You Think You Know Somalia? Meet Somaliland

by John Ford

When people think of Somalia, they think of Mark Bowden’s Black Hawk Down. They think of South Park’s “Somalian Pirates We” episode. They even think of (sigh) Pirates of the Caribbean. What they don’t usually know is that Somalia has three extremely different regions, and that one of those regions is a fully functional unrecognized state.

 
The first region, Somalia, is the southern half of the former Italian Somaliland colony. This is the area most people think of, with Mogadishu and Islamic warlords and perpetually failing transitional governments (we’ll see about the new government formed in August 2012 in a few years). The tip of the country, to the north of the old Italian colony, is Puntland. Puntland is autonomous, governing itself with a central government, but it is not seeking independence.

The third section is Somaliland, the former British colony part of Somalia. It is a fully functioning state in all but name. They have an innovative legislature, a successful democratic system, an army and navy, and a presidency that has gone through several peacefully transfers of power. Sure, it is poor, but it conducts itself better than most states at its level of development. Its current development is actually being held up by the lack of recognition, as it cannot gain access to international loans or support for its currency.

Somaliland fits the definition of a state: it is a politically unified group of people that share a territory. Plus, it handles its own national defense – dealing with pirates and disarming militant tribal groups – effectively. It provides for public goods, and enables the private sector to do so when it cannot afford to. It has a strong shared history and common identity; they were a separate colony from the rest of Somalia, they were once before their own independent recognized country for a week in 1960, and they fought together against the dictator Siad Barre through the 1970s and 80s. Finally, it acts like a state on the world stage, with a foreign minister and multiple foreign delegations that have traveled to the U.S., Ethiopia, the UK, and elsewhere seeking recognition.

So why isn’t this nation recognized by any government or intergovernmental organization in the world? Mostly, they are all holding off for the regional IGO, the African Union (AU) to recognize them first. There are two reasons that the AU cites for not recognizing Somaliland: that it goes against the tradition of respecting original borders, and that it will encourage other unrecognized nations to try to attain statehood.

First, not recognizing Somaliland goes against the tradition of respecting original borders. OK, I should explain a bit. No African state wants anyone to reexamine their old colonial borders, even though those borders are often arbitrary and cut through traditional ethnic lines. Why not? Because their colonial borders are overreaching, and if the borders are reexamined, the current states will lose more territory to new countries than they would gain. However, Somaliland and the rest of Somalia were separate colonies. They were even separate countries for a brief time before voluntarily uniting. When the united country concentrated all power in the south, then was taken over by a dictator, Somaliland decided they wanted out of that union. They then had to fight a war to get out, which they won. Now the international community won’t recognize that independence.




As to the other point – that it will encourage other unrecognized nations to try to attain statehood – Somaliland’s situation is a unique one. As explained above, their history and the completeness of their national institutions make their case a hard one to duplicate. Even then, what about when Eritrea and South Sudan gained independence? Besides, this is a classic slippery slope argument; they’re the ones with the power to decide exactly which states are recognized, so even if it is a slippery slope, they’ve got pretty solid climbing spikes to stop the slide.

This is not to say there is no reason we should be cautious in supporting recognition. Vast cash flows will flow through the country as aid and loans pour in after recognition. Many theorize that this will strain the democracy and create incentive for factions to seize power in the government. I believe they can take it, however. They have surprised the West before with their tenacity. The Somaliland people have gone through extremely close elections, reluctant lame ducks, tribal divisions, armed militants, and piracy over the last 20 years without losing touch of their democracy. Let’s not doom them to failure before we give them a chance.

If I can suggest something to you, the American people, it is to pay attention to what is happening in Somalia. It is a complicated and fascinating area, and it deserves attention. Oh, and part of it happens to be a huge Al-Qaeda stronghold (ah, so now you pay attention). 

Caasimada Somaliland oo si wayn looga xusay Sanad Guuradeeda 22aad Maalinta Qaranimada Itoobiya ee 20ka Ginbot

Xusaska heer qaran ee labada dal 20 ka Ginbot iyo 18 May ayaa mataaneeya Somaliland iyo Itoobiya oo bil isku mid ah talada ka tuuray dhiigya cabyadii Milatariga ahaa ee ka kala talin jiray. 

