That Freedom Shall not Perish

Somaliland's suffering touches one Canadian

In a mediocre letter of rambles sent to the Security Council, their opposition to the nomination of an experienced Canadian researcher and expert Matt Bryden raised questions about his 'credibility'. This ironically coming from a transitional government consisting of warlords, war criminals, American food stamp recipients, European welfare claimants and mental illness sufferers as represented by the Chief of Somalia Police Force after an investigation by Channel 4's wonderful Despatches program.

Not surprisingly, such men of course choose to waste their time on something maddeningly self-indulgent and too gruesome for the average person to comprehend.

This latest development of Somalia's outright discriminations against people associated with Somaliland maybe new to our generation born in the late eighties or early nineties, but those who lived through the fraudulent unification of Somaliland and Somalia still rue that day (26th June 1960) for obvious reasons.

Because this day was the day they were transformed from proud nation celebrated for abundance, generosity and eloquence to one unintelligently called "Qaldaan" in Somali Somalia. This was coined by Somalis in Somalia who with their rudimentary grasp of the Somali language convinced themselves to be the superior of the two territories, hence the word "Qaldaan" literally meaning "un-real" assuming themselves to be 'the realest Somali'. At it's height, innocent civilians running from Arab and western donated 'civilian erasers' weapons were welcomed with new belittling such as the words "xabadi keento" ("those who ran upon hearing little bullets" despite the government's use of war planes and shelling). As cities in the former British Somaliland Protectorate were abandoned for refugee camps, Somalia slowly descended into a failed state.

As a result, programs to criminalise Somaliland culture and language began including demonising Britain while celebrating Italian fascism and the ban on the eating of Khat which then was only popular amongst a minority of religious men. Somalia National Theatre in Hamarweyne also organised offensive plays demeaning Somaliland's 'strange culture' most memorable played by Aw Koombe; a comedian who often played the role of Bantu Somalia grudgingly struggling to understand Somalilanders. Contrary to the ideals often sold to the rest of the world as a 'unionist' state, Somalia deliberately employed open divisive methods to pull the country apart to its current state of bestiality.

Naturally, current transitional government led by the cousins of the chauvinist military junta leader Mohamed Siyad Barre continues to in act such past policies whether by passion or misplaced delusional self-pity. It was interesting to note the self styled government's power trip and myopic attention to 'Somalia's territorial integrity'; a 'territorial integrity' which only came due to the fraudulent union of British Somaliland Protectorate and Italiana Somali colony since Djibouti chose to stay independent as Ethiopia and Kenya chose to scavenge on what was left to them by Britain.

Indeed, Somalia stood upon the blood and sweat of Somaliland. As Somalilander's patience and willingness to suffer for creating the Greater Somali ideology at the hands of cruel Somalia ended. The evil of Somalia fell to its demise currently being finished by Ethiopian mercenaries and American bombers unashamedly justifying their killing spree just as they have done to Iraq.

A close look at the current transitional government proofs my assertions from the fact that many illiterate men from Somalia hold crucial positions including the Ministry for Development while self-serving former professors from Somaliland are currently only named as directors. All this is happening under the United Nations, an organisation founded to combat racism and promote justice.

It will be both horrible and cruel if the United Nations was to lend a hand to such evil political system in Somalia, while Somalia transitional government and it's entities such as 'Puntland' continue to deny food and peace to civilians caught up in the hail storms of Ethiopian and Eritrean second grade weaponry. Only the terminally messed up believes that a warlord government is better than the millions of dying and sick displaced children and women.

Author: Shuun Isaaq e-mail, Phone: 078124655201

UNDP supports first Women's Lawyers Association in Somaliland

UNDP has supported the establishment of the Women's Lawyers Association in Somaliland (SWLA) which opened early in 2008. The Association is the first female lawyers association in Somaliland. This is an extremely important step, both in terms of assisting female lawyers in their professional career and in providing appropriate and gender-sensitive legal advice to women in Somaliland.

There are currently five female members of the SWLA with a further 17 women set to graduate from the University of Hargeisa's law faculty in September this year, bringing membership up to 22. UNDP has provided grants for women to attend Hargeisa law faculty since 2004. Last year, it saw the first four women graduate from the faculty, increasing the number of female lawyers in Somaliland from one to five.

The sole practicing female lawyer in Somaliland until last year was Ifra Aden Omar, who heads the SWLA. Ifra is also the Director of the Women and Children's Unit at the Hargeisa legal aid clinic that was itself established with UNDP's help in 2003. In 2007, UNDP provided funding to hire a second female lawyer to assist Ifra in providing free legal aid services to women and juvenile cases. The most common cases Ifra handles are rape, domestic violence, divorce, child custody, child maintenance and inheritance.

Judiciary project manager, Antonia Mulvey, says the SWLA faces an uphill battle in becoming established.

'It will take time for the male-dominated legal profession to understand and accept the importance of women lawyers in society.

'UNDP is providing assistance to create awareness and the means to run the association in terms of equipment, technical and financial support as well as legal training and establishing links with female lawyers outside Somaliland.'

Currently, there are no prosecutors or judges in Somaliland. UNDP is in discussion with the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General's office to identify methods and support newly graduate women to practice as either prosecutors or trainee judges/registrars.

Aims of the SWLA

1. Provide a professional and social network for women lawyers
2. Promote the wider participation of women in development
3. Encourage greater participation of women lawyers in developing potential of their role within Somaliland
4. Promote continuing education and legal awareness for women
5. Advocate for the interests of women in the legal profession
6. Achieve justice and equality for all women
7. Achieve and equality for all disadvantaged groups
8. Promote equal opportunities
9. Create and enhance awareness of women's contribution to the development of the law
10. Provide free legal aid for women and children in Somaliland

Somaliland: An Example of Peace and Democracy

All these discussions are being conducted through the normal democratic avenues, an elected parliament, a free press and a public dialogue, discussion and consensus formula, a rarity in the region or even in most parts of the globe.

Somaliland has recently begun to explore further diplomatic and trade initiatives with its neighbours to the north and northwest, such as Djibouti, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. These iniatives are being taken to highlight the political and economic maturity of Somaliland and its peoples, who refuse to remain mired in blood and conflict, who with their own unique process brought peace and stability, and who refused to hark back to a failed "mirage" that never was and never will be, Greater Somalia.

The people of Somaliland desire to control their lives in every city, town, village or grazing land, and Somaliland is a nation which as shown remarkable ability to bring peace and security to its citizens. The real leadership of Somaliland are its peoples. A government by the people, of the people, for the people, in which laws are obeyed and respected, in which there is freedom of expression, and in which people are more interested in making sure their own home is in order before commenting on their neighbour´s situation.

The people of Somaliland are more interested in being an example to others in the region that are in dire straits by making sure that the country remains, democratic, stable, and progressive. The people of Somaliland are aware that this can only be achieved by strengthening the institutions of the nation through that unique formula of dialogue, discussion and consensus.

Somalilanders have never shirked from the problems facing their poor and under-developed nation, but through local initiatives and local solutions, Somaliland has been able to face and overcome many of its problems, naturally, there is a long way to go, but there is something to be said for being brave and positive.

It is worth mentioning that much of the news from Somaliland primarily deals with developmental issues facing nation, good or bad, and much of the news written on Somaliland is about efforts to continue on its forward path, however, there are some articles on Somaliland from certain quarters which are neither constructive nor factual. These latter articles are being written by those who have failed to bring peace to their nations, who are bereft of ideas and are desperate to blight Somaliland's image, they haven't succeeded for almost eighteen years and they never shall.

Somaliland is nation without dictators, usurpers, and certainly no murdering warlords.

Somalilanders welcome all those seeking refuge, seeking inspiration and seeking the road to stability, democracy and good governance.

Somaliland still Pushing Through For Recognition

A breakaway, semi-desert territory on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland declared independence after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre in 1991.

The move followed a struggle against Siad Barre's auotratic regime, in which the SNM defeated the regimes armed forces. Tens of thousands of people were killed and towns were flattened.

Overview

Overview Facts Leaders Media

Though not internationally recognised, Somaliland has a working political system, government institutions, a police force and its own currency. The territory has lobbied hard to win support for its claim to be a sovereign state. Livestock rearing is a key economic activity

The former British protectorate has also escaped much of the chaos and violence that plague Somalia, although attacks on Western aid workers in 2003 raised fears that Islamic militants in the territory were targeting foreigners and have been dealt with by the local authorities.

Although there is a thriving private business sector, poverty and unemployment are widespread. The economy is highly dependent on money sent home by members of the diaspora,duties from Berbera, a port used by landlocked Ethiopia, and livestock exports.

The latter have been hit by embargoes on exports, imposed by some Gulf countries to inhibit the spread of Rift Valley Fever, which have been resolved.

Somaliland's leaders have distanced themselves from Somalia's central transitional government, set up in 2004 following long-running talks in Kenya, which they see as a threat to Somaliland's soveriegnty.

Somaliland was independent for a few days in 1960, between the end of British colonial rule and its union with the former Italian colony of Somalia. More than 40 years later voters in the territory overwhelmingly backed its self-declared independence in a 2001 referendum.

Facts: Overview Facts Leaders Media
Territory: Somaliland
Status: Self-declared republic. Not recognised internationally.
Population: 3.5 million (Somaliland government estimate)
Capital: Hargeisa
Major languages: Somali, Arabic, English
Major religion: Islam
Life expectancy: n/a
Monetary unit: Somaliland shilling
Main exports: Livestock
GNI per capita: n/a
Internet domain: n/a
International dialling code: +252

Leaders

Overview Facts Leaders Media

President: Dahir Riyale Kahin

Dahir Riyale Kahin, from the ruling Unity of Democrats (UDUB) party, won Somaliland's first multi-party presidential elections in April 2003 with a slim majority.

His 5-year term, which officially ended in May 2008, was controversially extended by Somaliland's council of elders. A deal was later reached with the opposition for the presidential election to be held on the 9th April,2009

Mr Riyale was originally appointed in 2002, having been the Vice-President to the late Mohamed Ibrahim Egal upon the latter's passing.

Dahir Riyale Kahin - pressing for world's recognition of Somaliland

On taking office he said his priorities would be to ensure the territory's continued security and to press for international recognition for its independence.

Voters went to the polls in September 2005 to elect a new parliament; MPs had hitherto been chosen by clans through a process of consultation. Somaliland's leaders saw the election as the culmination of a democratic process which, they hoped, would better the chances of international recognition.

Somali villages invest in solar-powered pump, with high returns

HARAF VILLAGE, Somaliland, Somalia, 22 July 2008 – Water has long been a scarce resource in Somaliland, where a two- to five-hour daily walk to fetch household water is not uncommon. Collecting water has traditionally been the task of women and girls, who are therefore unable to attend school regularly.

Amira, 7, is luckier. She lives in a Haraf village, a few kilometres outside the capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland in north-west Somalia. Haraf is one of five local villages that have been able to install water kiosks with help from UNICEF.

That means both going to school and fetching water are now part of Amira's daily routine. ‘I come once a day to get water. When I have school, I go either before school, early in the morning, or in the afternoon after school,’ she said.

