     REPUBLIC OF THE HOLLY SOMALILAND | Friday, October 13, 2000 - 01:28 am
Introduction
Somali clan-families have inhabited the region of Eastern Africa, better known as the Horn of Africa, for close to three thousand years as some historical records indicate. The people were organized in a highly decentralized nomadic clan system of herders. Therefore, there had never been any centrally organized authority in the form of a state in the Somali territories before the advent of colonialism to Africa. But there were locally accepted customary laws in every Somali community that served each community or local area as its own indigenous constitutional arrangements, though there was very little contact between those Somali communities in different geographical places of the region. Hence, the idea that all Somalis formed a nation-state, once upon a time and before colonialism, is nothing other than a modern invention. This important piece of evidence, which is a historical fact, negates the recent chorus of commentaries by some that Somalis should always share one state under all circumstances. It, indeed, undermines the hopes and aspirations of the people of Somaliland, who have every right to remain independent from the rest of Somalia, as they once were both under colonialism and for a brief moment before they voluntarily merged their post-colonial state with the former Italian Somaliland. Below are some important dates to remember as to how the Somaliland state has evolved since the colonial days.
Chronological History
v 1840: The British annex Aden, across the Red Sea in present-day Yemen. They began to trade with Somalis in the present-day Somaliland, mostly in order to import meat for their sailors. This trade contact initiated the first interactions between the people of Somaliland and the Europeans.
v 1870s: Threatened by the growing European presence in the region, Egypt laid claim to Somaliland's coastal towns such as Seyla and Berbera.
v 1877: Egypt and Britain signed a treaty over the occupation of Somaliland. Instead of going to war over meat supply routes for its garrison in Aden, Britain signed a treaty recognizing the Egyptian presence in Somaliland coastal towns. They established a cooperative relationship with the Egyptians and hence co-existed with each other on both sides of the Gulf of Aden that divides Somaliland and Yemen.
v 1884: Britain occupied the former Egyptian Somaliland. When the Egyptians were forced to withdraw from Somaliland because of the military threats from other neighbours, notably France operating from the French Somaliland (now Djibouti), the British took control of the territory they had occupied, i.e., Somaliland.
v 1887: The British Somaliland Protectorate was established. Major A. Hunt of Great of Britain, representing his government, drew up protection treaties with several Somaliland clans guaranteeing them military support, in case of an attack from other neighbouring territories, which were then occupied by other Europeans (See The Map of Africa by Treaty written by Sir E. Hertslet). As a result of these extensive colonial treaties, the Great Britain sent its Vice Consuls to the Somaliland coastal towns such as Berbera, Bulahar, and Seyla. In effect, this was an introduction of the first modern state (Colonial State) of today's Somaliland.
v 1900: Trade increased both in volume and value in the British Somaliland due to the relative political stability created by the colonial protection, despite an on-going wars waged by Sayid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan, a.k.a. "the Mad Mullah of Somaliland" by the Europeans, against the British occupation. The port cities of Somaliland were scenes of active trading during this era. In fact, Somaliland was the only British Protectorate/Colony in East Africa which not only balanced its books, but it had also constantly reported surpluses. The key to Somaliland's opulence, by African economic standards of the day, was international trade as the people in the territory were, in the words of one British colonial officer, "Natural born traders." (See “Somaliland” by Andrew Hamilton). It is this age-old trading skills and inherent business ingenuities on the part of the people of Somaliland, observed by the colonial officer in the early 20th century, that currently sustains the Somaliland's booming economy, despite its lack of international recognition.
v April 1960: The British government agreed to Somaliland's independence. Britain reluctantly agreed to withdraw from the British Somaliland Protectorate, so that it can join with the Italian-Somaliland to form an independent state. To facilitate this request from the Somaliland people, the British colonial office had convened a constitutional conference held in London in May 1960 (See "Report of the Somaliland Protectorate Constitutional Conference," a government document). Technically, Great Britain, acting on the strong request from the political leaders of Somaliland, set the wheels of abrogating its eighty-year old colonial treaties with the people of Somaliland in motion, which had culminated at Independence Day in June 1960. Then the Somaliland leaders immediately merged their country with Italian Somaliland without any constitutional safeguards for their people. Arguably, this move by the Somaliland leaders entered in the annals of this nation’s modern history as the biggest political mistake that any group of leaders could make. It is a mistake that the Somaliland people are still paying its price, because of the simple fact that the Somaliland people are now seeking international recognition; forty years after Somaliland first won its independence from Great Britain.