Hargeysa -  Safaaradda Itoobiya iyo Jaaliyadeeda ku dhaqan Somaliland ayaa caawa ku xusay magaaladda Hargeysa sanad guurada 22 aad ee 20 ka Ginbot oo ku beegan maalintii jabhadii EPRD talada ka tuurtay Taliskii Milatariga ahaa Mingistu Haila Mariam, kaasoo ay cudud Milatari kaga qabsadeen Ciidamadiisii awooda badnaa.

Xuska caawa ee loogu dabaal degayay sanad guurada 22 aad eek a soo wareegtay maalintii talada laga tuuray Mingistu oo ku beegnay 1991-kii waxa lagu xusay munaasibad balaadhan oo mataanaysay markii labadii Jabhadood ee la dagaalamayay Itoobiya iyo Somaliya (SNM & EPRDF) ay xukunka la wareegeen kuwaas oo kala danbeeyay toban maalmood oo kali ah, kuwaas oo kala maalmahaas oo kala ahaa 18 May iyo 28 May.

Xuska munaasibadda Dawladda Itoobiya ugu dabaal degaysay sanad guurada 20-ka Ginbot wax aka soo qayb galay wasiiradda Xukuumadda Somaliland, Gudoomiyaha Golaha Wakiiladda, Taliyayaasha ciidamadda, Madax dhaqameed iyo marti-sharaf kale oo isugu jiray ganacsato iyo ururada bulshada, waxana lagu furay labada heesood ee Qaranka labada Dal ee Itoobiya iyo Somaliland.

Safiirka Dawladda Itoobiya u fadhiya Somaliland Berha Tasfaye oo furay xaflada ayaa ka waramay taariikhda Itoobiya u soo martay Xorriyadda ay hoos hadhsanayaan shucuubta dalkaasi, waxaanu ku dheeraaday Horumarka balaadhan ee ay Xukuumadda talada haysaa gaadhsiisay shacabka reer Itoobiya, kuwaas oo ku ilaaway dhibtii iyo kadeedkii ay kala kulmeen taliskii dhiigyacabka ahaa ee uu hogaaminayay Taliyihii ciidamada Mingiste Haile Mariam.

Qudbad aad u dheerayd oo dhinacyo badan oo horumarka itoobiya gaadhay ka waramaysay oo uu safiirku munaasibadaas ka jeediyay ayuu ku bilaabay “22 sano ka hor waxa itoobiya ka jiray talis milatari ahaa oo macangag ahaa oo umadda dhibaato badan ku hayay, waxa la xusi karaa waa cududii midaysnayd ee lagaga tuuray taladi.

Waxa u dhintay boqolaal qof oo dhiigoodii u daadiyay, waxa kale oo aan ka madhnayn horumarka iyo nabadgelyada ay shacbigayagu ku faanayaan, anagoo tixraacayna 22 sano ee aanu soo dhaafnay, waxa daliil u ah talaabooyinka uu dalkayagu ku talaabsaday nooc kasta haloo cadaadiyee sinaanta ay ku nool yihiin.

Waxa marna aan la dhaafi karayn oo dalkayagu manta ku naaloonayaa in ay si siman uga faa’iidaysanayaan guusha ay haystaan, waxa kaloo taariikh la xuso mudan in shacbigayagu cida uu doono dooran karo, oo ay is maamuli karaan iyadoo Federal jiro, hadana ay ka go’I karaan oo maul samaysan karaan.

Guud ahaan shacabka dalakayagu waxay u siman yihiin Dastuur, waxaan taas uga jeedaa waxa dalkayaga ka jira Sinaan iyo Cadaalad. 22 ka sano marka laga reebo dagaalkii Itoobiya iyo Eratariya waxa dalka ka jira nabad buuxda, waxaanu dalkayagu ku hawlan yahay in uu ka qayb qaato dajinta khilaafaadka iyo colaadaha qaarada ka taagan. 22 sano waxyaabaha dlakayaga horumarka u sahlay waa nabada ka jirta.

Waxa xaqiiqo ah dadka Itoobiya ku nool 80% in ay ku nool yihiin miyiga waxaana u suurtogaliyay horumarkaas waa nabada ay ku nool yihiin. Waxa dalkayaga laga hirgaliyay jaan-gooyo shan sano ah oo horumar lagu gaadhi doono oo lagaga maarmi doono baahidii dibeda, toban milyan oo shacabkayaga ah ayaa durba ka faa’iiday.