Haraf ‘s new source of safe drinking is a solar-powered water pump installed by UNICEF with funding from the Danish Government, the Ministry of Water and Mineral Resources, the non-governmental organization Red Sea and the local community.

Environmental and economic benefits

Before the installation of the solar pump, Haraf relied upon an older, UNICEF-supported hand-pump system. In service for nearly 20 years, the old pump had become insufficient for the population, which has swelled with displaced people.

‘Traditional generators are costly to operate and manage, as they constantly require fuel and manpower. With rising fuel prices, conventional methods make it difficult for poor people to have stable access to water,’ said Director General Ahmed Suldan of the Ministry of Water and Mineral Resources. ‘We have long hoped to introduce the solar energy-powered equipment, and with the help of UNICEF, we were able to make this a reality in five villages so far.’

The kiosk in Haraf serves more than just the village. Residents from surrounding villages and even trucks from the capital, Hargeisa, use the water source. In the coming year, the pipe will be extended to the village school, according to UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Officer Ibrahim Ali.

Precious resource

Nafisa, a mother of six, goes to the water kiosk three times every day.

‘Now it is much easier for us to get water from the tap, and it is cleaner and tastes much better than before because it comes from further deep,’ she said. ‘We still use the hand-pump water for the livestock and washing, while the tap water is for drinking and cooking. Many of us need the water, so we have to use in moderation.’

Volunteers from the village clean the tank once a week and check the taps for wear. They also monitor usage, to be sure the precious resource is not wasted.

Due to a general scarcity of water in the region, there is a growing need for finding long-term, low-cost solutions to ensure the safe water supply. This pilot project is an example of how, with a small investment and the strong commitment of community leaders and members, a safe source of water can be made available for multiple communities.

Dahabshiil breaks rice duopoly

Somalia: The chairman of livestock merchants in Hargeysa is arrested

The chairman of livestock traders in the self-styled state of Somaliland Mr. Abdullah Mohamed Abdurrahman was detained after discarding an agreement signed between the authority of Somaliland and a tycoon from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The administration of Somaliland has earlier signed an agreement with the K.S.A mogul by the name Suleiman Al-Jabber regarding about purchasing the livestock of Somaliland.

The arrested trader is also the deputy provincial commissioner of Togder region having the ticket of the ruling party Udub, and he was arrested while he was in hotel in Hargeysa town.

The chairman is now at the criminal investigation department in Hargeysa where he is been asked several questions from different directions, and yet the authority of Somaliland has not yet commented about the arrest of this notable person.

However his deputy chairman Mr. Hussein Mohamed Awale called the arrest unlawful one.

The authority of Somaliland has last week produced a decree reading that each and every trader who wants to export livestock to the K.S.A should obviously pass the Saudi tycoon Al-Jabber, and the price should be a fixed one 42US$.

The opposition party Kulmiye termed the arrest as oppression and violating the price standard of the animals in Somaliland.

On the other hand the chairman of an opposition party Ucid Mr. Feysal Ali Warabe condemned the arrest of the trader and called it intimidation and totalitarianism.

Mohamed Omar Hussein, shiinetown@hotmail.com

The world wants to know the difference between Somaliland and Somalia

London, UK. (sli) - There are so many confusion going on around the world, and it is the time to clarify the different between Somaliland and Somalia, there are some Somalis (puntlands) who use the generosity and take the Somaliland's credit by them self. Today we will talk about the two cultural histories and what the foreigners see about these two countries.

Culture of Somaliland.

Culture of Somaliland encompasses a wide range of Somali activity and Islamic structures that give Somaliland a rich cultural and historical heritage. Nomadic and Arab Islamic cultural significance have also played a key role in Somaliland's cultural history and poetry have been described as the twin pillars of Somaliland culture.

When Somaliland broke away from Somalia, millions of Somalilanders live abroad (all around the world) came back and began to re-build their country. Somaliland is home to what is often considered to be one of the most interesting attractions in the Horn of Africa. Somaliland people love their country and their people.

Somaliland’s Elders Culture and Politicians.

Somaliland has formed a hybrid system of governance under the Constitution of Somaliland, combining traditional and western institutions. In a series of inter-clan conferences which began in May 1991in Burao, under Abdirahman Ali "Tuur" and culminating in the Boorama Conference in 1993 which met for four months and led not only to a gradual improvement in security, but solidified the fledgling country. Mohammed Ibrahim Egal was re-appointed as president in 1997, after his death in South Africa, under the Somaliland constitution, Dahir Rayale Kahin, the Vice-President assumed the office of President. Somaliland started to be multi Party, or fully Democratic country.The traditional Somaliland council of elders (Guurti) was incorporated into the governance structure and formed the upper house, responsible for selecting a President as well as managing internal conflicts.

Government became in essence a "power-sharing coalition of Somaliland's clans", with seats in the Upper and Lower houses proportionally allocated to clans according to a predetermined formula. In 2002, after several extensions of this interim government, Somaliland Elders and Politicians finally made the transition to multi-party democracy, with district council elections contested by six parties.

The country has three political Parties: UDUB Party, KULMIYE Party, UCID Party

The current President of the Republic is Dahir Rayale Kahin (in 2003 Kahin became the first Somaliland president to be elected in a free and fair election) and the vice-president is Ahmed Yusuf Yasin of UDUB Party who were elected on April 2003 for a five year term.

Where are you from?

When foreigners ask Somalilander where they come from, their (he/she) first answer is I am from Somaliland, and the foreign ask back yes but where in Somalia, the Somalilander answers back and says Somalia is Somalia but Somaliland is a different country, we joined with Somalia in 1960, but have regained our country and broke away from Somalia and we are a stable country and democratic. You can tell every Somalilander are proud to be Somaliland and respects the shared borders countries like Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia, Somaliland depends on the loyalty of the Somaliland people, as they say “Power to the People”

Culture of Somalia.

Competition between the Somali clans that lived in this country, Somalia has been without an effective central government since President Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to one million people. Somalia is an Islam country; the clan structure and the nomadic lifestyle are also major influences.

In 1991 President Barre was overthrown by Somali National Movement ( SNM ) along with their coalition USC. Howver, politicians in Somalia failed to agree on a replacement and plunged the country into lawlessness and clan warfare.

In 2000 clan elders and other senior figures appointed Abdulkassim Salat Hassan president at a conference in Djibouti. A transitional government was set up, with the aim of reconciling warring militias. But as its mandate drew to a close, the administration had made little progress in uniting the country.

In 2004, after protracted talks in Kenya, the main warlords signed a deal to set up a new parliament, which later appointed a president. Its authority was further compromised in 2006 by the rise of Islamists who gained control of much of the south, including the capital, after their militias kicked out the warlords who had ruled the roost for 15 years.

With the backing of Ethiopian troops, forces loyal to the interim administration seized control from the Islamists at the end of 2006. A surge in violence ensued. It is estimated that 60% of Mogadishu's residents have since fled their homes. Because of the civil war, the country has a large Diaspora community, one of the largest of the whole continent. Millions of Somalis live in refugee camps in Ethiopia, Yemen, northeastern Kenya, and Djibouti.

Where are you from?

When foreigners ask Somalis where they come from, their (he/she) first answer is I am from Somalia, but I originally come from Yemen, Ethiopia, Portugal, Turkia, Burundi, Rwanda and so on. The foreigners are so confuse and ask them selves if this people (Somalis) are lying or want to no further question to ask their so called Somali which they humiliated and migrated from. The foreigners don’t stop the questions, they also ask why Somalis are fighting each other, their main answer which they have similarity is “every clan wants power and my clan is strongest”,

We believe you can tell the different between Somaliland and Somalia there are so many differentiations that we want you to share with us and you can also add in the comment box of what we forget to talk about.

Africa's isolated state

Abdilahi Omar sips on a glass of sweet milky tea as traffic in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital, increases ahead of the morning rush.

In front of him young boys ride their donkey carts to the river to collect water while ice-cream trucks serving soft-scoop start their rounds.

"So you can see, Hargeisa is calm," says the newspaper editor gesturing to the traffic police armed not with automatic rifles but with fluorescent batons and whistles.

"People are going to work peacefully, you can walk freely. There are no guns on the streets here."

This is not Somalia as the outside world knows it. But then, Somalilanders will tell you this is not Somalia. Period.

Somaliland, which is 137,600 square kilometres in size (comparable to England and Wales) and lies to the north of Mogadishu, is also a territory in limbo: it prints its own currency, flies its own flag and even issues its own passports.

But it is a state no other country will recognise.

Turbulent history

Somaliland won its independence from Britain in June 1960, a few days before Italy relinquished colonial control of neighbouring Somalia.

An emotional union ensued, creating a Somali Republic with its capital located in Mogadishu. But it soon proved to be an unhappy marriage.

"Somaliland became the poor relative, the isolated, forgotten corner of the Union," Edna Adan, a retired senior UN official and former wife of Somalia's first Prime Minister, Mohammed Ibrahim Egal, told Al Jazeera.

Issues over adequate political representation for Somaliland in the national parliament and government fuelled resentment and distrust and led to the creation of a rebel group opposed to Mogadishu's control.

By the time the war ended in 1991 Somali bombers had razed Hargeisa to the ground but the Republic had crumbled leaving Mogadishu in the hands of warring tribes.

Somaliland's own clan-based society emerged from three decades of turmoil and the conflict with Mogadishu deeply divided.

But on May 18, 1991, tribal elders held negotiations in the shade of Acacia trees and in the ruins of schools before unilaterally declaring Somaliland independent.

Today, in downtown Hargeisa a Soviet-era MiG fighter jet sits mounted on a plinth to remind people of the civil war Somaliland rebels fought against Siad Barre, who ruled Somalia from 1969 to 1991.

International obscurity

A Soviet-era MiG fighter in downtown Hargeisa reminds people of the civil war But despite a degree of stability compared to many corners of the continent, not least the perennial chaos in Somalia, Somaliland leaders say the outside world has turned its back on them.

But with no international support for Somaliland's independence, Hargeisa may have little negotiating room.

African neighbours have refused to allow the Horn of Africa to be partitioned and the UN and other international countries have refused to recognise Somaliland's secession.

"The international community has taken the wrong decision, ignoring Somaliland while it waits for Somalia to wake from its coma," said Dahir Riyale Kahin, Somaliland's President.

Self-sustenance

Money vendors in Hargesia have substituted bank transfers The lack of political recognition has also meant that it is impossible for Hargesia to negotiate loans and assistance from international donors. It is not party to the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank.

"We are a democratically functioning state ... but the international community is hindering our success," Kahin told Al Jazeera.

With lack of international donor assistance, Somaliland's infrastructure is slowly being crippled. There is no international postal service here and no banking system recognised by financial institution abroad.

Exchange companies and money vendors provide an alternative for funds coming in and out of Somaliland.

The paediatric ward at the Hargeisa General Hospital - the country's only referral hospital - is in need of refurbishment.

The plaster-board ceiling is caving in. The ward's only oxygen cylinder lies discarded in a corner, covered in dust.

"The facilities here are very limited," said Dr Farhan Omar, one of 16 junior doctors who qualified last year, the first to train locally, ever.

