Challenges and Successes in an Ever Changing Region

Challenges and Successes in an Ever Changing Region

 Abdulkadir Idan   

I write this article understanding the reality that our country is going through fundamental challenges and changes. I am not a pessimist nor an optimist but a realist and have viewed the politics of Somaliland over the years from that perspective. I wish to offer some insight with regards to what I see as fundamental challenges that we face and will continue to face over the next year and how we can potentially solve them.


As a 22 year old nation state we have much to learn. Ultimately our state and its direction are determined by the Presidency to whom all branches of government answer to. Both the previous Riyale administration and the current Silanyo administration have their strengths and weaknesses. I commend the achievements achieved under former president Riyale's rule, in particular the long process of successfully completing the democratization started by his mentor, promoting private enterprise and his emphasis on the military and his strong tactical push for recognition amongst African nations. President Riyale left a nation slowly growing that was unified from Djibouti to the Somalia Border and for this the former president should be commended.


Under president Silanyo the country has collectively started individual initiatives with the support of the government in building roads, infrastructure such as the national TV station and national radio stations, the removal of non-Somaliland currencies from the country, increase wages for the military, free education, better facilities for ministries, the establishment of the Somaliland border agency headquarters and more. President Silanyo is to be commended for these achievements as well.


For our country to continue to grow we must understand that at present with the controversial local elections, the sporadic conflicts on Somaliland's eastern frontiers, the non-transitional return of Somalia with the support of AU peace keepers both national and regional dynamics have slightly changed and Somaliland's politics must develop new ways to combat these threats.


The current local elections are by far our greatest threat because all Somalilanders understand that united we are unstoppable but disunited we are at the mercy of our enemies. At present the two brother tribes of Zaylac are at each other's throat, Hargaisa's population remains divided more than ever, Burco's fragile peace stands on a knifes edge and the problems with the Eastern frontiers persist without any real solutions. We have realised now that even democratization has its limits and we have reached that limit. In a tribal society where every clan and sub clan wants their own political party it is not feasible to fully democratize. Therefore it is fair to say the facilitation of the creation of new political parties was a major set-back. President Riyale was right in this respect. We wasted a lot of time, effort and resources only to be left with much the same formation of political parties. These resources could have been better used in developing better infrastructure, building schools or health facilities.
We do not need division we need unity at all costs. The very men Gabose and In Hashi who adamantly argued for new parties are today the very men threatening to destroy the foundations of our state because they lost. What is done is done, what is now required is damage control.

Now that we have our three political parties it is incumbent on these political parties to reach out and diversify membership and bring into the fold all tribes and create actual policies that differentiate them from the incumbent political party and convey this to the general population. What we need is a real opposition that holds the government accountable. Somaliland is a democracy and although the local elections went ahead without voter registration the results must be respected. In Zeila the candidate with the most of amount of votes ultimately must have the right to become mayor without preference or prejudice. In Hargaisa the election results must also be respected and in an examination of capability the new mayor is a fine candidate to be the new mayor. In Burco the results must also be respected. The President should however also guarantee that the most qualified person attains the jobs of any office and in particular the mayoral and governor positions regardless of clan. We in Somaliland should aspire to have the best people in position regardless of clan. We must move beyond the age of tribalism. All outlets should be used to calm any potential danger resulting from the local elections by way of national tv or radio stations and it has become ever clearer that our nation requires both water tankers, tear gas and riot police in every major city as to not continue the senseless killing of our future generations and my condolences goes out to the families of our children in both Hargaisa and Boroma. Ultimately we as a nation must protect and guard the overall greater interest of the State as a collective and understand that elections come and go as do people but the State ultimately survives because of us the collective.


