- Sobaliland is a breakaway region of
Somalia that declared independence from the rest in 1991
- It currently has a democratic
political system and a stable government, no pirates and no Al Shabaab
- Women have been granted equal
treatment and are protected under Somaliland law - some are even policewomen
- The country hopes to become a tourist
destination and has incredible beaches and lots of ancient monuments
- Somaliland is currently not recognised
as independent by the wider world but has trade links with the UK
- Until 1960, was known as British
Somaliland and ruled separately to the rest of Somalia, which was run by Italy
 |
| Welcome to Somaliland: An elderly man photographed in the town of Baligubadle in front of a huge mural that depicts the national flag of Somaliland |
It's
the home of Al Shabab, pirates and a civil war that has ground on for
almost three decades but for some intrepid tourists, Somalia, or to be
specific, the breakaway region of Somaliland, has become the perfect place for
a holiday.
And
as these incredible images taken by French photographer Eric Lafforgue reveal,
there's no shortage of things to do - whether you're in the market for a spot
of culture or fancy a day on one of the country's spectacular Indian Ocean
beaches.
'To
most people, Somalia and Somaliland are one and the same,' explains
Constantine Savvides who travelled to the region with Lafforgue. 'Hardly anyone
speaks of its struggle for independence and desire to disassociate itself from
the violent turmoil afflicting the rest of the country.'
 |
| Keeping the peace: Many of Somaliland's police force are female and boast specially adapted uniforms complete with the Islamic hijab headscarf |
Somaliland
has functioned independently of the rest of Somalia since 1991 and was once
known as the British Somaliland Protectorate, only joining the rest of Somalia,
formerly Italian Somaliland, after gaining independence from the UK in 1960.
Meet the locals: According to Lafforgue and Savvides, most of
Somaliland's inhabitants are only all too aware of the image problem
created by neighbouring Somalia
But
by 1988, relations between the inhabitants of Somaliland and the rest of
Somalia had disintegrated beyond repair, with a series of massacres ordered by
former Somali dictator Mohammed Siad Barre proving the spark that triggered a
vicious civil war.
 |
| Precious: Livestock is a key source of wealth in Somaliland, with camels proving particularly valuable. Here, a herdsman in Lughaya carries a newborn camel. |
When
the beleaguered Somali government finally collapsed in 1991, Somaliland
declared itself independent, although it is yet to be recognised as such by the
rest of the world.
Now,
despite its proximity to regions controlled by Al Shabaab and to Puntland,
another breakaway region and home to Somalia's notorious pirates, Lafforgue and
Savvides say travelling in Somaliland is safe.
'Media
attention has traditionally focused on the ongoing war between the Transitional
Federal Government (TFG), which is backed by the international community, and
Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate,' explains Savvides.
'Most
of the unrest is concentrated in an area referred to in Somaliland as the
"South", which, as the name implies, comprises the bottom portion of
the country including the capital, Mogadishu.
'Coverage
has also focused largely on piracy in the Gulf of Aden where 16,000 to 22,000
ships, roughly eight per cent of the world’s trade, pass through annually. The
sea bandits are based in Puntland, the easternmost part of the country and the
very tip of the horn of Africa.'
By
contrast, Somaliland has a democratic government and the streets of its capital,
Hargeisa, are peaceful. And despite being unrecognised by much of the world, it
has struck up trading relationships with a number of countries, among them the
UK, South Africa and Belgium.
Now
the Somaliland government hopes that the country's stunning, deserted beaches
and ancient cultural sites will encourage tourists to overcome their worries
and give Somaliland a try.
'The
capital Hargeisa is a vivacious place,' reveals Savvides. 'The busy streets are
lined with vendors of all kinds and there is a Russian MiG airplane war
memorial in the middle of the city.
'The
reason for all the Russian matériel is because Somalia initially aligned itself
with the USSR during the Cold War. But when the Soviets intervened in the
Ogaden War and supported Somalia’s arch-rival, Ethiopia, the Somalis quickly
shifted their allegiance to the United States.'
Further
along the coast is the city of Berbera, a port that began life as the ancient
town of Malao in the first century B.C, and is described by Lafforgue and
Savvides as having 'a relaxed seaside atmosphere', although the city centre
does still bear the marks of war.
THE FORMER BRITISH COLONY TURNED REBEL REPUBLIC: A BRIEF HISTORY OF SOMALILAND
Unlike
its war-torn neighbour, Somalia, Somaliland is a peaceful democracy that boasts
trade links with South Africa, Belgium, Ethiopia and the UK among others.
But it wasn't always so. For substantial chunks of
its history, Somaliland has been ruled by foreign powers and was a part of the
Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years before being incorporated into the British
Empire as British Somaliland.
Then, as now, Somaliland was separate and bordered
what was then Italian Somaliland. When independence came on the 26th June 1960,
Somaliland became a sovereign state; a state of affairs that lasted just five
days before the country became part of Somalia.
Peace, however, would prove elusive, and a
tumultuous political saga soon began, thanks to the violent totalitarian regime
of dictator, Mohammed Siad Barre.
When Barre’s dictatorship was overthrown in 1991,
Somalia quickly descended into a state of anarchy with warlords battling for
power. On May 18th of that same year, Somaliland declared its independence from
the rest of the country, attempting to reclaim what it once had.
Although, a de facto independent country, the Somali
Civil War took its toll on Somaliland, which saw intense fighting and still
bears the scars.
Today, however, while fighting continues in the rest
of Somalia, Somaliland itself is now stable and hoping to be recognised as a
fully independent state by the wider world.
Within
striking distance of Berbera are the ancient Laas Gaal cave paintings, which
are thought to date from 9,000 B.C. 'The Neolithic art depicts humans and a
range of animals in a variety of positions,' adds Savvides. 'They're amazingly
well preserved with vibrant colours and clear outlines, and look a little bit
like Picasso's work.'
Equally
impressive, reveals Savvides, are the locals; most of whom proved incredibly
welcoming. 'Many women wear qasil, a natural beauty product that rejuvenates
skin and protects from the sun,' he adds.
'It
is made from the ground leaves of a tree and it gives their faces a yellow tint
- an effect made all the more alluring when coupled with colourful clothing.'
Despite
their charm, many in Somaliland are all too aware of the image problem created
by the ongoing violence across the Somali border and hope more visitors will
come to the region so they can see how different things really are.
'The
people of Somaliland are very aware of their tarnished public image due to
their historical association with Puntland and the South,' explains Savvides.
'In
every city I visited, people urged me to show how Somaliland was different from
Somalia. They want the world to know that it's peaceful. Though Somaliland may
share a common history, language, and blood with the South, the people of
Somaliland deserve to be seen differently.'
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