"We have severely malnourished young children and we don't even have the high-energy milk they require, and although we receive support for the government and some international aid agencies, more help is needed"

The lack of doctors, drugs and equipment is woeful, but not a surprise. The government's total budget this year is a modest $50 million - Britain spends that on health alone every four hours.

Somaliland's health, education, and infrastructure sectors require massive inflows of cash.

But for as long as Somaliland's international status remains disputed, financial assistance will remain out of reach. So, too, will bilateral agreements with foreign governments.

Diaspora Money

It is money from the Diaspora that is behind Hargeisa's transformation from concrete-ruin to bustling-city. Glass-fronted multi-storey buildings now dot the skyline while numerous telecommunications companies vie for a slice of the lucrative Internet market.

"I came here first and foremost for the money. It is your money and business is business," said Abdul Abdirihaman Wabere, a Somaliland entrepreneur.

Wabere fled to North America at the outset of war in the 1980s. Now he divides his time between the US and Hargeisa where he runs a successful IT firm.

"There was nostalgia too. This is my country and we have brought a technology that was not here before and that itself is a leap-frog," he added.

Many families still depend on remittances from relatives living abroad. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) believes the Diaspora sends home more than $500 million to Somaliland every year.

Wabere fears this gives Somalilanders a false sense of financial security when ultimately their economy remains fragile.

Charm Offensive

The Somaliland government is trying to charm its way to global recognition.

Kahin recently offered Somaliland's natural deep-water harbour at Berbera as a home for America's AFRICOM headquarters.

"Our only hope is the US which says it promotes democracy and has spent a lot of money in the Middle East," says Faizal Warabe, Chairman of Somaliland's opposition Justice and Welfare Party and a candidate in next year's presidential elections.

The government is quick to highlight its democratic credentials in comparison to the lawlessness of its southern neighbour.

However, there are shortcomings. Critics claim the government is repressive, exerting excessive control over political opponents and the media.

Allegations of corruption tarnish the government's record.

Nevertheless, Somalilanders feel they should be allowed to reap the peace dividend. That should start with formal recognition, argues Edna Adan. Anything else is a slap in the face to a country pushing for peace and stability.

"Failure to recognise Somaliland is a failure to recognise democracy itself. The achievements of Somaliland can be a good example for

Livestock Trade Remains a Monopoly in Somaliland

No official statement has been given about their meeting although the visist of the Saudi Businessman came after complaints by local livestock businessmen to free the market.

Minister of Livestock, Mr. Idiris Ibrahim Abdi in a statement to the press on Friday morning announced that some changes have been made in the agreement between Republic of Somaliland and the Saudi tycoon on the monopoly of the livestock trade.

The minister speaking about the changes stated: - The two sides agreed that the livestock in Berbera by local businessmen was not in comparable to the agreement between the two sides but were allowed to export them on July 15th to anywhere they wish.

- They increased the price of a head of sheep from by $5 (that is from $36 to $42).

- During the Hajj season the price will be rised from $42 to $45.

- The two representatives of The Saudi Businessman were discharged from their services and were forbidden to take part in future livestock trade.

- The Saudi Businessman in order to ease the soaring price of food will import essential food items and sell them without any profit in the country. This will not be on regular bases but will be introduced when prices of food increase.

The minister said that he was not present during the meeting of the President and the Local Livestock Committee on Saturday evening and couldnot say what has been discussed but he emphasized saying that Livestock Business Committee have been informed about the new agreement to which he say they consented. “The committee complaint was not only that the price by the Saudi Businessman was low but that they wanted livestock business to be free.”

Somalia-IDPs face harsh life in Hargeisa city somaliland

For over a year many Somalis fleeing conflict in the capital, Mogadishu settled in areas of hargeisa city the capital of Somaliland, establishing a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs), which have recently turned into bad life.

Though they lack schools and health services, people have found security here, away from the tensions in their home locations, but life is being teetering into bad to worse

Aisha Ali lives in a dome-shaped hut made of little more than rags and sticks. When the rain falls, it pours through the gaps onto Omar and her four children.

She says she has not had enough food for her children since last year when she and her family came to south of Hargeisa , the largest IDP settlement in Somaliland.

"My husband was killed by the Ethiopian forces as we fled the city last year," Omar told Mareeg, "We came here with nothing; we just live on the occasional handouts we get from aid agencies."

When she arrived at the camp early last year, Omar built a makeshift home out of sticks cut from nearby woods and old clothes. Despite her lack of knowledge in building, she managed to put together the sticks and old clothes so that her children get a semblance of shelter over their heads.

"Then I began searching for food and water for my children, although I had lost contact with all my relatives and neighbors, I just went out," she said.

As the rainy season close to come in Somalia, approximately one million people live in appalling conditions without adequate food, water and shelter.

Twenty-five-year-old Dahir Elmi says life in the camps is hard enough to warrant risking his life for work and a better future in the Gulf States. "I do not want to waste my time living like this. Better I should waste my life seeking a better one." Elmi said as soon as he can get the money together -- about a thousand US dollars -- he'll pay a smuggler to take him across the Red Sea to the Arabian Peninsula.

Hundreds of young men and women from the camps die each year trying to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen from the semi-autonomous northeastern Somali region of Puntland. They expect to go on from Yemen to the oil-rich Gulf States where they hope they will get jobs.

Some do eventually get to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, but many others are lost at sea; deported back from Yemen; or end up in camps as bad as the ones they've fled.

Calls for increased assistance for Somalia's IDPs have been growing since the food crisis took hold this year. But the calls seem to have fallen on deaf ears. This may be due to the competing emergencies in Darfur, Burma and China as well as the difficulties of bringing aid in to Somalia while pirates operate along its coastline and the security situation within the country remains poor.

But the most important factor could well be that donors have tired of appeals for help for the long-suffering people of this war-torn country.

By: Abdi Guled and contributed by Liban Osman Qassem ( Lucky-Man) Email: naasir0513@hotmail.com

Somaliland ends efforts to search two German hostages

German couple apparently kidnapped in Somaliland's Sanaag region caused Somaliland government to take bold initiatives to rescue the hostages.

Somaliland police forces investigating the two missing German tourists reported to be in Somaliland territories deep in the mountainous range of Al-Madow has been aborted after costly hunt for the kidnappers.

Defence Minister Abdalla Ali Abraham ordered military personnel to accompany police forces as suspected kidnappers were reported to be heavily armed. Somaliland already with an experience in releasing hostages learning from the suffering of another German hostage, quickly dispatched personnel to surround all possible areas potential as ideal for hostage takers including towns but to no avail.

"Smokescreen"

In a surprising twist, Interior Minister Abdalla Ismail "Irro" suggested such reports of two hostages in Somaliland territories may have been smokescreen for the kidnappers. He identified the suspected location both hostages are held as western part of Bender Qasim also known as Bosaaso city in Somalia and not in Somaliland's territory.

In an interview with Somaliland news agency, he refused to comment more and requested his hope for moral sense to prevail in Somalia. The latest kidnapping is believed to be as a result of the current internal politics in the piracy invested Somalia's self styled autonomous "Puntland State of Somalia". The kidnappers are believed to be raising funds to fight local elections against current leader of Puntland General Adde Mose.

Both hostages are believed to be alive and in good health, often being moved to different houses at night. Although the search has ended, the investigation to close this case still continues.

Impunity from criticism

Puntland enjoys good relations with Somalia's enforced self styled Transitional Federal Government (TFG) as it's president Abdullah Yusuf is current tribal elder of Puntland. This has given Puntland authority immunity from international condemnations and protected them from charges of "terrorism" often cheaply thrown at anti-tfg entities by the international communities.

While Somaliland was spending men and money on the search for the hostages. Pro transitional government media in Somalia were inciting calls for arms against Somaliland forces in Sanaag making their intension to side with the hostage takers. Consequently, sporadic little demonstrations appeared in towns with the intension to stop the search for the two hostages. Somaliland forces adhere that such demonstrations did not change their plans.

"We did not go to invade ourselves, we were forced to clarify the fate of the hostages and we are glad to finish it now" said Somaliland Defence Minister

Condemnations required

Traditional Somali culture has always been hospitable to the traveller, but prolonged experiences of statelessness and abject misery has turned what was a simple and harmonious existence into a perilous savage and beastly predators. This pattern of kidnapping for the sole purpose of seeking ransom is now widely accepted phenomena in the Puntland authority's domain.

Puntland founded on the Islamic principles of equity and justice in 1998 now stands out as the place where UNHCR ships are held for ransom, tourists are kidnapped, and hatred against Somaliland is openly incited by radios.

Security officials provided with UNDP (United Nations Development Program) facilities such as boats admitted on the BBC Somali that it's employees may have aided and abetted such pirates using UNDP supplied boats as launch pads for the attacks on ships. Such thuggery against ships and civilians shall be condemned by donor communities.

New Donor Approach To Emerging Societies: The Case of Somaliland

Over the past two decades, development practitioners and donor agencies have been pre-occupied with the need to engage more effectively with fragile states. In many fragile societies, the state-building process is a violent one, leading to human tragedy and the destruction of infrastructure.

Donors have been reassessing how they engage with such societies to move away from the traditional ‘response to crises', to an approach that is more effective and involves the people they are trying to help. Some researchers (Fritz and Rocha Menocal, 2007) observe that the state-building model promoted by donors has a narrow focus and fails to address some of the challenges facing fragile societies. This model - state-building through the promotion of democracy based on market economics - may need rethinking. Several alternatives have been proposed, including state-building efforts that are shaped and led from within the state to ensure legitimacy and sustainability.

In the absence of a comprehensive and internationally accepted state-building strategy, it would be sensible to adopt a strategy that would support peaceful local/internal state-building processes in fragile societies. The purpose would be two-fold: to give donors ‘entry points' to engage effectively with these types of societies in areas where they could actually make a positive impact; and to move away from their comfort zone to focus on local ownership as the key ingredient. It would be especially important to shift the focus of donor engagement on such processes that have had either minimal or no donor or other support to sustain them. Somaliland casts light on such an approach. Here, peaceful, indigenous state-building processes have benefited from limited donor assistance.

Since 2000, Somalia has received an average of around £100 million a year from the international community, with the bulk of funding going to the south of the country. However, this imbalance is slowly changing. The UK government, for example, has increased funding for Somaliland's home-grown initiatives over the past six years. Funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for its overall Somalia development programme increased from £3.1 million in 2002-2003 to £26.5 million in 2007-2008. Somaliland now receives around half of this funding for governance, security, emergency humanitarian relief and assistance to service delivery.

DFID also provides institutional support through a partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), including capacity-building for key ministries and local administrations and support for a new constitutional process. This partnership also focuses on establishing the rule of law, including training for the police and judiciary. DFID not only co-funds the Interpeace programme to promote peace-building across Somalia, it also funded Somaliland's democratic presidential elections in 2003, as well as the parliamentary and local elections in 2005.

Somaliland is unique in that, unlike southern Somalia, it has restored law and order and become one of the most democratic parts of the Muslim world (Bradbury, 2008). The dynamics of its reconciliation process revolve around a complex interplay of modern forces on the one hand, comprising the generation of African post-colonial liberation-cum-resistance and, on the other, the traditional, indigenous forces of the north-west's clan leadership (Hussein, 2003). In the early 1990s these forces were accommodated by several "hybrid" institutions, mixing western and traditional forms of government. Somaliland adopted a national charter known as a beel - a clan or community system.