v July 1960: The Somali Republic became fully independent. Italian and British Somalilands united in an independent state formation. However, the presidency, the prime ministership and almost all of the key posts in Cabinet went to the politicians of the South (Italian Somaliland). The seat of the government, Mogadishu, went also to the former Italian Somaliland. There were no constitutional guarantees for the people of the former British Somaliland either, as the creation of the Union between the two Somali states was unimaginatively quick. For example, the first political rupture came when the southern politicians acclaimed the constitution in parliament, despite the very high percentage of Nay votes from the people of Somaliland (see historical references to the Referendum of 1961).
v October 1969: A military coup overthrew the civilian government and ended nine-years of "artificial" democracy, as Prof. Hussein Adam of the College of Holy Cross puts it. Following the assassination of President Sharmarke, the military seized power and the coup leader, General Siad Barre, assumed the control of the country. Siad Barre pronounced the country a socialist state and re-named it The Somali Democratic Republic (SDR). General Barre established a tightly controlled dictatorship soon afterwards with severe curtailment of the civil liberties. The already ill-conceived constitution of the first nine years was suspended and the country's civilian parliament was replaced with a Revolutionary Council consisting of military and police officers. The people of the North (former British Somaliland), with their natural tendencies to democratic ideals then immediately found themselves in the General's line of fire, who had prophesed Marxist-Leninist brand of socialism. In the end, Somalia's strongman waged a relentless campaign with genocidal tendencies against the people of the North.
v 1981: The Somali National Movement (SNM) was formed in London, in order to save the people of the North from total annihilation. This organization, which largely drew its support from the Issak clan of the North, sought to liberate the North (former British Somaliland) from general Barre's menacing army.
v 1988: General Barre signed a non-aggression pact with Ethiopia, the host country of the Somali National Movement (SNM). In return, Ethiopia expelled SNM members operating within its borders. The SNM then launched a major offensive in the North, capturing Burao and Hargeisa, the two largest cities in Somaliland. General Barre's government in Mogadishu bombed these cities and others to the ground, which resulted in widespread death and destruction. Hired mercenaries from the former Rhodesia were even used to bomb the civilians of the North who were fleeing from artillery shells and burning cities. A six hundred thousand people of Somaliland origin crossed the border into Ethiopia, circa 1988/89, to seek sanctuary from Barre's killing machine; another one hundred thousand lost their lives in the process. The international human Rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Africa Watch have fully documented these widespread torture and killing of the Isaak people in the North, who were the victims of a government purge.
v 1991: The SNM finally won the war with Siad Barre who hence rolled-back his army to cling to his last power base which was also being challenged by the United Somali Congress (USC) in the South. The SNM leadership then called on all clan-families of the North (former British Somaliland) to determine the future of their country. After long discussions in Burao, Somaliland, they all decided, across the clan lines, to revert to their June 1960 sovereignty and once again form their nation, the Republic of Somaliland. The National Charter that was adopted in Burao was later affirmed in subsequent people’s conferences of Borama and Hargeisa, Somaliland. This de facto nation stretches for 400 miles (644 kilometers) along the Gulf of Aden and to the east of Djibouti. It has an estimated population of 3, 875,000 people. An interim legislature and judiciary were named, immediately after the SNM declared the state at Burao, and a constitution was planned.
