Dear Readers,

I thought perhaps I should penned this essay, in-order to define for my own personal clarifications or perusal in-terms of the larger question of our time; in which in turn, I thought, perhaps egotistically that I should share with you, once I have reached the points I was groping towards, particularly in so far as to what socio-historical as well as political significance, does this independence day of May 18th, should have for us Somalilanders every where in the world.

But before I detained you with my particular take of this argument, let me firstly say, as the opening remark of what is to follow in here, that may we all hope that the sons and the daughters of the fallen heroes of our nation(i.e. Somaliland Republic), never should they have something to regret the sacrifice their fathers had made on all our behalf, by the manner we manage the affairs of our destiny in the fullness of time; in the sense of what our tomorrow should be like; given that they, as the fallen of our land, have gave theirs in the yesterdays battlefield of destiny for our posterity of tomorrow.

By that I mean, although the rough and tumble of politics that is particularly practice in our neck-of-the-wood in the horn-of-Africa(i.e., Somaliland Republic), or for that matter in much of the third-world political scene, will always exasperate even the most serenely-incline fellow in our midst; but, when the night is old, and the annals of history is to be read openly for the benefits of future generations, what counts in that most unforgiving moment of time, is not, the small matter of Mr. Rayale's legendary incompetence as alleged constantly by the opposition parties(which I am not disputing in any way whatsoever); or come to think of it, that of Opposition's conniving agenda of winning the seat of the presidency in any manner to hand, fair of foul; but that of most existential question of all time and in all political seasons; namely, as to who, had the foremost "Political Wisdom" to bargained for oneself and for one's nation, the privilege of writing one's own destiny unencumbered by anybody's tender appeals or for that matter any other person's political machinations.

Consequently, if one where to understand the larger argument that is at stake in here and deeds of sacrifice, that is required for the sake of the privilege of having that destiny of one's own making, then one will in no doubt, understand the difference between doings of a group of politicians(who are essentially here today gone tomorrow), and the national destiny of Somaliland that millions yet unborn shall have in their day.

This is essentially the motivating engine of my belief in Somaliland Republic's right to exist, not that I am indifferent to monstrous doings of either Mr. Rayale and his ministers, or come to think of it, that of the opposition groups; but I am mature enough, and "Historically-incline" enough to understand the differences between the furious argument of party-political kind that can be had in any given day in Somaliland, and the requirement of the national destiny that millions who are yet to be born shall have in their day.

Thirdly, couple of days ago in preparations of today 18th of May National Independence day jamboree; I though perhaps, I should reread some of the historical document that I had collected through out the years, and consequently, I went to downstairs in my house, where I have my little fully-stock library that I had established in my house here in London, and I subsequently went to fetch some historical document for my personal perusal(just to while away the night and perhaps see to it, if I can retraced the missteps that some of the Somaliland politicians have made in their day with the destiny of their people).

Some of these documents I had found them and photocopied it from the British Public Record Office in Kew here in UK, where they keep all of the British governmental Document that exist, particularly most of historical documents all the way back to the middle ages.

However this particular document that I felt the urge to reread was detailing, the negotiations between the British government officials, headed by Mr. Ian Macloed, who was the Secretary of State for the Colonies under Prime-Minister Mr. Harold Macmillan's conservative government of that year of 1960; and the Somaliland's delegation, headed by Mr. M. I. Egal, who was the head of the Somaliland delegation who came to London in April of 1960, in-order to finalised Somaliland's independence from the British colonial authority.

Subsequently, whilst I was reading that document, in-order to re-evaluate some of the historical mistake(or an unmitigated political blunder as Napoleon would of called it, if he was around at that time) that Somaliland politicians had made in that time(i.e., 1960), I came upon some of the advised that Mr. Macloed(The British Secretary of State for the Colonies) had gave to that Somaliland delegation who went to meet the British government in "Lancaster House"(where the negotiations was taken place), during those crucial moments of history, whereby the destiny of Somaliland and her independence from the British was in the balanced.

