By Liban Ahmad
The clashes between Somaliland Police and people in Las Anod last week caused the death of three people, the storming of the regional police station and the destruction of Somaliland authority vehicles. Clashes came after a spate of killings and assassination attempts rocked Las Anod the last four weeks. Religious leaders in Las Anod have called for Somaliland authorities to protect people against assassins or allow them to protect themselves.
It has taken Somaliland government a while to realize that the strategy of pretending to emphasise security by deploying extra troops in the region has backfired. The failure to understand and respond to the grievances of locals in a district inaccessible to aid workers despite the presence of a large number of troops from Hargeisa is puzzling. In such a tense situation, elections cannot take place in Sool. It may also be a reason for postponing Somaliland elections next year.
Although secessionists aspire to co-opt unionists in Sool into Somaliland, political leaders’ particularly former SNM leaders and commanders have chosen to throw their weight behind personalities who are able to cobble together clan militias paid in the name of Somaliland Army. This approach to state formation has resulted in a situation where people in the former British Somaliland, share no common political outlook.
The failure of Somaliland security forces to bring to book assassins in Las Anod was first brought to light in 2013 by Somaliland MP, Saleebaan Ali Koore, who blamed the Somaliland government for assassinations in Las Anod. Since 2010 no one has been put on trial for assassinations or assassination attempts in Las Anod despite the lopsided emphasis on security since 2008, when the now-defunct regional security committee was created to deter pro-union demonstrations against the fall of Las Anod in October 2007.
The talks slated to take place in the United Arab Emirates between the representative of Somaliland government and Khatumo administration will put further strain on the security situation in Sool. Khatumo President’s acceptance of unconditional talks could compel Somaliland to try to disarm clan militias without sparking internecine power struggle. This is a Herculean, if not quixotic task, given that Somaliland’s government longstanding habit of working with local, unrepresentative turncoat politicians. By committing Somaliland government to a security and development benchmarks to be achieved within a short period of time, stakeholders representing unionists will show they have interests of people at heart.
The new Somaliland Minister of Internal Affairs, Yasin Haji Mohamud Hiir (aka Faratoon), is a veteran post-1991 politician from Las Anod, who was involved in peace-making efforts in the north during the 1990s. His appointment comes in the wake of deteriorating security situation in Sool and pressure on Somaliland government to accommodate Khatumo political leaders who agreed to unconditional talks. Faratoon has the unenviable task of either carrying on with the Somaliland policy of relying on clan militias to rule Las Anod or introduce new ideas to protect the lives of citizens through a total overhaul of the regional administration. Somaliland has relied on clan militias for far too long, a policy choice that gave Sool the reputation of being a divided region in addition to proximity to Nugaal region of Ex-Italian Somaliland.
Somaliland government has to be prepared to make tough choices caused by its policies that made Sool jiidda hore (front-line). If President Ahmed Silaanyo can explore ways to devolve authority to Sool and make the region as accessible to aid workers as Togdheer, Hargeisa and Awdal are by demilitarising it, he will be remembered consolidating peace in the north. People of Sool are not the problem. The problem is Somaliland administration policies.
Liban Ahmad
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