Northern Somali Unionist
Movement (NSUM)

NSUM Submission on the Situation in Somalia

To Congressman Donald Payne,
Chairman,  The Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health
2310 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, District of Columbia 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman;

As you are aware, relations between nations and peoples have their ups and downs and those between our country and yours are no exception. While Somalis everywhere have high regards for the American people for their generosity and goodwill, the policies of the previous US administration under President Bush have however left deep scars in the collective Somali conscience and for good reasons. Far from helping them in ending their civil strife and reviving their failed State, the Bush Administration, blindly wedded to its global war on terror, has first supported the nefarious warlords who ravaged Somalia for over a decade and subsequently backed Ethiopia’s barbaric invasion of Somalia.

Apart from causing incalculable humanitarian catastrophe, all  that these actions have achieved was to perpetuate the fragmentation of Somalia and to inadvertently catapult sky high the profile and fortunes of the dreaded menace the Bush Administration was trying to forestall or defeat, namely Islamic fanaticism, a creed hitherto alien to the moderate Islam practised by most Somalis.

Hopefully, the end of the Bush Administration may herald a new propitious era for our relations.  As practical and pragmatic people conditioned by their harsh environment, Somalis are fortunately not prisoners of their bitter past experiences and are ever ready to respond to new windows of opportunities when these present themselves. And this is what the new Obama administration and your own committee, under your wise leadership, represent for Somalia as it faces critical cross-roads. The hearing on Somalia recently organised by your Committee under your competent chairmanship has undoubtedly sent a welcome and resonating message to all Somalis: that your committee and the Obama administration are committed to helping Somalia stand once again on its own feet as a functioning polity and take its rightful place among the ranks of the world’s sovereign nation States.

The challenges ahead

In facing the inevitable challenges of your noble Somalia mission, Mr. Chairman, you can count, on the positive side, on the forthright collaboration of the peace-loving and unity –supporting people of Somalia, who represent the overwhelming majority in the country as a whole and in each of its regions. On the negative side, you will also have to sadly contend, as you have already witnessed during the committee hearing, with downright opposition from a single clan-based minority who see the return of peace and unity to Somalia as their doom and who pursue the secession of the NW region (former British Somaliland) from Somalia - which they now temporarily dominate militarily in the absence of a functioning national Somali government - as the only option ensuring their unchallenged hegemony over the other four clans in that region.

The unspoken secessionists’ crave for a separate state from the rest of Somalia is rooted on an irrational mindset to the effect that they were once part of a separate country under British rule and that they have a God-given right as a clan to unilaterally revoke the nearly 50 year-old union even if they have to impose it by force against the wish of the other four majority clans in the NW region and in defiance of the rest of Somalia. If they are true to their customary public relations offensives, you will also be bombarded with their usual concocted, spurious claims to what they consider as their inalienable right to secession which all amount to a load of hocus-pocus aimed at hoodwinking international public opinion.

The genesis of the Somali nation

 The secessionist scourge plaguing Somalia can best be seen for the misguided deviance it is only when there is full awareness of the genesis of the Somali nation and its struggle for independence and unity. Thus, a point of departure for this genesis is the fact that the irresistible desire for the union of former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland did not come about overnight in July 1960 at the behest of politicians but was the true aspiration of the Somali people. Its realisation therefore was the fulfilment of a century-old dream to do away with the artificial boundaries imposed when colonialists partitioned the Somali homeland in the Horn of Africa into five parts in the late 19th Century.

This irreversible quest for union was not surprising given that the people in Somalia, as in the rest of the Somali homeland in the Horn, are the most homogenous people in the whole of Sub-Sahara Africa, sharing the same religion, language, culture and common ethnicity. This was the driving force for Somali irredentism and the aspiration of Greater Somalia which some may write off as dead and others see it as dormant but never dead. Much as the secessionists may not welcome being reminded, it should be recalled that the drive for the union was even stronger among their folk in former British Somaliland.