And he - Mr. Macloed - distinctly said, as I can read from these documents in front of me, to Mr. M. I. Egal and to the other members of the Somaliland delegation who was with him in that meetings(they were four of them in all), wait for at least a year, as an independent State of your own(i.e., Somaliland Republic); if not, wait for Six month, before you make any fundamental political decision in regard to whether to join with the Italian Somalia or not; and Mr. Egal reply was, he can't do that because his people back home, are impatient for the "Political Unification" with the rest of the Somali People in the Italian Somalia; again, Mr. Macloed came back with another suggestion; which was, OK, why don't you wait for a three months period in that case then, and in the meantime, we - The British government - will be sending to you in Hargeisa, the best legal brain we have in here(at the foreign and the colonial office), so that the negotiations between the two side - i.e., North and South or in the sense of Somaliland vs. Somalia - will be conducting in an equal political and legal playing field; because, the south(i.e., the Italian Somalia) had a UN's paid Italian Civil servants and Lawyers to help them to draw up the unification agreement with their counterpart in Somaliland(and hence, that is where Mr. Contini, who was the legal advisor to the President Mr. Adan Adde came into the picture); but to no avail, and his advised to the Somaliland delegation was not taken up as they should of have.

For the Somaliland delegations who were meeting with the British government said, and I quote in full: "That we are all Somalis, and we'll find a means to come to a common political agreement with our brothers in the Italian Somalia"; again, Mr. Macloed came back with helpful political suggestion for Somaliland Delegation who were sitting across the table in front of him in that meeting, and he said, and I quote him in here in full:

"....As the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, as well as someone who knows the Somali people very well, I do not for one moment doubt that you as Somalis from the British Somaliland share one culture and religion as well as custom/language/familial-ties and common socio-historical inheritance with your brothers in Italian Somalia; but the case you, as the future politicians of Somaliland, must made aware of, is this fact which is, what is uniting is not a two brotherly people(although it may sound to you that to be the case), but a two "Political States" in the legal terms of that word, with all of the constitutional consequences that will entail...."

His father by the way, incidentally was a colonial officer in Kenya, and he came contact with the Somalis in Kenya during his young adulthood there, as well as the fact that he, himself, was once upon time, a British journalist who covered for a various British broadsheet newspaper during the Dervishes uprising in Somaliland in the early 20th century, and he was stationed in hargeisa during those time.

And he went on to indicate, for the benefit of Somaliland Delegation who was meeting with him, that It's like someone saying let us put the contents of your house to that of mine; and in that case, the first thing you need is the legal document, thoroughly debated and constructed by both parties, and I fear he said that you may be found wanting in that regard, for you seemed to be in a consuming haste to conclude "Political Agreement" with your brothers in the Italian Somalia.

Again that suggestion was not given the due weighty consideration that it had warranted from the political elite's of Somaliland, and in essence the political leaders of the then Somaliland delegation had ignored that; for they have decided to go to Mogadishu, soon after they return from that meeting in London with an empty hand(in the sense of having no political cards of their owns to play with across the table with their counterpart in Somalia); in-order to reach an agreement with leaders of Italian Somalia, particularly with elite's and the ruling members of the SYL internal government of Italian Somalia of that time.

For those of you who want to know, as to who this Mr. Contini chap was, may I say briefly that he was a figure of unsurpassed political and legal ingenuity where Somalis of Italian Somalia is concern; and he was essentially what made the difference in-terms of Somaliland and Somalia's institutional advantages is concern(in the sense of given the elite's of Italian Somalia a hefty political and legal advantage over their counterpart from Somaliland); particularly when the political negotiation dice between the two side(i.e., Somaliland vs. Somalia) was still finely balanced in the air and all was there to play for.

