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Ahmed
Kheyre, London
According to some recent articles, quoted from a report from Human
Rights Watch presented in Hargeysa, the capital city "Somaliland,
“cautions that Somaliland is at a crucial juncture after an unlikely
recent history of democratic progress and relative stability in the Horn
of Africa. Somaliland is in danger of losing its democratic and human
rights gains…” according to a human rights group. Let us examine these
statements in detail.
The report was actually presented in Hargeysa, not in some foreign city,
but in the capital city of Somaliland. This is an example of
Somaliland's political maturity. There was no attempt to block or muzzle
the report by the Somaliland authorities, and it has been freely printed
and discussed in the press. How many nations in the world can boast such
a freedom of expression?
The report, although by and large based on the delay in the Presidential
elections caused by problems with the voter registration programme, does
mention, Somaliland hasn't turned into a "Somalia", and is not likely to
do so.
There is still the process of law, the judicial system is working, and
the legislative system is fully functional. The Presidential election
will be held on the 27th of September, 2009, and as recently as a few
days ago all three Somaliland political parties signed their declaration
of intent with the National Elections Commission.
According to Human Rights Watch senior researcher Chris Albin-Lackey
“The West's failure to engage with Somaliland as separate from the rest
of war-torn Somalia is a missed opportunity". For eighteen years, the
people and the leadership of Somaliland have been saying the same thing.
Mr. Albin-Lackey goes on to state "Somaliland's unique success story
within a region where human rights violations are the norm should give
additional impetus to the fight to save the territory's democracy”. Once
again let me reassure Mr. Albin-Lackey and all at the Human Rights
Watch, the citizen's of Somaliland wholeheartedly agree with this view,
and are more than willing to join in the protection of their democracy,
and they will be glad to learn that the rest of the world will finally
acknowledge its unique success, and come on board.
The report also goes on to mention that there is a need for "a new
policy framework on the part of international donors that looks at the
realities on the ground in Somaliland. Greater willingness to invest
time and resources to following what is going on here and finding
effective ways both to provide assistance..". This is not entirely
accurate, there have been many nations engaging Somaliland for the past
eighteen years, including the US,UK, EU and other interested parties. In
fact, the US, UK and EU continue to provide funds for capacity building
including voter registration, education and elections.
Looking at this report in an objective manner, the government of
Somaliland and its leadership have not denied the process of law or
habeas corpus to any of its citizens. There are no allegations of
summary executions or beheadings or detentions, this is after all
democracy.
The report is merely stating the Somaliland's democracy is at the
crucial juncture, and needs the support of the international community
in order to safeguard this unique success story. There will not be many
reasonable people who will disagree with this statement.
In conclusion, it worth noting that Somaliland has cooperated with the
United States and other Western nations in combating terrorism and
piracy . Isn't this a mark of true democracy in a dangerous world.
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