A Brave Mission

EDITORIAL

Since withdrawing from its 1960 voluntary union with ex-Italian Somalia, Somaliland’s demands for international recognition has unfortunately been wrongly understood in Africa as an attempt for secession. There was little awareness if any on the part of the rest of Africa about the fact that Somaliland and Somalia were two separate countries with two different colonial histories until the two independent states merged on July, 1960. Only a few Africans other than Somalis knew that by withdrawing in 1991 from the union with Somalia, Somaliland, a former British Protectorate, was simply re-asserting its independence within its colonial boundaries without necessarily infringing the AU’s principle that treats borders inherited at independence as sacrosanct.

Besides the solid legal arguments that supported Somaliland’s independence, there were compelling reasons for Somalilanders to abrogate their union with Somalia. Under the union with Somalia, Somalilanders not only became second class citizens but also targets of an ethnic cleansing campaign, unleashed against them by their counterpart in the merger agreement or Somalia.

However as the head of the visiting Kenyan parliamentary delegation, Paul Muite, has correctly pointed out while addressing a joint session of the two chambers of the Somaliland Parliament on Thursday, Africa remained largely ignorant about all the above solid historical facts which otherwise would have prompted the continent from the beginning to consider Somaliland’s recognition favorably.

By sending five of its MPs on a fact-finding mission to Somaliland, Kenya has actually broken with the sin of ignorance and neglect that Africans committed in their treatment of Somaliland over a long period of time. This courageous step is bound to illuminate the way for the rest of Africa to follow suit.

The Kenyan MPs have become the first parliamentarians from an African country to officially visit peaceful and democratic Somaliland since this country’s reclamation of its independence in 1991. Having waited for so long to be let in from the cold, Somalilanders were touched by the Kenyan parliamentarians’ initiative to come here and hold discussions with leaders of the Somaliland Parliament, incumbent government, political parties and representatives of the civil society on a range of issues including the recognition of Somaliland.

There is no doubt that the visit will benefit not only Somaliland and Kenya but the whole region as well. The visiting Kenyan legislators are now more convinced than ever before that Somaliland not only qualifies for recognition but also should be granted the status of a recognized state without any further delay in the interest of peace, security and democracy in the region.

The visit by Mr. Muite’s team to Somaliland is very much likely to boost Kenya to a position of unrivaled political and diplomatic influence here and in the wider eastern Africa and the Horn region.

Sub Editorial

The Djiboutian Vulture Strikes Again

Djibouti’s rulers, including President Ismail Omar Guelleh, like to portray themselves as people who deeply care about the plight of their fellow Somalis. But this is far from the truth. On the contrary, Djibouti’s government has not only contributed to the Somali tragedy but has followed a ruthless policy of taking advantage of the desperate situation of Somalis. There is a word for someone who engages in such behavior : vulture. Djibouti’s rulers are such vultures. Here are some of the vulture-like behaviors that they have engaged in since the early days of their independence:

1. Djibouti orchestrated a peace deal between Ethiopia and Somalia whose aim was to crush the SNM resistance to Barre’s regime, which actually resulted in a bigger war and a huge number of deaths.

2. Djibouti handed back to Somalia’s dictator, Mohammed Siyad Barre, refugees who fled to its territory and many of those refugees were subsequently murdered by Barre’s regime.

3. Djibouti created a guerrilla movement that claimed Somaliland territory.

Someone might say all of that was in the past, what does it have to do with now? So, let us look at some of Djibouti’s more recent actions. A couple of days ago, Djibouti issued an order in which it closed Somaliland’s office in Djibouti and instructed Somaliland’s representative to leave Djibouti within 72 hours. Although Djibouti’s government has not cited the reason for its draconian action, most observers of Djibouti/Somaliland relations attribute it to Somaliland’s refusal to agree to an arrangement in which livestock exported from Somaliland’s port of Berbera would have to go through Djibouti before it reaches its final destination in Saudi Arabia. Somaliland, of course, did the right thing in refusing such an arrangement, because agreeing to it would mean the permanent transfer of Somaliland’s livestock trade to Djibouti. Being the vultures that they are, however, Djibouti’s rulers thought that Somaliland is so weak that it could not resist and would have to accept Djibouti’s naked attempt to take over its livestock trade. But Djibouti miscalculated, as it has done so many times, and Somaliland rejected Djibouti’s attempt to marginalize it. Djibouti’s reaction was to immediately close Somaliland’s office in Djibouti.

This is the second time that Djibouti has closed Somaliland’s office in Djibouti after some disagreements between the two countries. The first time was in the year 2000. Djibouti closed Somaliland’s office at the time, in reaction to Somaliland’s refusal to be involved in Djibouti’s Arta Conference for Somalia, a conference that Somaliland’s government saw as contrary to Somaliland’s interests. Thus both times, Djibouti engaged in predatory behavior and expected Somaliland to acquiesce, and when Somaliland refused, Djibouti resorted to radical and undiplomatic action.

Somaliland did not take any action against Djibouti the first time Djibouti closed Somaliland’s office. This time however, Somaliland should reciprocate by withdrawing any security cooperation, especially along the border. Such a step will also get the attention of the United States who should be concerned about the safety of their personnel in Djibouti. Up to now, Somaliland has made strenuous efforts in securing the border with Djibouti, but Somaliland’s efforts have not garnered any appreciation on the part of Djibouti or the United States. Withdrawal or suspension of Somaliland’s security cooperation with Djibouti, should have a sobering effect on Djibouti and, to some extent, the United States.

In their past and present actions, Djibouti’s rulers, especially Ismail Omar Guelleh, have shown that they are a bunch of vultures on the prowl for someone to take advantage of. What Djibouti seems not to know, or is ignoring, is that Somaliland has defeated bigger and more dangerous vultures from the south, let alone the mediocrities that run Djibouti.

Source: Somaliland Times

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