However be that as it may, it's suffice to say in here that some of his political footwork, was the idea of writing the "Act of Union" between the two side in Italian alone, particularly the one that was eventually adopted as the final one without the approval of the Somaliland's parliamentarians; secondly, also he came up with the idea of disregarding the original intent of the Northerner's version of that same "Act of Union" in it's entirety; thirdly, he had also essentially engineered the political agenda that guaranteed that the Constitutional Referendum of 1961 should be counted across the whole country(that is the whole of Somali Republic as one national vote), instead of counting them in a manner of the reality of the time, which was the existing jurisdiction of Somaliland and Somalia respectively; lastly but not least, he also advised President of the Somali Republic of that time, namely Mr. Aden Adde in 1961, that to asked the Somalilanders(or Northerners, as they were then known) of that time whether the said "Act of the Union" should be ratify in public referendum, will be tantamount of nullifying it; because by that time as every one knew the citizens of Somaliland where looking forward to of either re-balancing politically the union itself in-terms of representations (i.e., in the sense of increasing number Somaliland Parliamentarians at the National Assembly of the Somali Republic of that time); or failing that they were preparing themselves for an exit legal strategy from the said Union. Consequently at that point, the said Mr. Contini hit a bright idea in which he advised president of the Republic Mr. Aden Adde with it.

That idea was not to bother with the ratification of the "Act of the Union" as a standard alone legal document, for the northerners will turn it down in a beat; and he said it the best thing to do is to circumvent that eventual political reality, by way of attaching the approval of the "Act of the Union" with the newly-written constitution(i.e., 1961 constitution) together; and subsequently make the two of them in one document that could be put before the public, so that one could not be turned down without the other; and in case, the northerners are still incline to turned the whole thing down; then in that case, we should just move the goal post a bit further down the road(in the sense of making difficult for Somalilanders to nullified the Union between the two States of Somalia and Somaliland). And by that he meant it, that the government should be denying the separate need for the counting of the votes of the constitutional referendum in-terms of the two-existing and separate legal Jurisdiction of Somaliland and Somalia respectively; consequently, in here is where the idea of massive Vote-Rigging inconjunction of the name of Wanla-Weyn had entered the political lexicon of the Somali People).

Because, as he - Mr. Contini - had reasoned eloquently, that if this method of "Vote-Counting"(more like a blatant vote-rigging in action) were to be employ for the Constitutional Referendum, then the need to count the votes in separately(i.e., in-terms of Somaliland vs. Somalia), was essentially out of the window; and hence the reason, even though the rejection votes in Somaliland for that constitution in 1961 referendum was overwhelming, but still the government said the constitution was carried affirmatively in handsome proportion(because the votes was counted across the country and hence the Somaliland's rejection of the whole thing was overwhelmed by the rest of the new country of the Somali Republic, which means effectively the votes of Somaliland's regions has been nullified in that referendum by the votes from the Six(6) regions of Italian Somalia).

Therefore, the government of the day, had proclaimed brazenly that the "Act of Union" between the two states of Somalia and Somaliland, as well as the new constitution of the Somali Republic was legally ratified in full in the every region of the whole of the Somali Republic(in-terms of both Somaliland and Somalia, respectively); given that, as they have reasoned this way, which was that the "Act of Union" was the first preamble of the said constitution; consequently if you pass the said constitution, then in an ipso-facto kind, you had also passed the other legal document which was the "Act of Union", regardless of whether Somaliland had turned it the whole thing or not.

This is the sort atmospheric background that essentially was the ingredient that had created the failed military coup in Somaliland in 2nd December of 1961; and essentially the struggle of the Somaliland nation has been through the ebbs-and-flows of history ever since that time(according to our "Version of History", and consequently one could say, in all seriousness, that never did we gave up the hope, that Somaliland will be one day politically resurrected, regardless as how long it takes, and what toll of sacrifice may be paid for in the meantime, in-order to attained it); subsequently Gen. Siad Barre and his murderous agenda of the genocide sort, was essentially the last nail of the Coffin of Somali-weyn's political appeal or aspirations, in so far as we - i.e., Somalilanders - are concern.

