In 1960, we lost the honor of being called and treated as a state among its peers in the then world. We lost it, and found out too late that we did not only lose a sovereignty but our security, integrity, face, wealth and rights to self-determination, right to own property, right to reshuffle our political cards, right to demand an equal share in all platforms emerging from the union or created by it – including foreign reserves, boats/ships, airlines, scholarships, haciendas, military and security forces numbers, ranks, etc. etc.
During that year and the years that immediately preceded it, we were indoctrinated to a hear nothing but a piper’s tune leading us to a blind, union alley. Anybody who spoke against it or cautioned us to tread carefully was stoned, called names and chased out of political power. The tin-drummers for a Somali unit carried the standard, had the field to themselves.
We lost everything, but not our souls.
We tried to recall it in 1961 in a feebly organized coup de tat and we dismally failed again, simply because many of us, including the then leadership of Somaliland, were hearkening to other calls.
In the early ’80s, a revival of Somaliland nationalism re-emerged to culminate in the reaffirmation of that which we lost in 1960.
Now, after more than two decades of struggle, we are again being led to a path very much similar to that of 1960.
Today, our so-called politicians are more bent on dismantling the very fabric of Somaliland nationalism from within by concentrating on internecine skirmishes and political/clan in-fights. By focusing on baring the ills, they are downgrading or dismissing the gains. By reveling on name-calling against one another, they are letting in national adversaries/detractors who had never acknowledged their sovereignty or right to existence. By turning their eyes, senses, intellect inwards, they, categorically, accept to be – once more – ruled from outside more conniving elements who want to see us all under their feet again.
By laying bare their political naivety and low intellect to the outside world, present-day politicians of Somaliland would rather preen in front of mirrors and listen to their own raucous chaffs than accord a little more time to forging unities among the different elements of Somaliland.
To our politicians, taking two steps backward is much easier than taking one forward. Safeguarding enviable gains and building on them is a brave consideration that seems to have eluded them. Whittling our achievements, our pride, our dreams, our sovereignty down to size appears to be the common factor among our opposition politicians and many in government, responsible positions.
These past days, a Mogadishu that cannot even defend itself or govern its own affairs is telling and showing the world that we are neither sincere nor persistent in our sovereignty conviction.
Mogadishu started and got away with an increasingly alarming number of variegated types of coalitions and unions among Somalia and Somaliland elements: NGOs, religious, trade, human rights, media, and women groups, etc. The UN and the EU are openly conducting similar programs here and there, calling us all ‘Somalia’. Likewise, they are using letterheads and conducting press conferences (with us present) in which, to them, we are ‘Somalia’.
This is, clearly, ‘federalism’ shrouded in another cloak.
It is come to a stage where, with our consent, the EU and UN and other international NGOs are openly lobbying for coalitions between the two, unequal partners to make younger and future generations forget what Somaliland truly stood for.
Hence, so-called coalitions such as that the backdrop banner above and below usher in.
NO MORE Somaliland – as the word ‘Land’ is now all that remains of the original.
We must demand that the Ministry of Interior along with its security branches act fast – wisely, decisively and with finality to restore Somaliland’s withering self-respect!
Related:
http://somtribune.com/somaliland-the-beginning-of-a-reunion-with-somalia-new-human-rights-defenders-coalition-launched-in-hargeisa/