The beel system of government acknowledges kinship as the organising principle of society. It has developed into a power-sharing coalition of Somaliland's main clans, integrating tradition and modernity in one holistic representatives. For Somaliland, donor aid has played an integral role in sustaining and even developing these institutions and arrangements. The result: a peaceful and developmental society in the midst of a chaotic regional environment. Somaliland demonstrates that aid can make a difference if targeted to the right areas. Similarly, if we look hard enough, we can find other ‘progressive nuggets' in similarly fragile settings. The task before us, therefore, is to identify these nuggets of development and use aid to nurture and sustain them.

Although state-building in Somaliland has been an internal initiative, the authorities in Hargeisa have worked with donors from the beginning, advising them on the funds and assistance needed. The analysis of peaceful indigenous state-making processes in fragile societies, backed by efficient and limited donor aid, could inform a possible new donor engagement approach in such societies. Donors have not yet found concrete ways to make failed states function, and in the absence of a comprehensive and internationally accepted state-building strategy, it is vital that donors engage with the indigenous, local, peaceful processes that are already taking place, and foster them through sustainable aid.

In conclusion, donors need to be both sensitive and attentive to indigenous state-building and developmental processes. Their understandable urge to act at speed should not jeopardise developmental work alongside fragile societies. This is work that will, in the long-term, help to remove that fragility as Somaliland demonstrates. There, we have seen the value of allowing citizens to share their own vision of the future and the kind of state they want.

By Timothy Othieno, ODI Research Fellow. Email: t.othieno@odi.org.uk. For more information visit http://www.dfid.gov.uk/consultations/somalia-consultation-background.asp

Somaliland´s Economy Remains Steady And Progressive

Somaliland is progressing towards achieving its economy goals on two key commitments including providing education for everyone in the country starting from primary school until university. This commitment is almost accomplished as the students start schooling and enroll the universities in their own hometowns in Somaliland.

The second key elements is providing suitable environment for foreign investors mainly from Middle East, Europe, America and Far East. The strong security, stability and democracy contribute in turning Somaliland into Commercial and Financial Hub of the region in the very near future.

The foreign companies can find the entire infrastructures to run their business like electricity, water, security and well-qualified English speaking graduates. Today, Somaliland can proudly say "We produce half million English speaking professionals in every three years". This reminds me, the speech of Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at US Congress saying "We produce millions of English speaking and well-qualified professionals to international job markets per annum." This sets India as the role model of Somaliland in economy development.

Somaliland stepped up efforts to reduce the use of gasoline in the country, and today Somaliland Presidential Palace is using solar system instead of oil to generate their electricity power. This is free democracy where reformation starts from top office but not in the public. Somaliland Electricity Authority announced the new power revolution of utilizing the sun energy in electricity production; this is the first step towards wider economy reforms. The reform may look slower but will remain steady to achieve objectives and encourage of local products. Economy wise, Somaliland will look very developed in next 15 years.

Somaliland´s top priority is to prevent overheating inflation of living cost, which damaged many poor countries worldwide. The soaring prices are another challenge; this can be controlled by encouraging the local products. Today Somaliland´s agriculture sector mainly from Gabiley and Awdal regions can provide enough food supplies to the country including wheat and corn.

Somaliland exports, mainly the livestock are the economy backbone. The local newspapers reported large number of Arabian businessmen pouring into Somaliland, and signing business deals with their Somaliland counterparts.

The current elevated oil prices around the world resulted worldwide increase of prices of consumption items including Rice, Sugar, Wheat...etc. This is not at the hands of the government of Somaliland, it is an international issue that affected everywhere in the world as result of towering oil prices. Somaliland people took initiative steps to use the locally produced goods instead of foreign ones.

Somaliland Central Bank kept the exchange rate of Somaliland Shillings under control against US dollars. Somaliland shilling is very valuable compare to Djibouti currency.

The people, mainly in the eastern regions of Somaliland, are passing through difficult time due to increasing prices of the basic food items. The government carried out projects in these regions to avail the basic social services like water and school projects.

Today, the major cities in the east regions of Somaliland like Laasanod City are enjoying free water supplies and 90% of the children are schooling everyday. The illegitimate administration, Puntland, even failed to establish such basic services during illegal occupation in these regions. Security is another important factor in Laasanod, where it is difficult to see armed militia or individuals in the city. This is the quality of Somaliland.

In Somaliland, Human Development ends Poverty: The human development is measurement of combination of life expectancy, literacy, education attainment and GDP per capita. Somaliland improved all these measurements without international community support. The life expectancy of Somaliland mothers improved due international obstetrics/gynecology standard services by Adna Maternity Clinic in Hargiesa and similar clinics in other major cities, which helps thousands of mothers with childbirth difficulties.

Also, the security and lack of fighting will surely enhance the life expectancy of people in all different ages.

Literacy and Education attainment is been reduced by the government and private schools owners, and today Somaliland can proudly say that 75% of its children attend schools. This is achievement in 17 years without international support. GDP per Capita, will be calculated after recognition - Insha Allah.

The Infant mortality rate was reduced sharply in Somaliland as per the statistics of Ministry of Health. All these is been done in 15 years, what incredible progress!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Africans need to learn from Somaliland and India, where poverty will be history in the next coming years. Somaliland invests in human development and providing good quality schooling system to its children; the citizens have equal access to the education system.

Investment experts acknowledged that best investment is "Human Investment". The children of Somaliland are one of the most precious assets in the country. Somaliland is capable of producing half million well-trained professionals in each three years. It is very remarkable achievement by young nation like Somaliland and without outside help. Human Development is the key to achieve better economy of tomorrow.

Somaliland´s modern development history started on 26th June 1960 but unfortunately failed to continue due to illegitimate union with Italian Somalia on 1st July 1960. The people of Somaliland suffered under Siyad Barre (ruler of Somalia 1969-1991) dictatorship that did not help the people and even did not allow them to help them selves.

In mid 1980´s, a group of university graduated youth named UFO (a type of whirlwind signaling a change in the weather) organized them selves at their own expenses to make change in social services in Somaliland. They decided to support their people in Somaliland like Hargiesa, particularly after Siyad Barre government failed to provide good social services. They supplied beds to Hargiesa Hospital and stationery to the school children.

Siyad Barre arrested them for supporting the public until collapse of his government in 1991. This was the kind of pressure on Somalilanders, who even wished to help them selves without the government. Until today, many jealousy Somalis who campaign against Somaliland believe similar ideology of Siyad Barre that says "Don´t develop and progress if we are not". My Somaliland friends told me such people are called in Somali language "XAASID". Majority of UFO members are active and living in different parts of the world.

Somaliland people are born to be progressive and developed regardless of the obstacles they face in their way towards the top. Somaliland people are very tolerant and peaceful; the war is the last option to consider; the people mainly don´t look into politics and focus their personal business unlike Somalia where everybody is politician; this is what restored the law and order in Somaliland.

We, the free people, call the international community including EU, AU, IGAD and Arab League to recognize Somaliland, because the people of Somaliland can make better difference in the world

SOMALILAND POLICE COMMISSIONER SAYS TWO DIED IN HARGEYSA RIOTS

[Presenter] The minister of minerals and water, Qasim Shaykh Yusuf, the minister of agriculture, Adan Ahmad Ilmi, and the mayor of Hargeysa, Eng Husayn Mahmud, this evening held a joint press conference at the Ministry of Minerals and Water in Hargeysa.

The officials addressed the security situation and the riots over water drilling which occurred in Hargeysa today. The minister of minerals and water and the minister of agriculture said that the riots were caused by misunderstanding and misinformation spread by troublemakers who don't have the interest of the people and the country at heart.

The ministers stated that the water project has given priority to Marodichex Region where Hargeysa is situated. They stressed that the rig that is used to drill for water will stay in the region until it completes its work before moving to other regions.[Passage omitted].

The Police Commissioner confirmed that two civilians died in the riots and five others were injured, adding that nine policemen also sustained various injururies. He urged the public to preserve security.

CLASHES HINDER EFFORTS TO SECURE RELEASE OF ABDUCTED COUPLE

[Gabarani] According to the Governor, [Mahmud Said Nur] the skirmishes that took place in [word in distinct], Sanaag Region was said to be between Somaliland forces and those of Puntland administration supported by area residents.

[Nur] The fighting is between residents of Puntland supporting the administration forces against Somaliland forces.

[Gabarani] Some reports indicate that the skirmishes are between supporters of Somaliland and hijackers in the area.

[Governor] No no, they [Somaliland forces] do not even know where the hijackers are. They are in Dhagax Dhowre, and as per the law they are not supposed to cross from there.

[Gabarani] What caused the fighting then?

[Governor] They [Somaliland forces] want to cross over to the town of Laas Qoray.

[Gabarani] Are Puntland administration forces in Laas Qoray?

[Governor] Yes they are.

[Gabarani] How far is the scene of the fighting from where the hijackers are?

[Governor] It is about 10 km.

[Gabarani] Why are they [Somaliland forces] going to Las Qoray?

[Governor] They are looking for defectors who are in a place 20 km away from Somaliland.

[Gabarani] According to Sanaag Regional govenor, Mahmud Said Nur, there were no losses sustained in the gunbattle between the two administrations. Area residents expressed concerns about the skirmishes which are likely to once again fuel hostility between the administrations of Puntland and Somaliland. Somaliland forces are said to have come into the area after an abducted German couple were said to be held in the mountains in Sanaag Region [the area where the skirmishes took place]. I asked elders in the region about whether any progress has been made in securing the release of the German couple and they said the negotiations have been interrupted by the fighting between Puntland and Somaliland forces. It is still not clear how the Puntland administration will respond to the perceived attack by Somaliland forces.

SOMALIAND POLICE RESTRICTS TRADER FOLLOWING MEDIA REPORT

Police have accused him of giving information that is against national security to the media.

The chairman was given the order after he was summoned and questioned at Somaliland police HQ.

The chairman said he was informed that he was an accused, and was being sought by the police.

At the police HQ, he stated that he was told that he gave wrong information to the media, and was involved in matters that are against Somaliland's security.

The livestock traders' chairman said he believes that he didn't talk about anything that was against Somaliland, adding that it is not a crime to speak to the media and give your views, or make requests to the state. He denied any wrongdoing.

The chairman is under restriction following a court ruling. He stated that he was disappointed by the police order, saying that it would affect his business activities. [Passage omitted]

RIGHTS WORKER SAYS GERMAN HOSTAGE IN SOMALIA DIABETIC

Yusuf Ahmed Jama, an official with a Puntland-based human rights agency, was allowed to visit the German family in a remote area of Sanaag Region.

"I spoke and stayed with the hostages for two days," Mr Jama told Radio Garowe, a community station based in the capital of Puntland. He identified the husband as Mr Juergen Kantiner [phonetic] and his wife, Mrs Sabine Merck [phonetic]. According to the aid worker, Mr Kantiner "only has three days of [diabetic] medical supplies left".

