As president Silanyo queries the international community’s indifference to the history of Somaliland that stretches back as far as 1887 when it became a British protectorate
By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
HARGEISA ( Somalilandsun) – The government of Somaliland has officially announced the results of a petition in which 102100 citizens are requesting the international community’s recognition of their country’s sovereignty.
The results of the exercise undertaken by the ministry of foreign affairs were revealed at function officiated by President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo in Hargeisa where participants included political party leaders, government officials, members of the recognition committee, Legislators and citizens from all waIks of life.
Briefing on the process in which over a millionaire citizens were signatory the foreign minister Dr Saad Ali Shire the whole country was covered both in the main cities and rural trading centers where all those participated availed their signatures, phone and ID numbers.
“These are not results of a referendum but those of a petition to the international community for the recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign and self ruling country” said the FM
According to Dr Saad Ali Shire, the large number of petitioners and short time of 4 months, 29/04 – 09/08/2016, it took should be a warning siren to the entire world that the sovereignty of Somaliland is neither revocable nor negotiable not to mention that Somalilanders quest for recognition shall never waver no matter how long it takes.
On the same breathe the foreign minister urged authorities in Mogadishu to complete forget reunion with Somaliland and instead move towards accepting good Neighbouring states relations.
Concluding his very articulated briefing the foreign minister Dr Saad Ali Shire informed that the petition shall be submitted to various global bodies like the UN, EU, AU as well as IGAD a horn and East African regional body, adding that citizens in the Diaspora shall be conjoined for presentation to governments of the respective countries they reside in or have second citizenship.
Subsequent speakers were unanimous in their commendation to the foreign ministry and recognition committee for the discernible impetus on the quest for international sovereignty recognition. That has woes used Somaliland twenty five years since it withdrew from union with Somalia.
Among the speakers were the Chief Justice Prof Adan Haji Ali Ahmed, who termed the petition as a true manifestation of the desire for identity of a nation that Somalilanders hold.
As for senior diplomat and member of the Somaliland National recognition Committee Amb Awil Ali Duale the petition goes along way in showing the international community that the elusive quest for recognition is no longer a request but a must.
Others offering similar sentiments at the podium were chairman of opposition party UCID Eng Fesial Ali Warabe, members of the Ms Edna Aden and Prof Mohamed Saeed Gees as well as chairman of the Parliamentary foreign affairs committee MP Ahmed Dahir, Wadani Party Secretary General Mohamed Abdilahi Ura’ade and Kulmiye party women wing leader Anab Omar Ileeye.
The chairperson of the Somaliland Journalist Association Mahmud Abdi Jama ‘Huto’ also spoke on the occasion where he made a passionate appeal to the president for a journalism training college.
Edna Adan a former foreign minister and only female member of the national recognition committee the quest for recognition was of major importance to the country and thus requires a budget of its own thence make activities more robust and intense.
Stating that Somalia and its citizens were working in unity to deter the sovereignty aspirations of Somaliland a passionate Edan Adan urged Somalilanders wherever they are to reciprocate I. Kind in defense of their sovereignty and campaign for recognition.
Addressing president Silanyo, the lady dubbed Mother Teresa of the Muslim world for her humanitarian work especially on maternal health care and anti FGM run for her sprawling Edna Adan university teaching hospital in Hargeisa, said “ your excellence while reiterating my commitment to the quest for recognition I also ask the administration to include the recognition committee on the annual national budget” 
Bring the function to conclusion. Was the president of Somaliland Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo who urged the international community to cease the indifference towards the sovereignty of a country whose statehood was initiated in 1887.
The president’s speech touched on a number of issues relevant to the sovereignty and subsequent recognition below in brief
Quote- Ladies and gentlemen it is a great honour for me to participate in this event in which over a million people out of a population of 3.5m are petitioning the international community for recognition of their country Somaliland.
While thanking those behind the results as well as those citizens who participated and reiterating that reunion with Somalia shall never be again,
Let me give a few examples on why our country is not only worthy but long overdue or recognition as a sovereign and self ruling state.
This message is particular directed to Somalia the country we withdrew from union with in 1991, theAfrican Union, European Union, USA, Arab League, Organization of Islamic Countries, and all member states of the Unites Nations.
1. The history of Somaliland as a fully fledged state with all prerequisites of a nation stretches back as far as 1887 when it became a British protectorate.
2. On the 26th June 1960 it became a UN recognized nation after garnering independence from Great Britain before its 1st May voluntary Union with Somalia former Italian colony of which it withdrew from in1991.
3. Though it united with Italian Somalia, upon withdrawal from the same Somaliland reclaimed its place at the map of Africa just like done by
Egypt after collapse of its Union with Syria whose life extended from 1958 to 1961
Gambia and Senegal whose union forming Senegambia started in 1981 and ended in 1989
while there are many other examples worldwide I shall confine my examples to these two due to their relevance in AU.
4. Despite the Union with Somalia which was driven by the now dead dream of a greater Somalia, 53% of the of Somaliland population rejected the unity in a 1961 referendum..
5. Similar in the same year British trained Somaliland milt oars officers stage in Hargeisa an unsuccessfully coup in protest saints the Union with Italian Somalia and with intent to reclaim sovereignty.
6. For a quarter of a century Somaliland has never been part of the many Somalia reconciliation conferences at the same time it has never been been a member of the Somalia federal government made up of several regional authorities of the former Italian colony.
“In a nutshell Somaliland has never at any given time been a signatory to the international community fronted Road Map that established the Federal government of Somalia”
7. After a 1991 consensus by Traditional leaders from All over the then northern Somalia region, Somalilanders withdrew from Union with Somalia and reclaimed their 1961 sovereignty within the boundaries established by Great Britain, Italy and Ethiopia a century earlier.
8. In a 1991 nationwide referendum held according to international observers fairly and transparently 97.7% of the population voted in approval of withdrew from Union with Somalia and subsequent self rule
9. The sovereignty of Somaliland of is of interest to the international community as it is attended by security, doors to commercial activities, democratization, and peaceful co-existence among Neighbouring people and countries in the Horn region and beyond, and finally
10. The republic of Somaliland has fulfilled all the internationally acceptable criteria for sovereignty and statehood.
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All the above are facts that reveal to all and sundry that the sovereignty of Somaliland as self governing country like others in The United Nations is not a dream but a reality and the unequivocal determination of its citizens
To these effects it is imperative that the wishes of Somalilanders be respected
, their rights availed thence urge the international community to wake to these realities and recognize Somaliland as a sovereignty state.
Finally to my fellow Somalilanders, both at home and I. The Diaspora, I hereby urge unity of purpose, as pertains to protection of their nationhood and coordinated acts of quest for international recognition globally
Wa Billaahi Tawfiiq…
-unquote