Now, does that mean, I am here trying to convinced the likes who passionately believes the idea of Somaliweyn camp in the rightfulness of my case in so far as Somaliland is concern; not at all, far from it; I did that recounting of historical events in so far as we are concern in-order to merely to indicate, that idea of one man political aspirations is another man myopic and clannish agenda; and hence, why as I sincerely believe that one man historical vindication is another man historical tragedy.

For we in Somaliland, today of all day, are celebrating the final culmination of our historical vindication that essentially started in 2nd of December of 1961; when the a few brave military officers from Somaliland Scout Regiment(SSR), who were the citizens of Somaliland of that time, seen through all the mirrors and the smoke of "Somali-Weyn" political agenda; and decided that it was a historical mistake to throw away the fruits that was on our lap, which was what we had in the 26th of June of 1960(namely the Somaliland's legal sovereignty); for the hope of eating the yet-to-matured fruits that were hanging tantalisingly in a distant tree(which was the Pan-Somalis Irredentism and it's political hope of uniting fairly the whole of the Somali people of the horn-of-Africa's region as whole).

And ever since that day, the struggle of our cause, has seen a various stages of political maturity as well as various setbacks, or even come to think of it, a various stages of fulfilment. For example sometime during the early and mid sixties(1960s); there was hope that a political rearrangement can be had in-order to square the union between Somalia and Somaliland in a more equal footing politically; and that is why some had hope during Mr. M. I. Egal's premiership of the Somali Republic in late Sixties(1960s) that political discussions and various other correction to the political equations of the Republic itself can be had(in the sense of number of political representations between Somalia and Somaliland), particularly given that it was hoped then during the second term of his premiership(i.e., 1969-1974) that something along that line can be done; however, as we all know by now, Gen. Siad Barre had other ideas for the Somali Republic's destiny, and hence the reason as to why, we are today, where we are politically as a Somali people.

All of this may not make sense to those who are against the mere idea of Somaliland Republic; but to us, here is how we see ourselves; which is we see ourselves, firstly as a re-emerging political state, which incidentally, as it so happens, it was a sheer historical fluke(in which much of it can be viewed as a political misjudgement that can be laid at the feet of Somaliland's elites of that time of 1960) that made that political idea of Somaliland's legal right to exist a dormant political concept through out much of next thirty(30) odd years of the Somali Republic's existence(i.e., namely from 1960 - 1991); only to reawaken itself in that glorious day of 18th of May in 1991(I hope you have noticed, that we do not considered ourselves as a Somali Clans with a political grievances, as some of the Somali-Weyn's camp consider us; for in the final analysis, although I hate to disappoint those on the other side of the barricade, but we couldn't care less of your description of our cause).

We also consider ourselves as a "Nation-State" who foolishly, once-upon-time, had thrown away a golden opportunity to be independent state of their own making.

Secondly, we considered ourselves that we paid heavily for our national destiny with a sufficient bound of flesh and it's concomitantly copious litres of our own blood, in-order to attained what we have today, namely Somaliland Republic(with international recognition or without it!!).

Thirdly; we believe that till the booming call of the end of time, we shall remain with steadfast manner - if we can helped it both militarily and socially as well as consciously - the right, nay, I say the forceful right for Somaliland Republic to exist.

In a nutshell, in so far as we are concern, we won our victory at the battlefield of history in broad-day light in which all were invited to bare witness to; and we are not, nor will we ever be interesting, to entertained the soiled and unconvincing appeal of those, we consider, that the grand sweep of Somali History had made them to view our particular "Vindicating History" that we are so singularly proud of, as that of "Historical Tragedy" that had befallen on to the Somali people in every where of the Horn-of-Africa.

And day like this one, will forced one to say to oneself, as to why would one bother or even attempt to make an easy bedfellow, between these two diametrically opposite view of reading history.

For a "Historical Tragedy"(which is how Somali-weyn's believers view the existence of Somaliland Republic), will not meet in this side of eternity with that of "Historical vindication"(which is how we as a Somalilanders view our right to exist as an independence statehood of our own).