The arbitrary colonial boundaries meant that a specific Somali clan could belong to more than one colonial territory. Thus, some of the clans in British Somaliland had stronger blood ties with clans across the artificial colonial boundaries, for example Italian Somaliland, than they had, or now have, with the other clans in the former British territory. Since a specific Somali clan could be found in two or more of these five Somaliland(s),an individual  Somali could cross the border and be the subject of more than one colonial powers.Hence, those clans in British Somaliland were only a microcosm of most of the major Somali clans in the Horn.  This then puts to rest the preposterous secessionist claim that they belong to a distinct “Somaliland” territory, which is different from all the other four Somaliland(s) under colonial rule. Literally and by definition, any Somali territory is “Somaliland” and its inhabitants are “Somalilander”.

The only common agreement between the different clans in British Somaliland was that once independence was granted by Britain, it was for the sole purpose of uniting with Italian Somaliland and not to exist as a separate independent country. And it is on this basis that Great Britain granted independence on the 26 of June 1958.When the British flag was lowered for the last time on the night of independence, it was Somalia’s blue five-pointed star flag that was hoisted in its place, and Somalia’s pre-independence adopted national anthem that was played. Although the customary congratulatory pleasantries were conveyed to the 4 day-old Somaliland government under Prime Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, no single foreign government had recognised it contrary to the mendacious claim by the secessionists.

Historical Revisionism

 Since they declared their secession in May 1991, the secessionists have stopped at nothing to rewrite history or make a travesty of the facts in order to justify their treacherous cause. The following extract in bold is from a letter recently sent to you by a member of the Somaliland American Guild which is typical of the secessionist mantra:

1. “Somaliland was an independent nation with internationally delineated boundaries and was recognized by 34 nations including 5 permanent members”.

As mentioned earlier, this claim is groundless. Suffice it to say no government in its right mind would recognise a government whose life was only 4 days and thereafter completely disappear. A phantom state can not have delineated boundaries.

2. “Somaliland existed before Somalia was granted independence. Once Somalia achieved independence, Somaliland then initiated a Union with Somalia for a greater “Somali Republic”.

Right, but so what? How does this fact legitimise the secession?

3. “This Union was never legally formed thus never bound Somaliland to perpetuity”.

This claim is absolutely baseless. All the necessary legal requirements were undertaken.

4. “Somaliland never relinquished her right to restore her independence at any point.”

This is preposterous. How can a country that voluntarily united with another and went through all the necessary legal motions, and recognised as such by the international community had maintained her right to restore its independence?. This mindset is typical of the secessionists and how live in a world of make-belief.

5. “The Somaliland public voted overwhelmingly - on more than one occasion - to rescind the union».

 It is true that a sham referendum was held in the secessionist heartland. But it was boycotted in most of the NW region (Somaliland). Such self-serving exercise does not confer legitimacy. Only a referendum approved by parliament and the government and held in the whole of Somalia can decide whether any particular region or clan should secede from the Union. Should the vote be in favour of the secessionists, which is almost improbable, the secession will be confined to those who want to secede and would not of course include those unionist regions, like Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC), who have no truck with the secession.

 6. “Somaliland's case is unique in that the recognition of Somaliland will not set precedent or infringe upon African Union protocol or convention. There are no other formerly independent and recognized nations seeking to exit a union or reclaim independence”

The AU Charter is deadly against any infringement on the territorial integrity of any of its member States. Somaliland’s recognition in defiance of the stance of the Somali government would simply amount to a contravention of the AU Charter.  In any case, Somaliland may have been independent for 4 days but has never been recognised by anyone. If that was not the case, let secessionists name them.

7. “Somaliland fulfils all requirements for statehood; a) the nation has a permanent population, b) had been independent once before, c) has a clearly defined territory and d) Somaliland - without formal recognition - continues to enter formal and informal relations with other nations and organizations”

The first point is that only one clan among the five clans in the NW region supports the secession. The rest, and in particular those in Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) regions, have nothing to do with the secession. Secondly, Somaliland has no permanent population. Half the population of the area if not more are at anyone time across the border in Ethiopia or the rest of Somalia. Thirdly, “Somaliland” has no defined country since it has no recognition for any claimed territory from the Somali government, the rest of the Somalis and the international community. Finally, it may have certain relations with Ethiopia but only in so far as it serves Ethiopia’s interest. Otherwise, Ethiopia is the last country to recognise the secessionists since such an action would be an open invitation for its rebellious regions to follow suit.

