Since Somaliland reclaimed its sovereignty and annulled its union with Somalia; the people of Somaliland are in search of a common identity for nationhood and common national symbols.

One of the main issues of contention is the celebration of the country’s independence anniversary. While most of the older generation who remember the struggle for independence and those who grew up in the early post independence days cling to the memory of June 26 as a day of pride and glory, most of the younger generation who came of age during the SNM war and after have nothing that connects them to June 26 and they view May 18 as the country’s Independence Day.

Although June 26 was sidelined during the military reign and all festivals and fanfare were spared for October 21, the day Siyad Barre came to power, June 26 has descended into oblivion after Somaliland ’s secession.

As the day that the first independent flag of a Somali nation was raised, June 26 symbolized the pride and the rebirth of the Somali race, hence it was embraced and celebrated by every person of Somali origin across the Horn of African region. It was the day that the Somaliland people struggled and aspired to see its dawn for years; the day that the yoke of colonialism was broken and a day that was full of patriotic emotion and national pride. The older generation of Somaliland, therefore, would like to remember June 26 for its historical context and glorify it as a day of national heritage. The importance of May 18 is not lost on them but they see it as a new reality dictated by new circumstances. The main aim of their long and bitter struggle was to rid themselves and in fact the whole of Somalia of a tyrannical regime, but the restoration of Somaliland's sovereignty and the proclamation of its independence was incidental, a rather pragmatic and sole remedy to an irreparable rupture.

Meanwhile, the tens of thousands of Somaliland's younger generation view June 26 as the day that brought their people 30 years of misery, oppression and lost opportunities. They view it as the day that their fathers and grandfathers sold their country's sovereignty and international existence for a fanciful dream. They have grown up in refugee camps, slept and woke up for many years seeing the Somali national army bearing the national standard as their enemy and fought against it in the ranks of SNM. The death and destruction to which they returned after the routing of the Siyad Barre occupation force, symbolized for them the wrong trajectory that their country's independence had taken and the epitome of June 26th's demolished dreams. For them, May 18 symbolizes the dream, the new beginning of Somaliland and the real independence for which they have fought. They find it difficult to commemorate a day whose greatest symbol is a national flag for a neighboring country and a painful past.

While the overwhelming majority of the Somaliland people deeply believe in the sovereignty of their country and will not hesitate to go to another war if their independence is threatened, many of them are confused about their loyalty to the symbols of the state they have sworn to defend. While May 18 is generally seen as the birth of the new Somaliland, there are sectors of the Somaliland community for whom May 18 symbolizes the victory of SNM, a movement that was not inclusive in its struggle and its objectives. The perpetual invocation of the SNM on every national or crisis occasion incites the ire of those communities that on the one hand consider themselves as the core of Somaliland's existence but on the other hand have been at the receiving end of the SNM during the civil war period. These communities may find more sense of belonging, comfort, pride and inclusiveness in celebrating June 26 as the country's national day than May 18.

As Somaliland surges ahead with its nation building and democratization process, it may be imperative for the political leadership to revisit the country's national symbols such as the Independence Day, the national flag and the collective memory of the country's recent history. May 31, 2001, the day the Somaliland people have voted for the country’s constitution and referendum for independence could be a more bone fide and unifying symbol to be adopted as Independence Day. Another option is to wait until Somaliland gets international recognition to adopt the recognition day as the country's independence day. No doubt such a day will stir an emotional outpouring and will give a common sense of patriotism and national belonging to all the people of Somaliland.

Source: Awdalnews Network (EDITORIAL, June 26, 2006)