Waxa kale oo farqigii ka baxay malaayiin beeralay ah, waxa kale oo loo bandhigay in ay ka qayb qaataan warshadaynta, tobanaan warshadood oo shaqo abuur sameeyay ayaa ah waxyaabaha 22 kaas sano hirgalay. Hal milyan in ka badan oo shaqo abuur ah ayaanua samaynay, waxaana la filayaa sadex sano kadib Itoobiya in ay noqoto dalka sadexaad ee xaga dhaqaalaha.” Ayuu yidhi

Ethiopian Dhaboo Food

Isagoo intaas raaciyay in ay wax ka qabteen adeegyadda kala duwan ee Caafimaadka, Waxbarashada, Isgaadhsiinta, Wadooyinka , Biyaha, Dabka iyo Tareenka, waxaanu sheegay dhamaan mashaariicdaasi in ay gayiga Itoobiya dhaxal siiyeen Horumar.

Safiirka iyo Guddoomiyaha Golaha Wakiiladda Somaliland ayaa xafladaasi ku furay in ay jaraan mid ka mid ah cuntooyinka ay itoobiya dhaqanka u leedahay ee dhaabooga.

CJA honors the memory of international justice rights leader/activist and visionary Christopher Keith Hall., 1946-2013

"Christopher was one of the key architects of the campaign to create a court in which those responsible for the worst abuses would be brought to justice, The principle behind the court was to ensure that victims of these crimes could seek justice when the relevant government was unable or unwilling to do so" ..Widney Brown, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for International Law and Policy
Mon, 27/05/2013

Christopher Keith Hall was an impassioned legal advocate with unswerving dedication to international justice.
© Amnesty International

Amnesty International paid tribute today to Christopher Keith Hall, a long-serving senior legal adviser at the organization, who died on 27 May, aged 66, following a battle with cancer. 

Colleagues described Hall as an impassioned legal advocate whose unswerving dedication to international justice – seeking accountability for crimes under international law including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity – was a key component of the successful campaign to create an International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998.

“Christopher was one of the key architects of the campaign to create a court in which those responsible for the worst abuses would be brought to justice, The principle behind the court was to ensure that victims of these crimes could seek justice when the relevant government was unable or unwilling to do so,” said Widney Brown, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for International Law and Policy.

“He and his work were highly respected by leading legal experts, and his enormous efforts in the field of international justice will live on in Amnesty International’s work to campaign for redress for the victims of human rights violations everywhere.”

Whether it was to lobby states to ratify and implement the Rome Statue of the ICC or to ensure that “no safe haven” was granted to the perpetrators of serious violations of human rights, Hall pursued his goals with diligence and an unparalleled precision of language.

His contribution to creating a strong, effective and independent ICC was built on earlier work he was involved in which focused on establishing universal jurisdiction and challenging immunities and amnesties that allow those responsible to escape being brought to justice.

But his connection to the victims of human rights violations and abuses was not merely academic.

Hall came of age in the USA during the Viet Nam war – and his time serving in Viet Nam was partly responsible for his passion for justice – especially for civilians who are targeted in armed conflicts.

Hall did his undergraduate studies at Columbia College in New York City and received his Juris Doctorate (JD) from the University of Chicago Law School in 1978. After being admitted to the bar, he held a variety of positions at law firms, as an adjunct professor of law and as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of New York. During his tenure at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson he did extensive pro bono litigation on behalf of Cuban and Haitian refugees.

Hall joined Amnesty International’s London-based International Secretariat in 1990. In 2004 he was named senior legal adviser in charge of the International Justice Programme. He published widely on a range of issues and was a recognized authority on international justice.

He is survived by his wife Francoise Ploux and their two daughters, Olivia and Catriona.

Israel warns Russia against giving Syria missiles

Associated Press/Ariel Schalit - An Israeli soldier acting as if he is wounded waits for Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit during a drill in Azur, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Israel has launched a national civil defense drill, which the army said this year will focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

By JOSEF FEDERMAN | Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's defense chief said Tuesday a Russian plan to supply sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles to Syria was a "threat" and signaled that Israel is prepared to use force to stop the delivery.

The warning by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon ratcheted up tensions with Moscow over the planned sale of S-300 air-defense missiles to Syria. Earlier in the day, a top Russian official said his government remained committed to the deal.

Israel has been lobbying Moscow to halt the sale, fearing the missiles would upset the balance of power in the region and could slip into the hands of hostile groups, including the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, a close ally of the Syrian regime.

Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria in recent months that are believed to have destroyed weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah. Israel has not confirmed carrying out the attacks.

The delivery of the Russian missiles to Syria could limit the Israeli air force's ability to act. It is not clear whether Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace in these attacks.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Russia to discuss the Syrian situation with President Vladimir Putin. The sides have said little about the talks, but the S-300s were believed to have been on the agenda.

"Clearly this move is a threat to us," Yaalon told reporters Tuesday when asked about the planned Russian sale.

"At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent," he said. But "if God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do."

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, Israel repeatedly has voiced concerns that Syria's sophisticated arsenal, including chemical weapons, could either be transferred to Hezbollah, a bitter enemy of Israel, or fall into the hands of rebels battling Syrian President Bashar Assad. The rebels include al-Qaida-affiliated groups that Israel believes could turn their attention toward Israel if they topple Assad.

Syria already possesses Russian-made air defenses, and Israel is believed to have used long-distance bombs fired from Israeli or Lebanese airspace. The S-300s would expand Syria's capabilities, allowing it to counter airstrikes launched from foreign airspace as well.

In Moscow, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, wouldn't say whether Russia has shipped any of the S-300s, which have a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) and the capability to track and strike multiple targets simultaneously. But he insisted that Moscow isn't going to abandon the deal despite strong Western and Israeli criticism.

"We understand the concerns and signals sent to us from different capitals. We realize that many of our partners are concerned about the issue," Ryabkov said. "We have no reason to revise our stance."

He said the missiles could be a deterrent against foreign intervention in Syria and would not be used against Syrian rebels, who do not have an air force.

"We believe that such steps to a large extent help restrain some 'hotheads' considering a scenario to give an international dimension to this conflict," he said.

Russia has been the key ally of the Syrian regime, protecting it from United Nations sanctions and providing it with weapons despite the civil war there that has claimed over 70,000 lives.

In any case, an open confrontation between Israel and Russia would seem to be months away. Russian military analysts say it would take at least one year for Syrian crews to learn how to operate the S-300s, and the training will involve a live drill with real ammunition at a Russian shooting range. There has been no evidence that any such training has begun.

If Russia were to deliver the missiles to Syria, Israeli and Western intelligence would likely detect the shipment, and Israel would have ample time to strike before the system is deployed.

Ryabkov's statement came a day after European Union's decision to lift an arms embargo against Syrian rebels. He criticized the EU decision, saying it would help fuel the conflict.

Israel's defense chief spoke at an annual civil defense drill to prepare for missile attacks on Israel. This year's exercise comes at a time of heightened concerns that Israel could be dragged into the Syrian civil war.

A number of mortar shells from the fighting in Syria have landed in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. While Israel believes most of the fire has been errant, it has accused Syria of firing intentionally at Israeli targets on several occasions, and last week the sides briefly exchanged fire.

Israel's civil defense chief, Home Front Minister Gilad Erdan, said this week's drill was not specifically connected to the tensions with Syria.

"But of course we must take into consideration that something like that might happen in the near future because of what we see in Syria, and because we know that chemical weapons exist in Syria and might fall to the hands of radical Muslim terror groups," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

Al-shabaab oo diyaarad Drawn ah soo riday

Dagaalyahanada Ururka Al-shabaab Al Mujaahidiin ayaa maanta Shabeeladda Hoose ku soo riday diyaarad nooca wax basaasta ah ee loo yaqaano Drawns-ka, taasoo ay la heleen mid ka mid ah baalasheeda Gantaal ay dhulka ka rideen.

Guddoomiyaha Shabeeladda Hoose oo waraysi siiyay laanta Af-ka Somaliga ee VOA ayaa sheegay in diyaaradaasi ku soo dhacday deegaanka shabeeladda Hoose ee uu guddoomiyaha ka yahay, waxaanu xusay in ay u malaynayaan in  Gantaal kooxda Al-shabaab la beegsatay ku dhacday diyaaradda.

Guddoomiyaha Shabeeladda Hoose waxa uu sheegay goobta ay ku dhacday diyaaradaasi in ay tahay goob kooxdaasi degan tahay oo dhul beeralay ah, waxaanu xusay diyaaradaha Drawns-ku inay goobahaasi ka raadinayeen kooxda Al-shabaab oo la doonayo in deegaankaasi laga saaro.