Mr Jama said that the wife "is in good health," but was roughed up during the initial kidnapping when she was reportedly "beaten lightly".

The family had a boat filled with supplies and were travelling around the world when the pirates kidnapped them near the coast of Aden, Yemen.

The hostages are well fed and have "their own cook," according to Mr Jama.

"They [German couple] are taken around each day, but the place is like Tora Bora," he added, referring to a well-known mountainous region in Afghanistan.

He indicated that the hostages have been in contact with family members, the German Federal Police and the German embassy.

On the kidnappers, Mr Jama said they are a group of "trained and well-armed men who are not easy to approach", adding that they allowed him a visit because of it was for a "humanitarian purpose".

On Thursday [3 July], traditional elders in Sanaag Region called on the regional governments of Somaliland and Puntland to withdraw their security forces from the area.

Somaliland and Puntland troops have been stationed in the vicinity of the area where the German hostages have being held since 23 June with unconfirmed reports saying the soldiers shot at each other recently.

Sources in the port city of Boosaaso said Puntland soldiers from Sanaag had returned there yesterday, but there was no report regarding a withdrawal of Somaliland forces.

Sanaag clan elders are holding talks with the kidnappers and have pledged to double efforts to release the hostages.

Somaliland: When A Culture Of Peace Takes Root

CAN you imagine a place swarming with beggars and jobless people yet just adjacent there are stalls and stalls of money in banknotes including American dollars, British pounds and so forth in the open with no policemen around to secure those stalls of money?

This is the market place in downtown Hargeisa, Somaliland, where I took a walk the other day. In fact, at several of them, the owners were not around -- they had slipped away to say their midday prayers (Dhuhur) -- leaving the stalls to themselves!

In a language best understood back home in Dar es Salaam, I was visiting the money shops -- or bureau de changes -- not in closed door shops with armed guards outside -- but open air ones!

The Somaliland bank notes looked like mitumba (second-hand clothes) at Mchikichini in Dar es Salaam. You can buy any amount of Somaliland shillings or change any amount of foreign exchange without flinching or being suspicious that you are being sold counterfeit money!

As I took a walk while shaking my head incredulously, I ran into several people up and about their businesses not even thinking that they are "swimming" or passing past stalls of money.

I asked my guide if there are cases of theft or robbery with violence in that kind of business. "No. In fact people can leave their cars for a long time even overnight without worrying of someone stealing the cars or breaking into them," he replied.

Not satisfied, I asked an assortment of businesspeople I had invited to form a panel for my television show interview on the ‘magic formula' that has made people "rationalise" hunger or able to co-exist with poverty and affluence. "This phenomenon you see is a result of the fruits in a situation where a culture of peace takes roots. People have experienced so much suffering and deprivation as a result of war and occupation that they are sub-consciously not prepared to act in a manner that would jeopardise the well-being of others," said one of them.

So this is the country I was visiting -- Somaliland. Then known as British Somaliland, it was granted independence from British colonial rule on June 26, 1960.

Shortly after independence, it entered into a union with its southern neighbour -- formerly Italy ruled Somalia -- with Mogadishu as the capital. The spate of military coups that engulfed the hastily unified Somalia brought in their wake the military dictatorship of the best known Somali military ruler, General Siad Barre, who, as it has now been sadly noted, was the first and last best or worst known leader who led a semblance of government acknowledged by international standards.

What followed after his regime also toppled by coups was a series of clan warlords each claiming to be presidents of Somalia. Under the circumstances, a national liberation movement was taking roots in Northern Somalia or Somaliland as was known during the British colonial rule. The Somaliland Nationalis Movement was born and took up arms to correct the hasty union and take a break from the military dictatorship in Mogadishu to reclaim Somaliland.

Ultimately, the movement was triumphant reclaiming Somaliland on May 18, 1991 after a protracted bloody struggle during which intervening period, the city of Hargeisa was flattened by bombardment by the forces of Somalia Mogadishu led at first by General Siad Barre.

This is the Hargeisa I was visiting 17 years after liberation and recovering from the ashes of bombardment and war.

Peace has replaced war and peace in all its senses. What was most inspiring to me was how the people of Somaliland as reflected in the people of the capital city were going about their life courageously and with the attendant dignity.

I happened to attend the independence day -- equivalent to Tanzania's Uhuru/Jamhuri Day every December 9 -- celebrated here every June 26, the day the British granted independence to Somaliland.

It was a low-key event as I noted because there were no military parades as is the case back home where the president would take a salute from the armed forces.

But even then, President Dahin Kahin of Somaliland, threw a state dinner to his citizens -- who in turn staged traditional dances and comedy plays to the audience, which I was also part.

What struck me was the similarities of the comedy Tanzanians see on television by a group called "Ze Comedy", the difference being that this one in Hargeisa this time chose to perform before the president.

Someone was translating for me what they were saying on stage. They were talking of the ever-hiking prices in the markets and petrol stations, which reminded me of the situation at home. But the Somalilanders were pushing home a subtle message for their president to note!

But the best I could do was to sympathise with the Somaliland president whose government's national budget is on self-reliant basis -- there is no 40 per cent component of budgetary support such as enjoyed by my own country, Tanzania from the donor community! Makwaia wa KUHENGA is a Senior Journalist and Author recently on a visit to Somaliland.

UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken Visits North-West Somalia

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken, today ended a five-day visit to the troubled east African nation of Somalia and called on the world to remember the plight of that country's children.

"Unfortunately this is a region that's better known for conflict, insecurity, drought and floods," said Aiken who has been a UNICEF Ambassador for four years. "It's truly remarkable that UNICEF is still able to make a difference in the health, education and overall well-being of Somali children."

Aiken traveled to Hargeisa, Gabiley and Boroma located in the north-west region of the country, known as the republic of Somaliland. Here, Aiken was able to observe first-hand UNICEF-supported projects, which promote child health, safe water, sanitation and hygiene, primary education, child protection and girls' empowerment.

Somalia is a country in which less than 25 percent of the population have access to basic health services, less than 30 percent attend primary school and only 29 percent have access to a safe water source.

It's also a place where 98 percent of girls are subjected to genital circumcision and has amongst the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

One of Aiken's first stops was the Somaliland Cultural and Sports Association (SOCSA), an enclosed facility in Gabiley dedicated to empowering girls through sport and cultural activities.

"The girls here are able to learn about leadership and health, acquire life-skills and play sports within a safe environment," said Aiken. "Even the youngest girls that I've met at SOCSA, impressed me with how confident and articulate they are as a result of this project."

At a camp for 1500 internally displaced families in Hargeisa, Aiken met 11-year-old Abduraman, who helps to support his five siblings and blind mother by working each morning to collect stones. He uses his earnings to pay for school, which he attends in the afternoon.

"Somalia has some of the lowest enrollment rates in the world, but every child has the right to an education," Aiken stressed. "UNICEF is working to help ensure that even working children get to go to school. UNICEF has also provided the camp with child protection monitors, teacher-training and school materials."

In Boroma, Aiken also visited maternal and child health clinics to observe nutritional feeding and immunization activities along with projects supporting children with disabilities, the eradication of female genital mutilation and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

"Now that I have seen Somalia for myself, I feel it is important for the American public to remember that the Somali people have the same dreams for their children that we do," said Aiken, who in recent years has also visited conflict areas in Afghanistan and Uganda for UNICEF.

"The country is one of the most desperate in the world. Fortunately, UNICEF has always been there and continues to provide the support needed to make a difference. No other organization is more capable of making such a difference than UNICEF," Aiken added.

The lack of a permanent central government has contributed to Somalia's status as one of the poorest and most volatile countries in the world. One of the most serious droughts since the 1970s has affected large parts of the country, exacerbating hardships for rural populations. \

CONTACT: Marissa Buckanoff, +1-212-922-2485, mbuckanoff@unicefusa.org , or Richard Alleyne, +1-212-880-9177, ralleyne@unicefusa.org,both of The U.S. Fund for UNICEF

Somaliland hopes election will lead to recognition

HARGEISA, 29 June 2008 (Reuters)--The breakaway state of Somaliland hopes next year's presidential elections will lead to international recognition of the northern Somali enclave as an independent country, officials said on Sunday.

The polls are seen by many as an acid test for the former British protectorate which broke away from Somalia in 1991 when the ouster of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre plunged the Horn of Africa country into anarchy.

Somaliland has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity and has held previous democratic elections, but analysts say it is not recognised globally because of concerns that rewriting colonial borders would open a Pandora's Box of other secession claims.

"The election is a test for Somaliland's recognition bid," electoral commission chairman Mohamed Ismail Mohamed said. "So many countries are waiting to see how we will conduct our election. It will be transparent, free and fair."

READ MORE http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN950946.html

A female mayor in Somaliland?

For the last 20 years, Khadija Hassan Hussein has worked as an accountant for the Ministry of Local Government in Somaliland.

In this time, she has seen male employees praised and promoted while women who are just as capable stay in the same positions for years on end. Under-appreciated, female workers have no choice but to find employment elsewhere or plough on until retirement in relatively lowly jobs.

Now, having seen enough of this inequality, Khadija is mounting a courageous challenge to it. Backed by a DFID-funded organisation, she aims to get more women into decision-making roles - and, with mayoral elections soon to take place in her region, she intends to lead by example, blazing a trail that goes right to the top.

Getting more women into politics

Outside work, Khadija is an active member of a group that pushes for women's rights. The NAGAAD regional forum brings together local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to get Somaliland's women to play a bigger part in politics. Amongst its activities are training sessions that aim to turn women into skilled political operators.

Khadija is also a member of the region's ruling political party. This means she is frequently out in the community, talking to ordinary people about the issues that matter to them, in particular their health needs. It was while she was out on her rounds, working hard to promote new health initiatives, that the idea of running for mayor was first suggested.

Putting herself in the running

Speaking to clan elders in her area about healthcare, Khadija soon won them over with her professionalism. Having gained their personal support, these respected community figures even began to accompany her on awareness campaigns, helping to engage local people and adding weight to her words. Of course, as she informed people about the health initiatives she also spread the NAGAAD message that women need to be given more of a say in the decisions that affect their lives.

Some of the elders were so impressed by Khadija's leadership qualities that they indicated she would make a good district mayor. Not one to take such a compliment lightly, Khadija made up her mind to run for office at the next opportunity.

Training for the top

A female mayor would be a first in Somaliland, but with the elders and, increasingly, the community behind her, Khadija feels that success is well within her grasp. In fact, she believes that her gender could give her a major advantage. "I tell (local people) that, as a woman, I do not belong to any clan," she says, "so I'm not seeking to perpetuate the needs of certain people to the detriment of others."

Through NAGAAD, Khadija attended leadership classes that reminded her of the importance of serving the whole of the community, rather than just a section of it. Participants in the training exercises were also urged to rise above party differences and support each other across the board. These valuable sessions were made possible by DFID funding to a local NGO, Progressio.

With the election now approaching, the NAGAAD forum is continuing to help Khadija, offering her advice and lobbying door-to-door on her behalf. The next step is for the party to endorse her for a seat. Then, if polling day turns out to her advantage, Somaliland's voters will have elected their first female mayor - paving the way, perhaps, for more Khadijas in years to come.

