SOMALILAND PROTESTERS AGAINST UNIFICATION CONFERENCE BURNED THE SOMALI FLAG AND HOISTED THE SOMALILAND FLAG
BBC MONITORING INTERNATIONAL REPORTS: SOMALILAND PROTESTERS AGAINST UNIFICATION CONFERENCE 100% match; BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom ; 26-Feb-2000 12:00:00 am ; 139 words The inhabitants of two towns in the breakaway state of Somaliland protested on Saturday against a conference aimed at reuniting their state with the rest of Somalia, Somaliland's Hargeisa radio reported. It said the people of Gabiley and Arabsiyo near the Somaliland capital of Hargeisa held rallies in support of the government decision to prevent its citizens from attending the forthcoming Somali reconciliation conference in the neighbouring country of Djibouti. Gabiley residents, led by students, marched along the streets chanting slogans expressing their opposition to plans to reunite Somaliland with the rest of Somalia. The demonstrators expressed their readiness to defend Somaliland's sovereignty, the radio said. Gabiley's mayor, Hasan Haji Yusuf Robleh, was quoted as telling demonstrators "no-one can force Somaliland to unite with Somali factional groups", adding that Somaliland's sovereignty was sacred and not negotiable. IN ARABSIYO, DEMONSTRATORS BURNED THE SOMALI FLAG AND HOISTED THE SOMALILAND FLAG. Source: Radio Hargeisa in Somali 26 Feb 00