And hence; whenever one runs into the Somali-Weyn Believers, one can with his closed eyes recount the tale, of "Political Somalinimo" in the sense of them appealing to you for the retention of the Somali Republic of old; in which they will try to serenaded to you.

Only for me to reply, my father was the one of the naive and unworldly Somalilanders who believe in all of this Somali-Weyn's nonsense in a heartfelt manner in 1960; and subsequently he went for the ride of his life, in so far as he was concern when he saw that political concept of Somali-weyn(i.e., in the sense of Somali-Weyn as it existed it in the form of the Somali Republic) in action for the thirty years(1960-1991) of it's existence; which was the time when that political idea was the fact on the ground within the Somali's territories of the horn-of-Africa.

But in so far I am concern, my replies would be no worries mate, my political motto is: Somaliland to my last dying days; and consequently all else in the meantime, is the means to make that fact on the ground(i.e., the existence of Somaliland Republic) ever more irrevocable as it can be made.

And Finally, may I say one word of advise to those Somalilanders every where in the world, who are celebrating this independence day and what it all supposed to mean for us; and that is:

"A Gift Of Nationhood Is Very Precious Commodity To Hold On To, Less Your National Destiny Becomes A Moveable Pieces On The Political Chessboard For Others To Play With It Endlessly To Your Detriment".

And if you doubt this centuries-old wisdom, which is essentially a mind-searingly and an undeleteable ink that will remain as a residue to the collective memory of any nation, particularly to one who has seen it's history as a social parable of a struggle to established itself as a "Nation-State" against overwhelming odds, then in that case, may I ask you, to question the nearest Palestinian that you could run into, who could be your acquaintance, particularly in-terms of meaning of "Nationhood" that one can called his own.

And I am sure, that person will surely recalled with horror the mistakes one's parents had made on one's behalf, when it comes to 1948 tragedy, or as the Palestinians called it the "Catastrophe"; which was when en-massed they as a Palestinians people decided to vacate their land and their country for the Jews in the hope of fighting another day; only for them to became wanderers of the world to this day.

Of course our case is completely different, than that of the helpless palestinians of our time, but the moral lesson is the same, and is the fact of throwing away what is yours to begin with, for so cheaply a rewarding return; alas, my fellow Somalilanders, we paid our price in blood, we recovered out precious chestnut of national liberty and it's crowning nationhood; and finally we shall guard over it with all the might that we can muster.

Even if you take into account with all of the current political problems that we face today in Somaliland; and I am sure, we shall continue to face it tomorrow, which as it of itself, mind you, does not negate the idea of Independence of Somaliland Nationhood; less our young fellow Somalilanders, particularly those who support the opposition parties, namely that of Kulmiye may confused the idea of the right of Somaliland to exist in political terms and the current incumbent leader of Somaliland, namely Mr. Rayale; given that it seemed to me clearly that some of our young fellows in the diaspora, who are Kulmiye supporters thinks because of Mr. Rayale is in the presidency seat of Somaliland; then perhaps we should reconsider our relentless pursuit of nationhood in-terms of the campaigning of the recognition of our Statehood.

However, given that our friends in the Somali-Weyn's camp, consider Somaliland's mere existence as that of "Historical Tragedy" that had happened to the political agenda of the Somali Republic, in the sense of the Somali Republic's territorial intanctness to which they believe Somaliland will dismembered it(as if that isn't our considered political intention to begin with).

Then in that case; one can understand the need to humour those, that their lot is to be starring in the face constantly a tragedy of historical proportion; and hence, I, as a Somalilander, whenever I see another furious and heartfelt denunciations towards Somaliland in the various Somali Internet Website; I secretly smile to myself, not on the account of me being a callous git; No, far from it, but on the account of the realisation that this consecutive pinpricks that never cease to stop, are essentially from the Socially-wounded psyche of those members of Somali-weyn's groupies who hold and harbour intently the defeated political argument of out time, in so far as we Somalilanders are concern; namely, as to why we would ever consider the deeds of yesterdays that my father's generations had take part in it, is something worth repeating today for my generations(in the sense of revisiting the political idea of Somali-weyn, once again in this year of 2005, after we have left it behind in May of 1991, with the sheer effort of our own much-bloodied hands!!).