The danger of the secession

Mr. Chairman,:

Devoid of any other legitimate justifications for its secession, Somaliland can only exploit to the full its well groomed and articulated image of being a peaceful and democratic beacon in contrast to the endless mayhem in Southern Somalia. These cosmetic pretensions will have to be seen for the crude publicity gimmick they are. No region in Somalia has monopoly of peaceful existence or warmongering. “Somaliland” itself has been through years of bloody internecine inter-clan war. The contentious forthcoming election could set the place ablaze one again. Inter clan clashes are once again on the rise.

In defence of the South, it is should be remembered that the area and the national capital, Mogadishu, have been for many years the most peaceful places in Africa. And when it comes to democracy, Somalia, then under Southern leaders, has been the leader in Africa in the 1960s until the military takeover of government in 1969. Sooner or later, peace and stability will return to the South. The question is how long Somaliland’s phoney peaceful pretensions will last? The writing is on the wall.

For one thing, the Islamist movement is equally strong in the North ( Puntland and Somaliland), if not more so, as they are in the Southern Somalia. Somaliland’s secession and Ethiopia’s de facto control of these two nominally Somalia regions are at the root of the swelling of the Islamist ranks in these regions. The suicide bombings that took place last year in Hargeisa and Boosaaso are a harbinger of what is to come unless the underlying causes propelling the Islamists, such as the secession and Ethiopian hegemony over much of Somalia, are addressed.

But there are other reasons why the deceptive peace in “Somaliland” could be the lull before the gathering war clouds. For one thing, the SSC regions are most likely to resort to armed struggle, having despaired of a peaceful end to the occupation of their regions by Somaliland militia since October 2007.Equally, a future effective Somali government is bound to intervene militarily to end the secession if peaceful dialogue leads no where. .Somaliland is not the oasis of peace it claims but could turn out to be Somalia’s Biafra or Katanga with all the connotations these past tragic secessions in the 1960s embody.

Outside Somalia, the secession and its concomitant fallout, Islamic fanaticism, could destabilise fragile neighbouring countries and the rest of Africa wherever ethnic, tribal and religious schisms could easily be triggered. It is in the interest of all concerned that this secession is ended as soon as possible before it gets deeper roots, making its future uprooting that much more difficult and costlier. In this regard, aid which is the lifeline for Somaliland should have been used both as a stick and carrot in order to end the secession. Instead, international organisations and aid agencies have pampered the separatists as if it deserved reward for its illegal secession. Under the circumstance, all peace-loving and union supporting Somalis hail you, Mr. Chairman,  for your initiative and the attention you are giving to our country. The Northern Somalia Unionist Movement (NSUM), established to defend Somali unity, calls upon all Somali stakeholders in your noble mission to provide you all the cooperation you need.

Please accept Mr Chairman the assurances of our higher considerations.

NSUM Executive Committee
July 13, 2009

--------------------------------
Northern Somali Unionist Movement (NSUM) is a grass roots Somali organization whose members and supporters hail from Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions in the Northern regions of Somalia(formerly British Somaliland)  and whose clan in these regions do not identify with the one -clan-driven secession calling themselves” Somaliland”. NSUM stands for the promotion of peace and unity among the long-suffering people of Somalia.

NSUM_infoDesk
Web: www.n-sum.org
Email:admin@n-sum.org____________________________________________________________________________

We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on WardheerNews.com
So please email your article today Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author
and do not necessarily reflect the views of WardheerNews
Maqaalkani wuxuu ka turjumayaa aragtida Qoraaga loomana fasiran karo tan WardheerNews 

Copyright © 2009 Wardheernews.com