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Hargeysa, Somaliland, June 9, 2012 (SL Times) – The Former manager of
Kulmiye Party’s campaign for the western regions during the last
election, Eng. Bashe Abdi Gabobe published an article in the Somali
language Newspaper Haatuf. The article was entitled “Hashu Maankeyga
Gaddaye Ma Mansaar Bey Liqdey” which we took the liberty to loosely
translate as “Inquiring minds want to know.”
Here is a translation of the article:
First of all, I congratulate the people of Somaliland and the SNM
fighters for their entry into the cities of Buro and Hargeysa on May 27
and May 31, 1988 respectively. I also send my condolences to the
families of those who died in the struggle and pray to Allah to allow
the martyrs into paradise.
The world has seen much turmoil including the economic problems of
European countries which resulted in the fall of many governments such
as those of Italy’s Berlusconi, Greece’s Papandreou, France’s Sarkozy as
well as the Arab Spring which led to the fall of Egypt’s Husni Mubarak,
Tunisia’s Zein al-Abidein, Libya’s Qaddafi and Yemen’s Ali Abdalls Saleh.
When it comes to the Horn of Africa region, where we are located, it is
a strategic region where two major waterways, the Indian Ocean and the
Red Sea, carrying a third of world trade pass by it. As part of
protecting their national interests, Western countries have taken a
number of steps including resuscitating the failed state of Somalia,
arming and financing African troops to go after al-Shabaab, and
mobilizing their navies for action against Somali pirates. To further
safeguard their geo-political interests, Western powers are also trying
to prevent China and Turkey, two countries whose economies have shown
substantial growths from establishing themselves in Africa and laying
their hands on Africa’s energy and mineral resources.
Once al-Shabaab is weakened or defeated, Western countries aim to use
the offices of the UN to cobble together a government for Somalia that
will be under their control so that they will benefit from whatever
natural or strategic resources Somalia may have. This is why they keep
increasing the number of Africa troops and continue strengthening their
capabilities.
As long as Somalia is not a threat to them and they control it, Western
powers do not care if Somaliland and Somalia unite or not. This being
the case, it is legitimate to ask why are they calling for talks between
Somaliland and Somalia, and what could come out of them?
My view is that such talks will lead nowhere, because Somalia’s
government will not recognize Somaliland regardless of how much we point
out to them the fact that Somaliland was a state or the fact that
Somalia committed massacres against Somaliland. Likewise, Somalilanders
will never accept to be part of Somalia even if they say we will cede
the presidency and the capital to Somaliland. The only positive outcome
from such talks could be that we would show those countries that were
pushing us to talk with Somalia, that we can engage in civilized
non-violent discussions with our adversaries. But this will not change
the final outcome which would be: please let each side mind its own
business and whatever aid the international community earmarks for
Somaliland should be given directly to Somaliland.
Since the most probable outcome of the talks is already known, is it not
a waste time to engage in them? Does it not make more sense for
Somaliland to put the focus on getting recognition from countries that
are sympathetic to us? Important international powers had already
advised us to look for recognition from African countries. Our previous
government had spent a lot of time and effort in this direction and
established good contacts with South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Nigeria. Should we not develop those links further and build on that
progress?
Regardless of one’s point of view, the problem with our foreign policy
is crystallized in what happened to our representative to southern
Sudan, a country with whom we forged a long history of camaraderie
during our struggle against Siyad Barre’s regime and their fight against
al-Bashir’s regime. We also share with Southern Sudan the hostile
attitude that Arab governments have displayed toward them and us. That
is why when they got their independence, they invited Somaliland’s
president and treated him like the other presidents during their
independence celebrations. To highlight this spirit of friendship, South
Sudan accepted the appointment of a Somaliland diplomatic representative
in South Sudan. Our government in turn tapped Mr Oomane to be our
representative in Sudan. The sad part is that after all of this
footwork, Mr Oomane has not yet departed to South Sudan because
according to our government the necessary budget for him to do his work
is not available, and he was told to wait until next year. Does this not
validate the claims of the former General Director of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Mohamud Rage, that the budget of the South Sudan
embassy was embezzled?
Whatever the case might be, are we to believe that the government could
not come up with $64000 to finance his mission when we know that there
is extra money in the budget which were put aside for emergencies, and
when we also know that South Sudan is at the top of the list of
countries that are most likely to recognize Somaliland, or is there some
other hidden explanation?
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