How long will the International Community remain deaf to the cry of Somalilanders??
By: Eng. Hussein Adan Igeh (Hussein Deyr) [Hargeisa, Republic of Somaliland]
Against every common sense, against all democratic values, against all universally applicable people’s rights for self-determination; why on earth do the EU, U.S.A, UN and AU still resist recognizing the Republic of Somaliland as a member of the international community? The answer is quite uncertain! It cannot be found in global political script! Because it resides deep in the labyrinthine and unpredictable geo-political attitude of the Western powers towards our country. The international community is still denying a country that has tremendously fulfilled the Montevideo criteria for statehood: a permanent population, defined territory, government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. For the Western powers and their allies, it is clear that their rulebook of holding together and maintaining the fictional unity of Somalia (a country often taken as the archetype of a failed state) are much more important than the recognition of a democratic and well functioning Constitutional State of Somaliland. The unspoken message of the Western powers is that Somaliland’s recognition is a very dangerous concept for their geo-political interest and it needs to be stopped at any cost!!
The Republic of Somaliland should have been long recognised as a member of the international community. The people of Somaliland should have been rewarded for their credentials, democratic achievements and sustained stability in a volatile region. It is utterly incomprehensible the logics and motives why the Western powers and the UN still clings to an absurd notion that Somaliland should rejoin its wayward and unruly neighbour Somalia (often taken as the archetype of a failed state) that has for more than two decades exemplified the deficiencies of statelessness.
The International Community is rewarding a country that has failed to meet the most basic criteria for statehood (Somalia)
The government of Somalia has entirely failed to create and develop a rules-based system to protect and promote the peace, security and socio-economic well-being of its population. However, the attention of many worlds’ leading developed countries and the international development partners are nowadays increasingly focused on a country that failed to meet even the most basic criteria of statehood. Another worrying point is the fact that ‘the President’ of Somalia and the government he leads are their own worst enemies. They are deaf and blind to the gathering storm that sooner or later will ultimately sweep them away. They master the art of making enemies and blunders, and turned millions of ordinary Somalis who have never voted for them into bitter enemies. Instead of respecting and acting in conformity with the national constitution and the directives of the legislature of his own country, ‘the President’ of Somalia follows and implements the orders and instructions from other foreign powers who rule his country by default. Unfortunately he is not sensitive to his people’s suffering and a quarter of a century ongoing national misery with no end is in sight.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and his government are those who are supposed to run their country but in reality they are neither players nor spectators of the political drama that is taking place right under their eyes. Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud’s government both lies to their own people as well as to the supporting International Community. The beleaguered government of Somalia, under the leadership of Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud (note: a president not democratically elected by his people but appointed by profiteering stakeholders) has failed to control the country, allowing corruption and terror to overrun its legitimacy.
It is beyond comprehension of the common sense how the world community can trust on such people who are not even able to guarantee a peace and security for their own people! It is a double faced, irresponsible and enigmatic world community that is applying double standards: working with the wrong man, and at the same time ignoring and thwarting the good deeds of the right man!! There is an irrefutable fact on the ground which the world community still do not want to accept: the only solution for the profound and persistent problems of Somalia is recognizing the Republic of Somaliland as a full member of the international community!
The people of Somaliland have legitimate moral questions to the world community: How long will the International Community remain deaf to the cry of Somalilanders? How long will the IC ignore the rights for self-determination and the legitimate voice of the people of Somaliland?
The Republic of Somaliland became the victim of an ambiguous world of double standards. The right for self-determination of Somaliland people has been time and time again ignored and let down by reluctant and unpredictable world powers as well as the UN and AU. The Western powers may ignore the determined diplomatic efforts of the government of Somaliland, but they can’t ignore the legitimate voice and unyielding nature of the Somaliland nation. It’s the Somaliland people’s right to decide what they want their country’s future to be.
However, in this titanic battle of existence for our country and people, the apparent double standard stance of the Western powers towards our country must not and will not be allowed to succeed. To put in a nutshell, no matter whatever happens next but one thing is certain: the self-determination, the incredible perseverance and unyielding nature of the Noble People of Somaliland will ultimately prevail.
God Bless the Republic of Somaliland and its Noble People.
Eng. Hussein Adan Igeh (Hussein Deyr)
The author is Somalilander-Dutch citizen residing in the UK and currently in Hargeisa, the Capital of the Republic of Somaliland, where he continues to dabble in news, information and political analyses related to the Horn African country.