Kooxda Al-shabaab ayaa sheegtay in ay soo bandhigi doonto qaabka ay diyaaradaas u rideen iyo burburkeedaba isla markaana waxa ay ku faaneen in ay awood u leeyihiin in ay ridaan diyaaradahaasi oo loogu soo diro in ay basaasaan.

Somaliland: Island of Stability in a Sea of Chaos

Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. In 1991, the people of Somaliland declared independence from Somalia.

But international recognition did not follow.

James Ozzie Coker II

Instead, they have been forced to remain attached to the anarchic nation against their will and expressly against the universal principles declared in the founding documents of the United States.

Somaliland is more apt to embrace democracy than Somalia. The British colonization of Somaliland, while not without its faults, introduced a rule of law and democratic institutions. The Italians however, colonized Somalia and ruled in a manner more fitting of their fascist institutions. Somaliland, conversely, does not have the historical experience of warlords and nepotism that has plagued the rest of Somalia. And, the territory is predominantly occupied by one group, the Isaaq Clan creating an inherent homogeneity.

It is in America's national interest to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign nation. Somaliland could serve as a bulwark against extremism in the Horn of Africa. The United States can take bold steps to further foreign policy objectives by unilaterally recognizing Somaliland's independence.

US support for Somaliland is practical from a national security standpoint. The Horn of Africa is home to the largest concentration of piracy networks in the world and Islamic extremism is widely believed to flourish in Somalia. Last week Somali pirates hijacked a Saudi ship carrying $100 million in petroleum. In September, pirates hijacked a Ukrainian ship that was transporting $30 million in heavy military equipment. Both ships remain under the watchful eye of U.S. Navy warships.

But the United States' military is presently forbidden from coordinating operations with the military forces of Somaliland, and the State Department offers no diplomatic recognition to the de facto nation. A shift in policy could stem the tide of international crime and terrorism.

If recognition is given, military cooperation between the two countries will greatly benefit US capabilities in the region. Somaliland could serve as an excellent source of human intelligence. Additionally, recognition by the United States would send a strong diplomatic message to the region that stable governance, based on the will of the people, is preferred to governments based on lawlessness and corruption.

Somaliland has governed its population capably since claiming independence from Somalia. Its hybrid constitution is modeled after the United States and includes a tribal component that incorporates the nation's own specific culture. The West should encourage this innovation by cementing Somaliland's democratic institutions through recognition. Good governance and adherence to human rights principles should be fertilized wherever they grow.

Recognition would enable the flow of international aid as well. Currently, international law restricts nation-to-nation aid to unrecognized territories. An infusion of basic assistance is needed in Somaliland before any hope of democracy fades.

The Sudan, with a leader accused of genocide, will receive $332 million in American foreign aid this year, of which $77 million is claimed to be used for "governing justly and democratically." Somalia will also receive $40 million of American foreign aid. Yet, Somaliland has governed itself "justly and democratically" for almost twenty years and will not receive any help from the United States.

The United States' present policy is to "wait and see". It will wait until the African Union (AU), an organization whose membership includes some of the most brutal dictatorships in history, recognizes this isolated territory. This approach is counterproductive because there is no guarantee it will ever occur. Somalia has no interest in allowing Somaliland to secede, and the AU has no political will to act.

Some fear that unilateral recognition of Somaliland could spark a domino effect. They argue that insurgent movements around the world might challenge the nation-state framework and declare independence. There is no precedent for this proposition. The most recent examples of Eritrea and Kosovo highlight that a population's historical grievance perpetuated their claims for independence. Historical grievance trumps the dynamics of struggles in faraway lands. It is unlikely that U.S. recognition of Somaliland will stoke the fires of disgruntled peoples around the world and cause a global breakdown of the international system.

Recognizing Somaliland does not violate international law. Somaliland has a stable government, a defined territory and a unified population. But until it is recognized as a nation-state, it cannot legally participate in the realm of international affairs.

http://www.iar-gwu.org

The United States would be well served by having a Muslim, democratically elected ally in a region of the world that has become notoriously unstable. Somaliland might not continue to exist as a democracy without recognition from the international community. It would be a sensible move to support this island of stability in a sea of chaos, making the world a safer place by helping a stable democracy grow and thrive.

James Ozzie Coker II is a second year graduate student at George Washington University, where he is conducting research on the US national security policy process, as well as security and development issues.