However there are legal arguments for Somaliland. Every time you people from Somalia feel like claiming Somaliland as a region within your country similar to the tribal enclaves that exists (as you often do in this forum). Read these solid arguments made by brother Salah al-Din and disprove them if you can.. If you can't and you still oppose SL, ask yourself why you oppose it and you'll realize it's because of weak emotions and not logic.
Salah Al-Din wrote:
Somaliland has legal argument because Somaliland as an independent State joined Somalia to form the Somali Republic. Unfortunately, this union was never ratified in parliament. The events that took place in 1960 are as follows:
1. Somaliland becomes Independent on June 26 1960. On June 27 Somaliland Parliament passes a law called Act of Union with Somalia to form the Somali Republic. This document was never signed or passed by the Parliament of Somalia.
2. On July 1, the Parlaiment of Somalia passed an act of union called Atto di Unione which was significantly different from the Act of Union that the Somaliland Parliament passed. This Atto di Unione was never passed in the Parliament of Somaliland.
3. The Union went ahead but legally it was not null and void since no single Act of Union was signed by both countries. This caused the President to use a presidential decree to make an act of union between Somaliland and Somalia on January 31 1961 a full 6 months later to be in effect retroactively for July 1 1960. This document too was never ratified in Somali Republic's parliament. Presidential decrees need to have parliament pass them otherwise they become null and void.
4. The government of the Somalia Republic, which was run by politicians from Somalia, decided to try to ratify the union through a constitution in the end of 1961. The constitution was boycotted in Somaliland and only 100,000 people who voted and those who voted they overwhelmingly rejected it. Yet in Somalia it was said 1.7 million people voted when in the past elections only 600 thousand were eligible to vote. The tiny village called wanloweyn returned 99,000 yes votes which was almost equal to all the votes in Somaliland.
5. This caused Somaliland officers in the army to try a coup de tat in the end of 1961. This coup was not successful; however, when they were put on trail they were let go by the courts simply because these military officers did not swear to defend the Somali Republic, but they swore to defend Somaliland. Therefore there could be no treason against the Somali Republic.
Considering the fact that two states, Somaliland and Somalia joined together to form the Somali Republic. Then logic would dictate that a) Somaliland cannot be equal to mere federated provinces of Somalia like Puntland or Ximan & Xeeb. b) since no single act of union was signed, there is no legal requirement compelling Somaliland to remain part of Somalia c) since the Somali Republic ceased to exist in 1991 there is no reality on the ground to keep them united since Somaliland controls its territory.
The only thing keeping Somaliland and Somalia together is the politics of the international community remaining neutral to the recognition of Somaliland. Even the sole super power in the world the USA has said, they have no qualms of Somaliland getting de jure recognition; they just want another African state to go first. They wouldn't say that, they could have said no Somaliland has to remain part of Somalia. Surely the USA is not scared of Somaliland. As such the issue is not a matter of legality, but a matter of politics. In this regard, Somaliland is well prepared to go the distance and continue to pursue their quest for de jure recognition.