As well as to why the present-day Somaliland Republic should ever consider to form a political "Reunion" with what is known as the Somalia of the present day(either in the form of the "Federal Malarkey" concept of the Building-Block Theory as proposed by Pundlanders and others, or for that matter some other form of political reunion.

And hence again, I should say that, one must make allowances of those fellows in our midst; lest they find difficult burden to carry this tragic rope around their neck, for as I recalled Mr. Churchill once said this, which was:

"....In war: Resolution. In Defeat: Defiance. In Victory: Magnanimity. In Peace: Goodwill...."

Consequently, since our cause as well as we, as Somalilanders, are those who are "Victorious" in the battlefield of history, in so far as political ideas of our time is concen(in the sense of Somaliland vs. Somaliweyn), that the Somali people of the horn-of-Africa had bared witness to; then in that case, it's incumbent on all of us as Somalilanders, to be touch "Magnanimous" towards those History, in it's infinite wisdom, had made their cause that of "Politically Defeated" agenda of our time, in so far as we as Somalilanders are concern.

And if arguing endlessly and circuitously as to why we - i.e., Somalilanders - should stay with them in that defunct and non-existent union that used to be known as the Somali Republic, is the only way our friends in Somalia can make a purposeful and a useful meaning to their much troubled destiny, or indeed if that constant debate within the Somali internet site, could help them to anchored their way out of the political graveyard that they find themselves in at this juncture of time; then I say, why should we begrudged them, for Magnanimity in action is the least we could do for them, since they are our Somali brothers across the political divide of our time.

Subsequently, this needed psychological relieve basin, in the sense of the various internet site that basically catered for this particular assignment of talking down Somaliland's achievements and it's meaning, whereby those who so singularly dislike Somaliland can fire away and vomit all of that bent up anger that they harbour for Somaliland, is the least of a human service that we as Somalilanders can provide for them.

Therefore, let us all hope, when their head is clear from clouding anger that they harboured towards us(which is after they have relieved of themselves at our expense in the far corners of the internet cyberspace), they could then settle down in-order to sort their political backyard, such as asking themselves these sort of questions, along the lines of who essentially need whom(in the sense of figuring out, as to whether it is the present-day Somalia who needs Somaliland Republic or is it Somaliland that needs Somalia).

And most importantly, they should be asking themselves this important question, which is why don't they - i.e., as a citizens of Somalia(South) - proceed to sort their political troubles in their own country; instead of crying after Somaliland under the disguise of the "Political Uniqueness of Somalinimo", in the sense of oneness of the Somali language, oneness of our Somali culture, and all the other Malarkey that Somaliweyn's believers never get tired to list on our behalf, as to why we(i.e., Somaliland and Somalia) should belong together in a one Nation-State.

As if that political unique factors(i.e., in the sense of that famous socio-anthropological homogeneity of the Somali people) will preclude from the Somalis of the horn-of-Africa, the idea of having not only two or three, but any number of political Nation-State that Somalis may deemed politically fit for themselves(like the citizens of Austria and the Germany, who practically share everything like the Somalis were said to be; but still had the political wisdom to live in a two seperately-governed "Nation-States" of their own making).

And Finally, I hope that we as a Somalilanders, in pursuit of that line of analogical reasoning(like the Austrians and the Germans national decisions to live in two separate state of their own), genuinely should work towards the fulfilment that will guarantee that Somaliland Republic will be first amongst the equal politically independent "Nation-States" that the Somali people of the horn-of-Africa's region can and should have for the benefit of their posterity in this 21th century of ours.

Regards,
Mr. A. Ismail.

AliIsmail04@aol.com
London, UK.

Copyright © 2005 Wardheernews.com