It is great pleasure and honour for me to write this letter being Somaliland citizen. Mr. Ambassador, your visit to Somaliland was great opportunity for you and Somaliland government to discuss the mutual interest between Somaliland and united nation. However, Somaliland is not Somalia. Mr. Ambassador, the international community has described Somaliland the most peace country in horn of Africa if not Africa. By nature, Somaliland people born as peace loving people and this why Somaliland is peace and stable in contrast with the neighbouring Somalia which is still divided and experiencing chaos and instability over decades. Mr. Ambassador, regardless the circumstances of Somalia, Somaliland people will not compromise one inch of its territory. As no one can reverse hours passed, equally. Somaliland independence from Somalia will not reverse. No one can reverse events passed; equally, Somaliland independence did came a gift from Somalia but a loss of 100, 000 Somaliland citizens and the destruction properties accumulated over 100 years committed by brutal regime.
Mr. Ambassador, Somaliland government and its people has moral responsibility to defend every inch of its territory. Somaliland government and its people have moral responsibility not to compromise their territory. Mr. Ambassador, Somaliland independence is the by product for the genocide committed by brutal regime.
Somaliland independence is the by product of the mass graves we discover every years in Somaliland cities and towns. Somaliland independence is the by product for the land mines planted by y brutal regime to kill Somaliland citizens. Somaliland independence is the by product of the oppressive policies against Somaliland citizens. Somaliland independence is the by product the artillery shelling and aerial bombardment for Somaliland cities and towns. Somaliland independence is the by product for the Serious human right violations, including extra-judicial executions of unarmed civilians, detentions without trial, unfair trials, torture, rape, looting ,extortion committed by brutal regime against unarmed innocent citizens including women, children and elders.
Since Somaliland withdraw the failed union between Somaliland and Somalia in May, 1991, Somaliland maintains peaceful relationship with their neighbours like Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia, but contrary the fragile government in Mogadishu did not observe the same peaceful policy towards Somaliland.
Since Farmajo was elected as Somaliland president, the guy extended tribal support his representatives in Puntland which was not common practice before he came to highest office in Somalia. While Somaliland people busy about their 27th anniversary of Independence celebration, Somali leadership in Mogadishu and their representatives in Puntland Administration have waged unexpected attack on Somaliland armed forces based at Tuka-raq, but Somaliland army being well armed, well trained taught unforgettable lesson to invaders. The Somali leaders in Mogadishu were campaigning arming tribal militias to invade Somaliland, but their ill will against Somaliland end result heavy losses from their end.
Somaliland army during liberation struggle has defeated the former Somali army which is believed the most powerful army in the African continent. Somaliland borders is designed the European colonizers in Africa in 1884 and its border covers the same area as that of the former Somaliland Protectorate. Somaliland is bordered by the Gulf of Aden to the north; Somalia to the east; the Federal Republic of Ethiopia to the south and the west; and the Republic of Djibouti to the North West. Therefore, the geography map of the Somaliland coincides with that during Somaliland Protectorate map before 1960. Somaliland sets out clearly the international boundaries which were delineated under a series of international agreements. The boundary between Somaliland and Somalia was defined in the Anglo-Italian Protocol of May 1894. Somaliland territory comprised Her Britannic Majesty’s Protectorate of Somaliland. Later, the boundary between Somaliland and Somalia was demarcated by an Anglo-Italian commission in 1929.
Even though Somaliland lack of international recognition, however, the international border between Somaliland/Somalia borders remain the geographic border before independence in 1960. The international borders all over the world are not based on the basis of clan kinship as claimed by Puntland Administration, but draw by the European colonizers in Africa before independence. There is no country in the world whereby its borders is based on clan relationship and therefore, the claim of Somali Puntland Administration with regard the border between Somaliland and Somalia has no legal effect under the international law and as a result, the international community leading by the united nations should know Somaliland government and its people will not compromise one inch of their territory. Somaliland government and its people will defend every inch of their territory as happened many times in the past.