v 1993: Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was named president of the Republic of Somaliland in the Borama conference. Though not yet internationally recognized, Somaliland has already made monumental strides, in both the economic and political fronts, since the re-declaration of its independence in 1991. For example, the constitutional work was completed in 1996, and was adopted at the Hargeisa presidential election conference of 1997. Recently (the Year 2000) a law governing a multi-party system was promulgated to pave the way for the 2002 popular municipal and presidential elections. Now the only thing that Somaliland lacks is a De Jure status under the international law of nations, so that it can turn the page and write a new chapter of its own political history. |
| Anonymous | Friday, October 13, 2000 - 07:48 am
Why the f*ck are you posting somaliland site news in here ... i guess you don't have enough ppl to read your sh*t huh... |
| SOMALIA | Thursday, October 19, 2000 - 02:14 am
the •••• head qaad chewing qaldaan, somalia is a one country and will be that forever, what you have is a qaadrebuplick no one will recognice you
sick deam isaak qaldaan so call somaliland ore isaakland |
| SOMALIA | Thursday, October 19, 2000 - 02:15 am
the sh"t head qaad chewing qaldaan, somalia is a one country and will be that forever, what you have is a qaadrebuplick no one will recognice you
sick deam isaak qaldaan so call somaliland ore isaakland |
| Darwiish | Saturday, October 21, 2000 - 09:25 pm
I feel sorry for poor Isaks, they are only somalis who never face reality.They only group whom are proad to under colany of british and they never new that somali was there before 1884.
You cheap isaks there will not be ever recognized goverment call somaliland, and i will
make sure as a darwiish to distroy you sinceless
claim that somalia is two parts. You fool idors
be realistick. |
| reality check | Sunday, October 22, 2000 - 05:50 am
darwiish b4 u destroy us senceless stop destroying your own people....and start rebuiliding your beloved "Somalia" |
| Isaaq-Girl | Sunday, October 29, 2000 - 01:01 am
xasidow xadhiga go`h.
Long live Somaliland
Long Live Isaaq.
I know u non-Isaaq r jealous but we don't care because we as Isaaq don't give a .... about u. |
| Hakima | Sunday, October 29, 2000 - 03:49 am
I am isaaq, i don't believe that a state should be
built according to a clan base. Rather according what the majority wants. We are in 21st century, pre-historic ideas would only lead us to Hate. |
| Ice-Man | Sunday, October 29, 2000 - 06:03 am
To: Hakima Somali politics is base on clan unfortunately
To: "Somaliland" issue, I am from Northern Somalia but believe so strong the unity of our country
Here is the Question
where was Somaliland before the arrival of the British colonizer in 1884?
its was just another sub-marginal land of the Somalis, wasn't it?
did it have distinct social and political characteristics that fundamentally separated it from the rest of Somalia?
Peace in my home town |
| african | Sunday, October 29, 2000 - 10:09 am
An interesting subject huh!!
To the gentleman who posted this massage why don't you just say I'm habr awal and spare us this somaliland bull ••••.
You see I'm isaaq(habr yoonis) that's my tribe not my COUNTRY my country is A UNITED 1 SOMALIA read my lips and wake up my brother smell the shah.
You can not build a country based on qabiil only a nationhood can build a stable country.
Ohh one more thing you intentionally forgot to mention the the first president of the self declared republic of somaliland"Mr:cabdulraxmaan tuur" where is he now!!!!!!?
does he still believe in this dream called somaliland.
somaliland is my region in somalia not my country if I made peace with my neighbors that is a good thing in the short term but what's most crucial is to try and make peace with my fellow country-men in the south.
This is the year 2000 somalis wake up we are behind the whole planet we lack in so many ways and yet we celebrate simple things like electricity"the new traffic lights in hargiesa"WOOHOO what an achievement,other nations are thinking about big things like how to make it to the moon and we are still stuck in our nomadic ways of life(there is nothing wrong with being born into a nomadic society what is wrong is to want to remain as a nomad)
Look at the united states of america 50 strong states all united under 1 flag 1 congress 1 constitution 1 national anthem.
Even the Europeans who fought WW1 and WW2 just fifty years ago are coming together.
Asia is economically coming closer together and soon enough they will fellow too and merge as a 1 state someday.
I then look at our poor black continent and I can't help but feel sorry for it and cry from the inside almost every country in Africa is in a turmoil unrest endless civil wars the usual story the government(dictators&also good guys)Vs the armed opposition groups who also claim to be right(the bad guys).Even the only country in Africa that never had a civil war(ivory coast)is moving closer towards it.