The current situation in buhoodle and taleex and the problems that currently exist is fundamentally a problem of our own making. Somaliland has for too long depended on bribing clan chieftains to maintain the peace. Over the years state money, NGO's and other resources were being used to rebuild the western and central regions of Somaliland the east has been severely neglected. President Riyale was the first president to stop these payments to the chieftains and implement hands on approach with regards to Sool and Buhoodle regions. He initiated the first fresh water pipes into the town of Las canod something not even Siad Barre managed to do for his supposed kinsman. Our enemy's sole aim is to put this issue into a tribal perspective. In reality the people of Sool govern them-selves as do all the regions of Somaliland. The governor, mayor and army contingents are all natives to the land. The very people who destroyed the former Somali republic are today still aspiring after the defeated and dead Siadist philosophy that has led to their own destruction. Instead of promoting co-existence they preach war, instead of building schools and medical centres for the people they fund the death and destruction of our younger generation. Therefore Somaliland must take this issue seriously and win the hearts and minds of the entire Eastern section of Somaliland by initiating as quickly as possible re-development programs that bring the eastern regions to the same stature as the central and western regions, by using the national and radio stations to convey a message of brotherhood, Somalilandimo and cooperation. Another way of achieving this is by creating a committee of Somalilanders that hail from these regions to oversee the basic and most urgent needs and to oversee all money allocated by both the central government and NGO's in meeting these needs. We must remove the core arguments used in turning brother against brother by self-interested Siadists. These arguments are today primarily economic and if we can win the hearts and minds of the locals through initiatives as proposed in this article the diaspora can continue to live in there Siadist wet dream and over time Somaliland would have won in its Eastern regions without conflict. Colonial borders whether we except them or not are the reality of Africa today and if one contends Somaliland's borders then one should also contend Ethiopia's borders. States in the modern world and in particular in Africa are not built on tribes but on treaties. Another reality of Sool region similar to that of Buhoodle region is that many clans inhabit those region and no clan is entirely exclusive to them and Xudun and Cainabo are testament to that so cooperation between the brotherly clans will always be a must but instead of promoting this cooperation neo-Siadists in the diaspora continue to promote violence and instability and this can only be countered by initiating tangible development and cooperation.


The Third greatest challenge is that of Somalia. Today Somalia declares itself to be out of transition although correct on paper; the reality is if all AU, Ethiopian and Kenyan troops leave tomorrow, the government in Mogadishu wouldn't not last a week. As we are aware in Somaliland it takes decades of hard work, planning, cooperation and patience to develop a viable state from the ashes. Somalia post transition existence is more artificial then genuine. As our brother state our only point of contention is that of sovereignty over the pre-1960 borders which the Republic of Somaliland controls today from coast to coast without the A.U. Kenya or Ethiopia. The recent talks between Somaliland and Somalia are a major achievement and President Silanyo is to be commended in changing the direction of Somaliland's foreign policy. President Riyale was not wrong in isolationism as there was no one to talk with during his presidential term. The opening of talks facilitated by the international community and on an equal platform returns the power dynamics to pre-1960. What Somaliland desires is a two state solution built on the borders of pre-1960. These talks will be vital and what Somaliland requires is the best people available for the job, people who are qualified with decades of experience in international negotiation, history and politics. The ultimate conclusion will be a result of two possible scenarios. The talks fail and the current state persists or both sides will have to give and take. Our argument for the talks as stated by the countless politicians is that Somaliland is not another region of Somalia because history, politics and entire world understand that two states merged to form the Somali Republic in 1960. This argument has been accepted in Mogadishu and the negotiations will take place on this premise sometime over the next coming few weeks. What we in Somaliland should want is a referendum to be held within Somaliland between 5-10 years on independence which is internationally observed and the result to be mutually binding for both parties. Once this has been accepted Somaliland should normalise relations with Somalia by assisting it in key areas that will assist it in developing functioning institutions that will assist it in slowly recovering from decades of chaos. If the referendum results state independence then that's the end of the matter. If the referendum votes to be part of Somalia then we could begin re-negotiations to divide the state and all its functions between the two states. Re-armament should be a major priority for Somaliland. We exist in a hostile region surrounded by dictatorships, pirates and failed states. It is therefore vital that the states becomes self-sufficient or attains contacts for the regular supply of new weapons. As our state is not recognised we are subject to the same arms embargo as Somalia and it is therefore difficult. As our national budget grows, Somaliland must find new methods of improving tax collection to invest in new armament. Today 75% of our population is under the age of 21 with nothing to do therefore parliament should ask a mandatory 2-3 year service for every 18 year old and upwards to attain military training and regular service to insure that our state remains defended and our youth are kept pre-occupied from other ills such as khat.  


These are critical times which require unity, planning and cooperation. This is not a time for tribal chest beating. If as a state we managed to not only unify the Somali speaking peoples, become the precedent to removing one of Africa's strongest dictators, to establishing a viable state from scratch why do we struggle still with petty squabbles over mayors and councils and tribalism. Keep your eyes on the ball Somalilanders.

Abdulkadir Idan B.A. M.A. CIPD
London, England.

ramadan.cader@gmail.com