SOMALILAND REMEMBERS 27 JUNE NORTHERN REGION'S INDEPENDENCES DAY

In the capital Hargeisa and the different towns of Somaliland esteemed carnivals on the 27th anniversary of the sovereignty of the northern Somalia regions has been set out Friday.

Dignitaries from Somaliland government have gathered round at the ceremony locations to share the nation with the honored day that marks when the colonial troops have been overthrown by power from the northern regions.

Clapping people have been walking with happy in the city greeting with thrill and were chanting "win freedom". Speaking at the freedom square where the first the northern region's first flag was raised the president of Somaliland Dahir Rayale Kahin

He says that Somaliland has achieved a level of stability not seen in the rest of Somalia.The tiny African region broke away from the rest of Somalia 10 years ago, but its secession has never been internationally recognised.

While Mogadishu is terrorised by competing armed factions, Somaliland's capital Hargeisa is one of the safest cities on the continent.

The international community's reluctance to endorse Somaliland's independence is based on the principle - enshrined in the OAU charter - of the inviolability of colonial borders.

Somaliland has been officially independent before - for four days in 1960, between the end of British colonial rule and integration with the rest of Somalia which had been under Italian administration.

When the country descended into civil war after the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's dictatorship in 1991, Somaliland declared independence.

To the rest of the world, Somaliland remains an invisible state.

In Burco town a crowd of supporters have jointly called for Britain Somaliland's former colonial power to be the first to recognize the state's independence.

Somaliland is bordered by Ethiopia in the south and west, Djibouti in the northwest, the Gulf of Aden in the north, and two other de facto independent Somali territories in the east, Maakhir and the Northland State, although these two eastern states are historically claimed by Somaliland and British Somaliland. This claim draws Somaliland's eastern border against Puntland, another Somali state that also claims this territory.

In 1991, after the collapse of the central government in Somalia, the main part of the territory asserted its independence as the Republic of Somaliland in May 18, 1991. It regarded itself as the successor state to the briefly independent State of Somaliland, but did not receive any international diplomatic recognition.

The economic and military infrastructure left behind by Somalia has been largely destroyed by war. The people of Somaliland had rebelled against the Siad Barre dictatorship in Mogadishu, which prompted a massive reaction by the government.

The late Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur was the first president of Somaliland. Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal was appointed his successor in 1993 by the Grand Conference of National Reconciliation in Boorama (Borama), which met for four months and led not only to a gradual improvement in security, but solidified the fledgling state.[2] Egal was re-appointed in 1997, and remained in power until his death on May 3, 2002. The vice president, Dahir Riyale Kahin, was sworn in as president shortly afterwards, and in 2003 Kahin became the first Somaliland president to be elected in a free and fair election.

SOMALIA ERITREA-BASED REBEL GROUP MARKS SOMALILAND INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN

Reports say the ceremony was attended by European embassies in Asmara, a large number of Somalis as well as by members of the alliance based in Asmara. Foreign officials and leaders of the Asmara based [alliance] gave speeches at the ceremony. [Sakariye Hajji Mahmud said]: "I am very delighted we are celebrating 26 June [Somaliland independence day]. I am sad about the division that exist between southern and northern regions. We know that Somalia is under occupation but it is important that we bear in mind the 1988 massacre perpetrated against the self-proclaimed Somaliland. We would like to apologize to them [Somaliland] and we have seek the liberation of the country [Somalia]."

Also speaking was alliance deputy chairman Jama' Muhammad Ghalib, who dwelt on the struggle that was waged to liberate Somaliland and the 1988 atrocities, which he said was disheartening.

SOMALILAND URGES PUNTLAND TO HELP FREE KIDNAPPED FOREIGNERS

Somaliland Vice-President Ahmad Yusuf Yasin has said that the kidnapping was planned and stated that they will fight the group holding the foreigners. "The kidnapped foreigners, four in number, were seized while they were sailing a yacht in the Red Sea, and the kidnappers then took them into Laas Qorey mountains," the vice-president told the press.

Somaliland Vice-President Ahmad Yusuf Yasin said his administration would exert efforts to free the foreigners, and urged the Puntland administration to help it. "We ask the Puntland administration to help us free the kidnapped foreigners," Yasin said while speaking to the Somaliland press.

The kidnapped foreigners are said to be French and Russians. The kidnappers abandoned the yacht when it run out of fuel. This is the second time kidnapping has occurred in Sanaag Region.

DJIBOUTI PRESIDENT RECEIVES SOMALILAND LEADER

Mr Kahin who came to show support to Djibouti in the conflict opposing it to Eritrea, was on Monday [23 June] received by President Ismail Omar Guelleh in the presence of the communication minister, Ali Abdi Farah.

The strengthening of brotherly ties shared between Djibouti and Somaliland were at the centre of the discussions between the two leaders. [Passage omitted]

SOMALILAND LEADER BEGINS TWO-DAY VISIT TO DJIBOUTI

On arrival, he was received by the government spokesman and minister of communication and culture Ali Abdi Farah. President Dahir Riyale Kahin is accompanied by several members of his government. [Passage omitted: other Djibouti officials present to welcome Kahin]

The Somaliland leader will tomorrow hold talks with the Djibouti head of state, Ismail Omar Guelleh, with whom he will assess the prospects of bilateral cooperation and the means of strengthening it in all spheres.

Djibouti and Somaliland maintain cordial relations.

SOMALILAND INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE DAY OBSERVED WITH SERIES OF ACTIVITIES

On 17 June a workshop and briefing for the local media was held at the Imperial Hotel in Hargeysa. At the workshop which was organized by the UNHCR office in Hargeysa, representatives of the media were briefed on the UNHCR's mandate and the nature of its humanitarian role in assisting refugees generally, and particularly in Somaliland. The workshop was facilitated by the head of the UNHCR's sub-office in Hargeysa, Mr Fiddelis Swai, an accomplished journalist on his own.

On 19 June Hargeysa stadium was the site of several types of sport activities.

In the morning a team of women refugees played volleyball against Somaliland women while a children football match was arranged between a team composed of refugees and another made up of Somaliland returnees and IDPs [internally displaced persons]. In the afternoon, there was a marathon which was won by Ethiopian refugee Takala Mariyam and a football match that drew aid workers against a team of refugees.

20 June fell on a Friday which is a public holiday in Somaliland. So the activities for observing this world refugee day will culminate today by holding at least seven major activities that will include an art exhibition, drama performance, traditional songs and dances and awarding trophies for winners of the sport events and the drawing competition on "protection" as well as the best students in the refugee school.

All these activities which are sponsored by the UNHCR office in Hargeysa will be held at the Refugee Social Welfare Centre in Hargesya.

SOMALILAND UK MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE

After holding talks with senior Somaliland government officials, Mr. Howells held a press conference at the Maansoor Hotel in Hargeysa.

The following are his opening statement and the press conference which was also attended by Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Muhammad Duale and an official of the UK's Department for International Development.

"I want to first of all say what a privilege it has been to meet the head of state and the ministers in his cabinet. We have had fruitful discussions across a very wide range of subjects. And these include looking at the prevailing political atmosphere of the whole of Horn of Africa.

We've looked at the problems of the economy and the need to find jobs for young people. We talked of course about the links between Somaliland and the United Kingdom. And I have just had lunch with a large group of UK citizens who now work in Somaliland. That was a real privilege for me too.

There are a number of issues which you might like to question me on. These include the general problems that we have in trying to counter terrorism.

Somaliland is seen increasingly as an oasis of peace and potential. And we would very much like to ensure that it stays that way. Yet we know that there are many people out there who would like to disrupt life in Somaliland, who see it as a country which is trying to modernize itself in a way that they find distasteful. So it is very important to give our young people not just only in Somaliland, but in the UK, too, some vision of a much better future.

We want to help with that, in every other aspect of policy that we can. We are already very active here. Our Department for International Development is active in Somaliland.

Indeed of all of the money which goes from the British government to Somalia 40% of it comes to Somaliland. That amounts to 9 million pounds a year which is a large amount of money. I know from my discussions this morning that Somaliland's budget deficit is about 10 million pounds.

What we would like to see is Somaliland grows in economy and in investment. We would like to see jobs and skills proliferate in this country so that Somaliland doesn't have to depend on aid from other countries, that it can exist as a prosperous entity on its own. That is the main focus of my visit. I'm very glad to have been able to come here and hear about the strengths, the weaknesses, the problems and the potentials of Somaliland first hand."

Kim Howells, MP, British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Hargeysa

Q: One of the reasons given for the secrecy that shrouded all the recent visits paid by British officials to Somaliland is that you wanted to avoid any leakages regarding your discussions on the returning to Somaliland from the UK of Somalilanders whose applications for asylum in Britain were rejected. Is it so?

A: First, of all can I say that increasingly these days ministers not only from Britain but from many other countries become target for terrorist acts that host governments increasingly try to ensure that visiting ministers stay safe. It doesn't do much for the reputation of a country if the minister goes home in a box. Secondly, as far as asylum seekers are concerned we want to cooperate very closely with Somaliland on returnees. If people come into Britain illegally, or come for one reason and then when they realize they can't stay claim asylum, then we have a duty to the British public to return them home. We do so by utilizing the judicial system in Britain which wouldn't allow us to get away with anything that is illegal, or anything that threatens the civil rights, or human rights of people who are sent back to countries from which they have come. That is the way we do it. It is transparent and legal. No country can sustain for ever unlimited numbers of people who entered their territory illegally.

Q: Can they [the rejected asylum seekers] appeal to European courts?

A: Yes they have got every right to appeal to the European courts and we would never stop them from doing that.

Q: Since you have mentioned terrorism, you provide support to Somaliland's efforts at combating terrorism. Although your support is very much needed and appreciated here, however it is channeled through a controversial organization that is called the National Intelligence Agency instead of the police. Is it therefore politically correct for your government to channel resources through an organization that is considered illegal by most people here?

A: Well, I don't know the legality and I don't know the nature of this organization. I would ask in a moment if the Foreign minister would answer this. But can I say this: we would never knowingly put money into any organization in any country which is illegal within that country. We believe that the best way forward in all things is transparency and openness. If this is a real question, well it is certainly the first time I have been asked about it.

Foreign Minister Dualle... "Yes there is a close cooperation between the Somaliland and UK governments along with other partners internationally on combating terrorism. In this aspect, the agency through which the UK government is providing assistance to us is the Migration [Department]. The delegation has visited the Migration this morning to see how its surveillance system worked. Because of the security situation our nation requires full support in terms of infrastructure, human resources and training. There is nothing illegal about it.

Q: With turmoil engulfing the whole region, isn't it a matter of time before Somaliland goes down as well unless given recognition?