I leave the whole planet go back to my homeland somalia I find this:
1-somaliland
2-puntland
3-jubaland
4-Somalia
5-.....land(those are to be filled later)
6-....land(to be named later)
7-ridiculasland(I wouldn't be surprised to see 1 with that name 1 day)
.......And it is all in the name of the un-holly tribes
SOMALIA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY ON THIS PLANET WITH MORE THAN 1 PRESIDENT HOW MANY DO WE HAVE?!!
4,5,6,7........
1-in the north u got Mr:cigaal a high school graduate who is been leading the country since its birth(1960) isn't time for some1 else a new fresh blood some1 who is more aware of what's going on in the outside world a todays politician
I was once watching an interview with the guy I must admit I was so amazed by the guys I.Q. level he was using words in the english language that don't exist anymore maybe back in the 60s,but of course as long his tribe is behind him 100%no worries cigaal you are the man.
2-in puntland you got cabulaahii yusuf who signed an agreement with a british company to burry a nuclear waste in puntland(a true story).
3-in the south you got xusiin caydiid a SEVEN ELEVEN clerk ruling because he is papa's son.
4-also cismaan cato a disabled man.
5-cali mahdii(where is he nowadayz!?)
7-and now we have the new Somali government ina salaad boy(no comment about him I heard so many rumors about him from people who dislike him because he is not from there qabiil)
8-............
9-............etc.....
I don't think its our leaders are the ones who need a wake up call its us the nation the people SOMALIDA a great poet once said only a nation can determine its destiny not its rulers after all we invented those very same leaders and and support them blindly because they're from our qabiil and when things go wrong we began to condemn them.
Lets face it the problem comes from within. |
| Hakima | Sunday, October 29, 2000 - 02:16 pm
African....can i be ur humble student :-) |
| MAD MAC | Monday, October 30, 2000 - 12:12 am
You are right about Egal. It's time for a cool change. You are also right about the unity issue. Germany wasn't a united State until 1870 when Bismarks statesmenship and warfare united it. In our current history, modern nation states are neccessary for the basic survival of cultures and peoples. Somalia should definately unite, although I think a loose confederation vice a strong central government would better suite Somalias diverse political heritage. |
| African | Monday, October 30, 2000 - 07:58 am
Dear Hakima(wisewoman):
I'm a learner myself but maybe we can exchange beneficial ideas,Here is lesson one;
1- The devil is in the details,Don't let them fool you with their shiny propaganda we are this and they're that.
To:MADMAC:
The reason why the germans choose to fight 2WW's was the simple fact that they felt oppressed by their fellow european nations such as england&france remember the firsaye agreement in 1919.
We Somalis or Africans for that matter fight over silly things(the qabiil disease),it is a neighbors against his old neighbor like what happened in Rwanda in 1994 the massacre between the hutu&tutsi just because they looked a little different came from a different tribe of course,Most Africans attribute all those never-ending civil strives in Africa to Africans colonial era..And also most of if not all of the African states gained their independence in or about the same time in the 1960's totally unprepared for the responsibilities accompanied with a new state a legislator,parliament,congress and educated son's and daughters to take over from the colonist and lead the nation forward(of course all this would have happened in a perfect world)not in Africa.
Unfortunately the only thing that Africans share or have in common is that deadly disease called TRIBALISM,when it comes to the leadership of a country the first question an African would ask about the newly elected president is this WHICH TRIBE IS HE FROM.
Also there is another huge problem the absence or the ill treatment of the bread winners in Africa AFRICAN WOMEN are the bread winners. in Somalia we men loot,steal,kill and destroy somaliwomen on the other hand try to heal our nations countless wounds yet they don't get enough credit for it.
Our real problems are a grass rooted ones |
| farax | Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 07:38 pm
woow u seem like a Wiseman African cool bro keep enlightening us
later |
| Anonymous | Saturday, November 11, 2000 - 08:06 am
Dabowiish iyo bahda faqash ee ingiriiska iyo luqad gaaleedka faan mooday hadal iyo nacanac maxaad ku qaadi kartaan HOOYADIINII SHIIRKA WAYNAY EE UMI FAQASH WASEEE XOOG MA ISKU HAYSAAN ADOON BAAD TIHIIN AF MUSILM KU HADLA. |
