroy the whole Somali nation. The Crimes committed by these gangs are immense and far from being forgotten or forgiven. Such elements cannot build the very nation they themselves destroyed. More importantly, the people of Somaliland will never forget the suffering and human tragedy they went through. “If the government formed in Djibouti tries to use force (to impose its will), it will face defeat and humiliation. We cannot talk with an administration full of war criminals,” said Somaliland’s President, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal. “Those elected in Arta are the remnants of the toppled government of Siad Barre. Our people still remember the graveyards from mass killings by those people,” Egal continued.
Finally, we would like to stress that the Somaliland people will defend their country from outside aggression, be it from this made-in--Djibouti government or anyone else. |