A: Yes, Somaliland lives in a very very tough neighborhood, and it is one where the politics change from day to day. What Somaliland needs is a degree of certainty. It needs to know where it stands in relation to the rest of the international community. But that means that the international community has to understand what Somaliland's aspirations are, where it stands in relation to Somalia, where it sees itself moving to. And also there are some other things that I have been learning this morning. I think there are some definite aspirations. I've heard a lot about education, skills, and infrastructure. The fact that Somaliland occupies a very strategic part of north east Africa with a huge hinterland where people would want to export the goods that they manufacture, the commodities that they grow, the things that they create and Somaliland would be very well positioned to be a great exporting port of those things. I think that Somaliland even without the talk that I've heard of exploration for minerals for example, has the promise of a great future. I think the biggest uncertainty is that firms and companies in countries that might invest in Somaliland want a degree of certainty of what is going to happen to their investments in the future. That means there must be legal clarity and a consistency of business regulation. Those things I sense are the very issues that the Somaliland government are trying to deal with at the moment. The international community has a duty to try to help them to see the way through that mist so that the world sees Somaliland as a good place to invest in.

Q: Britain has always been supporting the TFG, while ignoring democratic Somaliland. Why?

A: This implies something which is not true. For a start the transitional government in Somalia has been in [existence] for a very short time. So to say Britain supported it always is nonsense. Secondly, we have very very strong links with Somaliland. It is why the Department for International Development is here. It is why we argue the case for financial intervention and other forms of intervention in Somaliland when Somaliland needs it. Britain is a good advocate for Somaliland and I think you have to be sensitive to the global ramifications of the demand for recognition because no one has recognized Somaliland at the moment. What you are asking me is will Britain take a lead. And that is a very different thing from saying that Britain doesn't support Somaliland. That is a lie.

Q: While Italy always helps and protects its former colony of Somalia, Britain has ignored or at best forgotten Somaliland.

A: I reject totally and strongly as I did the last question that Britain forgot Somaliland. And I'm certainly not aware that the Italians are some kind of supper force that is protecting the rest of Somalia. It doesn't look like it to me, I have to tell you. It is in a very desperate state. In contrast to this is Somaliland which is a very very different place. We always have been interested in Somaliland and we will continue to be. That is why our agencies are here and that is why I'm here.

Q: Isn't it high time that aid for Somaliland be given directly to the Somaliland government instead of channeling it through UN and international NGOs?

A: (John from the Department for International Development). The British government disperses its aid to many countries through international organizations. It is not just Somaliland. It is a cost effective way of delivering aid. There are plenty other examples of countries who receive our support either through EU funding or through UN agencies or the African Development Bank. So you mustn't think that this is a sort of a special form of funding which is just for Somalia or Somaliland. It is part of a development practice edict. It is a modern way of spending development money.

Q: Your government has supported the recent UN Security Council resolution which allows the TFG authorize military actions against pirates in Somalia's waters including Somaliland's. Somaliland is concerned that the TFG's Abdillahi Yusuf would abuse this authority to score points against Somaliland by for example ordering the invasion of this country's territorial waters under the pretext of combating piracy.

A: It is a UN Security Council resolution. The problem of piracy was regarded as such an acute one that action was needed immediately. You know as well I do that for Somaliland's territorial waters to have been subject to a different regime would have thrown the whole thing into turmoil and abyss. No progress would have been made for the same very reason that there hasn't been progress made so far on the recognition of Somaliland. I think we got to be very patient and think about this in the long term. You can't have an exception coming up in a United Nation Security Council resolution because you happen to believe that this would politically be conducive to an early recognition of Somaliland.

SOMALILAND PILOT WELCOMED AS HERO

Over 100, 000 civilians were killed in the genocidal campaign unleashed by Siyad Bareh's military and tribal militia against Isaak civilians in the northern regions of the former Somali Democratic Republic or present day Republic of Somaliland. Saturated aerial bombardment of mainly Hargeysa and Burco, plus other urban and rural centers, caused most of the deaths.

Former pilot, Colonel Ahmad Muhammad, is being received as a hero wherever he goes in Somaliland, but the man who hails from the Abgal Hawiye clan of Mogadishu, is modest.

"I just saved my soul from doing something awful. I objected to bombing innocent civilians and ran away for my life, but whether I'm in Europe or in Somaliland, the Isaaks are welcoming me as a hero which I always question if I really deserve it," he told reporters in Hargeysa on Thursday.

Author of 'Becoming Somaliland' Arrives in Hargeisa

The Somaliland launching of Becoming Somaliland was held on 10 June at the Maansoor Hotel. This event was hosted by APD and Progressio, a London based International NGO that supported the publication of this important book.

Mark is the author of many other materials on Somaliland and the region, including Somaliland Country Profile that was published in 1997.

In a meeting with the APD staff on 22 June Mark explained that his current visit to Somaliland has two purposes: First, to assist with APD’s Peace Mapping Project and, Second, to do some preliminary organization for an educational training course that will be held in Somaliland on 11-17 of October.

The course, developed by The Rift Valley Institute, will bring scholars to this region to train international aid workers about the culture, history and political context of the Horn of Africa.

International Republic Institute(IRI) opens office in Somaliland

The International Republic Institute is a non-profit, non partisan organisation dedicated to advancing freedom and democracy worldwide by helping to support civic institutions, open elections and good governance.

At a reception held at the Mansoor Hotel in Hargeisa attended by senior members of the Somaliland government, members of the Somaliland parliament, party officials, social activist, members of the press and other guest, the Speaker of the Somaliland parliament, Mudane Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi welcomed the opening of the new IRI office in Somaliland.

In a his brief remarks at the ceremony, Speaker Abdirahman Mohamed stated that IRI has always played a significant role in the democratic development of Somaliland and by opening an office in the country has shown its support of the country's democratic credentials.

Speaker Abdirahman Mohamed concluded his remarks by pledging the support of the people of Somaliland towards IRI's efforts in the country and encouraged the people of Somaliland to safeguard and maintain the stability which has made Somaliland a beacon of hope in a volatile region.

The IRI director for East Africa, Mr. Ted Levassiur also spoke at the ceremony to mark the opening of the new IRI office in Hargeisa. Mr.Levassiur outlined recent co-operation between Somaliland and IRI including the historic presidential and parliamentary elections in 2003 and 2005 respectively.

The opening of the IRI office in Hargeisa is seen by many as sign of further engagement between Somaliland and other international institutions.

Agriculture equipment for the community of Haraf in Somaliland

The equipment consists of items for the storage and production of honey. These equipments are part of programme prepared by the Somaliland Agriculture ministry, funded by FAO and implemented by Candlelight.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mudane Aden Ahmed stated that the equipment is the first stage in the improvement of the cultivation and processing of the local honey production industry in Somaliland. Mudane Aden Ahmed declared that both the Somaliland government and its international partner, FAO, are confident of a successful outcome in this new programme.

Mohamed Warsame from the FAO office in Somaliland gave a brief presentation on the objectives of the programme which is designed to promote and explore new economic markets in the country.

Other speakers at the ceremony also included, the Somaliland Home Affairs minister, Mudane Abdillahi Ismail Ali, Ahmed Ibrahim Awale from Candlelight and the head of Haraf village council, Ismail Saeed Hassan.

Al-Amudi adviser and delegation arrive in Somaliland

The delegation was met at Egal International airport in Hargeisa by senior officers from the Somaliland Water and Natural Resources ministry.

The delegation also includes Mr.Robert J. Rossetter from Svenska Petroleum Exploration based in London, England.

Speaking to the press at Egal International airport, Mr. Samuel, adviser to Al-Amudi stated that the delegation expect to meet with members of the Somaliland government to discuss trade and business issues during their two day visit.

Mr.Al-Amudi is a Saudi businessman with interests in the Horn of Africa and a regional office in Addis Ababa.

According reliable business sources there have been strong indications of Al-Amudi interest in exploring the market in Somaliland, and in particular livestock and natural resources.

Somaliland, the world´s superlative democracy

About Somaliland: Somaliland is a forgotten nation in the Horn of Africa. When the Republic of Somaliland - named after a territory known as British Somaliland before its independence on June 26, 1960 - was born 34 countries recognized it during the rush of independence in Africa in the Sixties.

Somaliland, with a population of 3.5 million and an area of 68,000 square miles (135,000 kilometer square), joined the Italian Somaliland on July 1, 1960 to form the Somali Republic. The unity loving community of Somaliland worked hard to see a united and democratic Somalia and achieved their dream of establishing a Somali Republic by merging British Somaliland and Italian Somalia territories.

Somalia started as a democratic country according to an agreement between the British and Italian Somalia. Unfortunately the democracy ended when General Mohammed Siad Barre, a strongman from the south staged a military coup. Although, Somalilanders protested against power sharing before Siad Barre, but remained within Somali Republic to save the unity.

General Barre ruled Somalia for 25 years at gun point. He used his so-called national army forces to destroy major northern cities such as Buroa, Berbera, Borama and the current capital of Somaliland Hargiesa. Aircrafts taking off from Hargiesa International Airport bombed Hargiesa City leaving behind more than 50,000 women and children dead during 1988.

In response to General Barre's atrocities an armed liberation resistance group called SNM (Somali National Movement) consisting mainly of Isaac tribe was established.

Beginning of Somaliland: SNM launched armed struggle against Barre´s regime and his henchmen – mainly Mareehan and Ogaden tribes. After waging a costly armed liberation war with the Said Barre regime, the dream of Somaliland became true and established Somaliland Republic. Many members of current Transitional Government of Somalia in Mogadishu are considered War Criminal in Somaliland including General Morgan.

SNM's struggle lasted for three years after when Barre´s so-called Somali National Army were driven out from the former British Somaliland in 1990. Since then Somalia has been facing an endless civil war until now.

Elders of former British Somaliland met in the eastern city of Burao on May 1990 to announce the establishment of an independent Republic of Somaliland on 18th Nay 1990, ending 26 years of occupation by leaders mainly from former Italian Somalia. They formed the first the transitional government of Somaliland with Abdurrahman Ahmed Ali as its first president.

Mr. Ali's government completely restructured the functioning government departments -- including the National Army, Ministers Cabinet, Parliament, Legal and Justice Departments and local Municipality. During its first four years Mr. Ali´s government focused on security and stability.

Somaliland’s Justice Department functions independently with courts in different levels -- including regional civil courts, criminal courts, and the Supreme Court.

Somaliland’s first step into democracy: When President Ali completed his four-year transitional term, he was succeeded by President Mohammed Ibrahim Egal, who was elected by the Elders Council and Parliament. Mr. Egal was won two successive terms and led Somaliland for years until his demise during his second term in 2003 at the age of 78. A national funeral was held for Mr. Egal at the port city of Berbera- his birthplace.

According to the constitution of Somaliland Dahir Riyale Kahn, who was Mr. Egal´s Vice President, completed the remaining period of Mr. Egal´s second term. In 1997 Somaliland held a referendum, which was monitored by UN and South Africa, on the national constitution and 97% of the voters gave a YES vote to the constitution and independence of Somaliland.

In 2004 Somaliland successfully held Presidential, Parliamentary, and Municipality elections under the supervision of UN. Although these three elections highlighted Somaliland´s deep rooted democracy to the international community, but the response and reaction were only empty promises.

Currently Somaliland has three political parties – including UDUB, the ruling party, and KULMIYE and UCID which are strong opposition parties and have majority in the parliament. When the results of the presidential election were declared, UDUB emerged the winner and the Supreme Court invited Dahir Riyale Kahin to form the government. UDUB won in very close margin only 80 votes over the strong KULMIYE Party.

