Somaliland is not breakaway or secessionist as the foes of its independence falsely claim. The people of Somalia know well that Somaliland was independent nation on June 26, 1960 while Somalia was still Italian Colony. Whether displeased or not, Somaliland will not come back to the destructive, atrocious, unilateral union with Somalia shared hastily on July 1, 1960 and then Somaliland withdrew from it in 1991 after disastrous civil wars reclaiming its independence achieved on June 26, 1960. Unions are dissolvable but independence is not dissolvable.
Unions, federations and confederations are dissolved after sharing countries have strong disagreements over the fairness of the system or even engage in wars. Senegal and Gambia shared federation in 1982 and dissolved it in 1989. Egypt and Syria shared union in 1958 and dissolved it in 1961. Federal Yugoslavia broke up into independent republics in 1995 after devastating, ethnic cleansing civil wars. Eritrea became independent country of Ethiopia in 1991. After unions or federations failed and dissolved, those countries retained their original independence and recognition they had before.
Sharing ethnicity, religion, language, culture, traditions, color etc. do not determine the creation of union or federation or do not preserve the existence or survivability of union or federation but only fair power-sharing and justice determine the success and survivability of union or federation and that is what Somalia failed to respect. Somaliland people endured 22 years (1960-1982) of power-sharing denial, oppression and injustice and 8 years (1982-1990) of all kinds of human rights abuses, massacres and destructions. Both Somalis and Arabs failed to share union or federation because of having chronic, unjust, destructive tribalism that kills them.
The people of Somalia need to understand that Somaliland borders are as legitimate as the borders of any African country because they were all European-drawn borders. There is no doubt that Somaliland Republic will be recongnized soon or later for its colonial borders from Somaliland British Protectorate and for its independence achieved on June 26, 1960, two conditions necessary for the diplomatic recognition of each African country. Somaliland recognition is not a request but it is a right like any other African country. So, it is inevitable!
European Colonial Borders define nationalism, independence, statehood and diplomatic recognition of each country in Africa, Asia, and Arab World. Somaliland is not an exception. It inherited its Internationally recognised colonial borders from Somaliland British Protectorate as any other African Country did it from its colonising power. The borders of Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia have internationally the same legitimacy and status for being all colonially-drawn borders defining their independence, territory and nation as the rest of Africa.
There are no clan or tribal borders in Africa but there are state or national borders only. Borders of countries are based on land, not on clan lineage or tribal origin. The territory of an African country is defined by its colonial borders, not by tribal lineage. Tribalists or unionists who think that they can divide Somaliland territory or bring it back to the doomed union are like one trying to fill bottom-cracked barrel with water. Any entity which tries to claim parts of Somaliland on the basis of tribal lineage or any country which tries to dismember Somaliland territory for aggression must be confronted to defeat such hostile attempt.
It would be good for Somalia and Somaliland to recognize each other to become two sisterly states sharing commerce, development investments, travel, military alliance etc. like the Gulf countries for prosperous, better future of their peoples instead of becoming two hostile nations in the Horn of Africa.
If OAU does not recognize Somaliland for its colonial borders like any other African country, OAU conference in 1964 for reaffirming African colonial borders will be obsolete and internal tribal conflicts will dismantle African colonial borders and will end the existence of the African Continent. The security, peace and stability of African Continent solely depend on respecting, recognizing, implementing and protecting colonial borders.
Ibrahim Hassan Gagale
July 11, 2022