Somali leaders in Mogadishu have declared naked aggression against Somaliland and its people. The fragile government in Mogadishu employed 24/7 conspiracy against Somaliland and its people. They are employed 24/7 spreading false propaganda against Somaliland. While they did not even control many parts of Mogadishu let alone beyond, they behaves as if they political authority over Somaliland. Farmajo has to liberate Al-Shabab from Somalia instead of mobilising daaroodism against Somaliland. Somaliland army has the capacity to enter Puntland capital Garawo in few hours time, but Somaliland people being peace loving nation, will not create new circumstances that cause civilian harm like Sayid Bare regime. Somaliland people being civilised people will not cause new agony in horn Africa like Sayid Bare regime. Somali leadership has failed to draw road man to liberate their country from Al-Shabab rule.
As independence is most essential need for mankind, SNM has restored the dignity and independence of Somaliland people. Without liberty, there is no independence, without liberty, there is no dignity, without liberty, there is no freedom without liberty there is no respect, without liberty no freedom, freedom without liberty there is no progress, without liberty no light. . Being independent means being able to take care of your own needs and to make and assume responsibility for your decisions while considering both the people around you and your environment. Every human being has the basic right of respect both of himself and by his fellow man. Every person has the right to freedom and to express his moral beliefs though words and actions that will help him grow as he uses his talents to help others. People have the right to be free of fear. They have the right to find peace in the understanding and acceptance of who they are, but only to the extent that their rights do not intrude on the rights and beliefs of others. Each person’s rights end where the dignity of others begins. Human dignity involves respect and compromise among the different people of any society. Somaliland people are enjoying the fruits of SNM liberation struggle.
Farmajo has to protect his residences in Mogadishu from Al-Shabab nightly bombing instead of mobilising daaroodism against Somaliland. Farmajo should defuse the tribalism bomb he planted among his people instead of mobilising daaroodism against Somaliland. Farmajo is busy to divert his failure in Somalia to mobilise daaroodism against Somaliland, but this diversion will be foiled by Somaliland people. Farmajo should realise that history repeats itself and those who do not remember the past are destined to repeat it. Somali leaders in Mogadishu who are under the protection of 20, 000 African peace keeping forces engaged to export the chaos in Somali to Somaliland but this false imagination will end zero impact in the ground. Somalia has been locked in conflict for decades and solution for the long crisis in Somalia appears in distant dream. The international community attempted tens of times to find solution for the deteriorating security situation in Somalia over dozens of times, however, after 26 years, situation remain no change. Somalia become battle ground open for completion for foreign powers and as a result solution for the crisis did not exist even slight percent.
These wishes are like someone who wants build castle in the air or construct highways in the sky. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, English language proverb. While the Somali fragile government has no ability to stop the nightly shelling in presidential palace by Al-Shabab, they behaves as if they have political control over Somaliland. Some dreams become later in reality, but the dreams of Somali leaders in Mogadishu did not exist even in midday dreams. The political map of Africa has not been made United Nations or by African Union, but by the European Colonizers that divided Africa for their own political sphere of influence at the end of the 19th century and as a result, former political map of Africa like Somaliland borders became part of international law.
Mr Michael e , your attempt to hijack the political freedom of four million people is against the universal rights of human being. Mr Michael Keating, 100, 000 people lost their lives liberating this country from oppressive brutal regime.Mr Michael Keating, complete cities and towns were destroyed and become under rubble by dictatorship system. The destruction of the cities and towns were like earthquake. Michael Keating, the horror stories committed by fierce regime against Somaliland civilians will never be erased from their minds but will remain from generation to generation. The bottom line is, United Nation ambassador to Somaliland and Somalia, Michael Keating mission to change the map of Somaliland will end up zero effect from Somaliland government and its people as a result, Michael Keating shuttle mission between Somaliland and Somalia winded up in failure and any future attempt to change the reality in the ground in Somaliland by him will end up similar consequences like what happened many times in the past. Mr. Ambassador, there is moral responsibility for the united nation to respect the feelings and the aspiration of Somaliland people in view of above.
Ismail Lugweyne – Rabasoro55@hotmail.co.uk
