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By Ahmed Abdulahi
Since the culmination of the union with Somalia in 1991, the issue of recognition has been a source of debate and great concern among Somalilanders. People from different walks of life including government officials, opposition political party leaders, from the Diaspora, etc. have been expressing their views (at times with anxiety) through the net and the weekly tabloids of the nation. In the mean time, the populace had the benefit of getting substantial information from different directions on the subject matter.
However, this time, there are some individuals of the view that Somaliland ought to reconsider its comprehensive relationship with Ethiopia and make shift to its arch enemy Eritrea and the then ICU to get the long awaited recognition.
In this regard, the deputy chairperson of the Kulmiye party was once calling the Somaliland Government (in Gaska Africa) to shift its alliance to and join the ICU leaders in order to force Ethiopia to recognize Somaliland. With the same token Mr. Abdirahman Ahmed Ali has came with the same strategy in the weekly tabloid “The Republican ,May 5”. In this case, Mr. Abdirahman tried to advise Ethiopia to re-examine its relation with Somaliland in a way to waive its diplomatic embargo and to quit its support for Abdullahi Yusuf’s Government. Otherwise, it would be considered as unfriendly by Somalilanders and the UDUB led government would opt to change its diplomatic ties. An advise which tries to revive an age old and bankrupt tactics of supporting anti-Ethiopian elements to destabilize the country, so that, recognition can be achieved from a frustrated Ethiopia. Doesn’t it mean that killing the Goose that lays the golden egg?
For Somalilanders, recognition is something which we should have to pay the sacrifice it may demand. However, attempting to achieve our objective by antagonizing our neighbours like Ethiopia is not only counter productive but also it is against our constitution which clearly stipulated in the following manner “The Republic of Somaliland endeavors to replace the age-old enmity among the states of the horn of Africa by mutual understanding and rapprochement.” Yes, the generous support for Abdullahi Yusuf from Ethiopia and the international community is dangerous if he tried to abuse it against Somaliland or any other neighbouring country for that matter. But can aligning ourselves with Eritrea or the ICU bring lasting solution for our problems? A question which the deputy chairperson of Kulmiye party and Mr. Abdirahman should scrutinize it carefully.
In assessing the economic relationship between Ethiopia and Somaliland, Mr. Abdirahman tried to portray it as zero sum game for Somaliland. Yes, Ethiopia is using Berbera port as its alternative access to the sea. However, we shouldn’t forget the fact that it is paying the much needed hard currency. Besides, I would like to remind Mr. Abdirahman once again that having secured joint border is not only for the benefit of Ethiopia but also it has tantamount contribution to the peaceful cross boarder movement of our people and goods in general and to our future recognition in particular.
It is time for our politicians to further strengthen and boast our relations with countries of the horn in general and Ethiopia in particular. The prevalence of peace and stability in our region should have to be in our best interest. We have witnessed that our region has taken disproportionate share of intra and interstate conflicts in the continent. We have to say enough is enough for provocative preaching’s. Ethiopia has explicitly mentioned its stance on the current Somali situation that the difference among Somalis should be solved only through peaceful mechanism and dialogue. This doesn’t necessarily mean that compromising our independence. We can sit and talk with any country in the region including Somalia on equal footings and without endangering our sovereignty. Otherwise, it is impractical and unaffordable to reach at our objective by threatening our neighbours or by making alliance and counter alliance in this volatile region.
Ahmed Abdulahi
The yellow pentagram on the blue disk, also known as the National Coat of Arms, is a symbol of the current government.
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