Former Vice President Riyale Kahn was elected as the third President of Somaliland in 15-years of Somaliland independence.

However, the opposition parties worked-hard and won the parliamentary elections by capturing 120 out of the 210 seats. Senior Member of UCID Eng Abdurrahman Erro and current Speaker of the Parliament was nominated to chair the parliament. Here, it shows the balanced democracy of Somaliland, where opposition controls the Parliament House.

The ruling party – UDUB – leads the Municipal Council at Capital Hargiesa with 65% of the seats. Somaliland enjoys warm relations with member states of IGAD.

Terrorists attacks in Somaliland: In 2003, a group of gunmen linked to Al-Qeada in east African attempted to ambush the first Presidential Election of Somaliland, after the gunmen entered the capital, Hargiesa, and fired the police men.

Somaliland Police killed and arrested the others in three hours battle at the capital. The public helped the police to identify the hide outs of the terrorist.

In 2004 during terrorist attacks, the two British citizens, the Principal of Sheikh Secondary School and his wife, were murdered in cold-blood inside the school campus. However, Somaliland´s Special Task Police (STP) captured the terrorists, and the dangerous terrorist are serving life term sentence in Central Jail of Hargiesa, Somaliland Capital.

At the same year, Kenyan aid worker killed in the road between Hargiesa and Berbera but gunmen infiltrated the country across the border with Somalia in the east. But unfortunately after murdering the aid worker they escaped.

In 2007, Puntland militia kidnapped a German citizen at Sanaag region of Somaliland. Somaliland Police supported by Army Forces freed the German citizen in very exceptional and well-planned operation.

During the last two of years Somaliland intelligence agents (Criminal Investigation Department) picked up over 15 jihadi terrorists with links to al-Qaeda as a part of the international war on terror.

Security Service in Somaliland: The Somaliland Coastal Guard (SCG) frequently cooperates with the US and other international peace keeping forces stationed in Djibouti. SCG hunts Somali pirates at Somaliland water to ensure trouble-free movement in the region, particularly World Food Program (WFO) food aid to Somali refuges.

Both Ethiopia and Djibouti have diplomatic offices in Hargiesa. Somaliland recently signed a remarkable economic agreement with Ethiopia to allow the latter to use its Berbera Port. Ethiopian trucks carrying Ethiopian commercial goods pass through Somaliland territory peacefully.

In other hand, Hargiesa International Airport receives some 25 commercial aircrafts a day -- including Ethiopian Airways and Kenyan Regional Airways besides Somaliland owned private airlines. The airport authority in Hargiesa provides safety and security according to IATA regulations.

Somaliland has entire different departments of security including Home Land Security, Police, Jails Authority and Armed Forces.

Somaliland President Dahir Kahn delivered a famous speech in the House of Commons in London. He is the second Somaliland President address the British Parliament following Mr. Egal's address in 1960 in search of independence. Besides the British Parliaments, President Kahn has also addressed the Ethiopian and Djibouti parliaments.

In 2006, Somaliland President visited London and Washington and signed many MoU and agreements with Washington and London Administrations. To read more on the visit: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/58737

Human Rights in Somaliland: In Somaliland, no body is above the law including government officials, where elected parliament is major monitoring body in the country against any human rights violations and corruption.

Somaliland citizens and expatriates in Somaliland have equal access to Somaliland Courts and other Judiciary System, besides the social services like education and health services.

Somaliland Education syllabus is fully directed to the development of human right and dignity to promote the human respect as fundamental principle. It promotes understanding, tolerance and friendship among all its inhabitants regardless of religion or ethic. Parents or guardians have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Somaliland completely implements entire paragraphs UN Human Rights Declaration in Geneva. Somaliland is establishing it self as most peaceful nation worldwide. Minorities and Women get full rights as the constitution of Somaliland grants extra protection to women and children.

Diplomatic embargo alienates Somaliland from the World: Although Somaliland managed stability and continuity through its democratic policy, its foreign policy has been paralyzed by diplomatic embargo against Somaliland, where the international community realizes process, democracy and statehood in Somaliland but still remains blind and even refuses to hear the Somaliland voice of freedom.

For further information about how the international stubbornness on Somaliland paralyzed the human rights and democracy process, Please read the article: http://www.somalilandpatriots.com/news-3779.html

Somaliland democracy is patiently waiting the international community support before it is too late. Somaliland does not need financial support from the world but to accept their existence. Somaliland is working for creating better African in economy and environment. Somaliland is living without no loans from international donors, and they are planning to see Africa free of Loans.

Africa is reach continent with large of natural resources, Somaliland wants to lead Africa in utilizing their natural resources and stop waiting aid from outside world. Human rights are another factor of Somaliland, where Somaliland constitution implements Geneva declaration to assure that every human being gets enough care.

Somaliland state economy rapidly expanding

The Somaliland Ministry of Finance recently presented its budget for the upcoming 2008-09 fiscal year to the Hargeisa parliament, where, after thorough scrutinising, it was approved of.

Somaliland's new annual budget has a total frame of US$ 51 million. While this represents one of the world's smallest national budgets, it is nevertheless seen as a big achievement for a state that has not been recognised by any nation. Somaliland in 1991 dissolved its 1960 union with the rest of Somalia, and has since that established full-fledged democratic institutions, a national currency and a banking sector.

With political stability and internal peace, the Somalilander economy has been steadily on the rise, despite the lack of foreign recognition. Its unrecognised status has also meant that Somaliland's government cannot get access to international credits. While Somaliland thus avoids the debt trap, it however keeps budgets very low.

While domestic economic growth has led to a somewhat greater revenue base for the Hargeisa government, this year's budget increase is mostly based on increased international engagement in this only peaceful and stable corner of Somalia. Somaliland recently reached an agreement with the World Bank and donor nations on a five-year Reconstruction and Rehabilitation programme worth around US$ 550 million dollars, which is to help improve infrastructure, economy and social facilities.

According to the Somalilander government, "the budgetary increase of 27 percent from last year is to accommodate with in the budget the rising world food prices that also affected Somaliland and provide gradual planned pay increases for government workers, increasing government support to higher education institutions, health services and rural developments."

While Somaliland spends relatively great amounts on defence - a consequence of constant war threats from other parts of Somalia - the Hargeisa government has a good record regarding investments in social infrastructure, especially health and education services.

The new budget has been met by some criticism for its continued large spending on security, consuming around half of the national budget. Somaliland's armed forces also received the biggest budget increase this year. Critics hold government should spend more on health and education services, which still are very poor despite significant improvements.

In Somaliland, The Truth Prevailed

After the people of Somaliland regained their independence on 18th May 1990, they passed through difficult times where the enemies plotted plans to fail the nationhood of the country; the enemies created chaos between Somaliland tribes to create instability in the country. Majority of these opponents are jealousy Somalis, who misread the leadership of Somalia belongs to their tribe only and they led Somalia many years. The jealousies attack anybody, which they feel threat to their illicit believe of owning the leadership.

These illogic Somalis did not understand that if Somaliland rebuilds from the destruction by the Siyad Barre's men, and survives from the current chaos, which paralyzed the country will benefit them directly or indirectly. They always believe that if their part of Somalia fails then no other part should remain progressive and developed. Somalis call such people jealousy.

Djibouti is good example of the advantage of being out of the Somalia, Djibouti rejected to join Somalia after independence in 1977. Today, Djibouti is government running its own affairs freely and fairly. The wise leadership of Djibouti took right step in turning down the unity application, because if they are part of Somalia, they could have end up similar Somali chaos. Djibouti hosted many peace conferences for Somalis to solve their differences, and Somaliland if gets independence will be similar to Djibouti or better.

These Somalis, who reject Somaliland, should see Somaliland as successful example to pass the tribalism and clannish problems in Somalia. In Somaliland, the tribes, who fought each other badly, came together and solved their differences in order to establish better future for their children. This is unique quality, which is inside every Somali but utilizing such quality needs good thinking like Somaliland tribes. The eastern states of Somaliland, including Sool, eastern Sanaag, Buuhoodle, and Saraar did not join the development in Somaliland due to Puntland's interferences in Somaliland Affairs. But today, the people of these states understood and selected to join the democracy rather than tribalism.

Abdullah Yusuf, the leader of Majeertaniya - Puntland, claimed the eastern states of Somaliland by the name of tribalism. After winning majority of Majeerteen support, he formed the fake government - Puntland - in 1998. Abdullah Yusuf created Puntland to win the leadership of Somalia, and he did. He had no intension of developing neither the people nor Puntland. Today, he is in Mogadishu dreaming to lead Somalia under gun point of Ethiopia.

The enemies of Somaliland exaggerated the recent political deadlock between the Somaliland Opposition Parties and the Government. The enemies told the world that Somaliland is disintegrating; they told current deadlock will be the finishing of Somaliland; they tried to hide the reality in Somaliland that people, government and opposition parties have common goal, to protect the integrity and stability of the country.

On 3rd June 2008, Somaliland Opposition Parties and Ruling Party signed history deal, rescheduling the election timetable up to April 2009. Somaliland has objectives of registering its citizens before the next election, which is very rare plan in Africa. Today, in Africa, there are very few countries doing free and fair elections like Somaliland. But this never happened in Somali history.

The enemies failed to understand that our political difference don't reflect from our national interest. In Somaliland, national interest and promoting democracy is top priority among Opposition and the Government.

Somaliland is the first Somali-speaking nation in the history to have free and fair democracy. Somaliland has Opposition (Kulmiya and UCID) and ruling party UDUB. The opposition has majority in the Parliament and Speaker of the Parliament is from the opposition. The ruling party UDUB won 2003 Presidential election in 80 votes over Kulmiya. This is free and fair election. There are similarities between Somaliland and USA democracies, where opposition rules the Parliament House in both the countries.

The President of Somaliland comes on election and goes by voting. Tribalism has no place in Somaliland election because the current President of Somaliland Dahir Riyale Kahin is not from the tribe "Isaaq", which the enemies always accuse for overlooking and forcing the other non-Isaaq tribes to remain within Somaliland. The enemies sometimes call Somaliland as Isaaq-Land. The president invalidated such illogic claims by the enemies to downgrade Somaliland independence and democracy.

Somaliland people solve their difference on roundtable and discussions, Somaliland succeeded to create unique form of problem solving. This shows the world, Somaliland people have one common objective "To Keep Somaliland Independent", which always leads them to settle their differences. In Somaliland, national interest is important than tribe unlike Somalia, where Abdullah Yusuf of Majeerteen is killing the Hawiyo civilians on bases of old bad-feelings between the two tribes - Hawiyo and Majeerteen.

After observing 2003 Somaliland Presidential election, the South African Observer Mission on Somaliland Presidential Election of 14th April 2003 issued statement on In other hand the Norwegian Electoral Observers Mission by Berit Nissing Lindeman and Stig Jarle Hansen issued statement on freeness and fairness of Somaliland Election on These were all positive reports on Somaliland election result.

This is Somaliland democracy and the world narrates; it is unique democracy in Africa and Middle East; the UN, EU, AU, IGAD and Arab League should support these hardworking citizens