Will Tony Blair leave office without fulfilling his pledges to Somaliland?
After Prime Minister Tony Blair Government replied to e-petition submitted by Somalilanders asking Great Britain to diplomatically recognize Somaliland. Referring to earlier Prime Minister Tony Blair promises to Somaliland and its people, besides old historical relationship between Somaliland and Great Britain. We demand Mr. Prime Minister to fulfill vows before leaving office. Promises including:
At the Commission for African Meeting LONDON, Thursday, 24the February 2005, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said 'We want help people of your country (Somaliland), but we have to be sure that these things are going to be endure (Somaliland independence), but I can assure you that it is not a political prejudice that is holding us back, we will just have to wait and see what the coming months bring…….'
These were answers of Blair to Somaliland Journalists after SIR BOB GELDOF, who returned from Somaliland, diverted their question to Mr. Blair, asking….
'Mr. Prime Minister, one of the …stories in Africa, in Somaliland, a country that is doing well without aid, it doesn't mean that they don't need aid. But the most important thing that they need is recognition, and your government is very reluctant to recognize Somaliland, although it has been an independent country, and it has been a British Protectorate at all times. People are building up a country from scratch, and it is a Muslim country that is … to Muslims with good governance, a free press, a free economy. What else do you want from us? Why don’t you give us the recognition that is the best aid that we could have in order to do business with the rest of the world? We cannot travel; our private sector cannot do business with the rest of the world due to the fact of recognition…..
Coming Months….. What does coming months mean to Tony Blair. Is it an old English style to say Years… and Centuries, or its new English terminology to suppress Somaliland democracy? Let me have a word with Tony, Mr. Prime Minister, People of Somaliland sacrificed their wealth and lives for freedom of Somaliland, and there is no way back to futile Somali unity. People of Somaliland established economy, social services, free press and new model of democracy. That does not subsist in Africa. Presidential followed by Parliamentary Elections was milestone for Somaliland; even courageous and enormous to every democracy loving survivor around the globe. The World should be thankful to Somaliland instead of neglecting their voice of freedom.
Credibility between London and Hargiesa will be defined an awful if your administration continues to overlook Somaliland search of democracy; especially, It will be heartbreaking to Somaliland Scouts who served in UK army forces defending the name of Her Majesty, the Queen of England and Wales.
Britain, arguably, is the closest friend that Somaliland has in the Western Hemisphere. During the past 15 years, Somaliland has looked to the United Kingdom for inspiration, development aid and diplomatic support. Britain, in turn, has viewed Somaliland with special appreciation for its successful efforts in pursuing a democratic tradition and its determined struggle to succeed in a region devastated by prolonged conflict and lawlessness. However, the thorny question is whether the bond between the two countries is borne out of shared strategic interests or is merely a response to compelling moral imperatives?
On 9 February 1959, in Hargiesa, during a constitutional conference on the Somaliland protectorate, the Secretary of State for the Colonies said "whatever the eventual destiny of the Protectorate, Her Majesty's Government will continue to take an interest in the welfare of its inhabitants, and will in the light of the circumstances prevailing from time to time, be prepared to give sympathetic consideration to the continuation of financial assistance within the limits of the amount of aid at present being provided to the Protectorate."… Blair should understand, if ever there was a need for the UK and her Majesty Queen of England to give friendship and diplomatic support to Somaliland, its now.
In England, there is a growing number of British Members of Parliament, currently at 30, who collectively lobby for Somaliland’s search for more development aid and political support in UK government, besides the recent diplomatic recognition of Wales to Somaliland. In a less visibly way, Britain also should push for Somaliland case in the European Union and in other international forums. Thanks to British, after they warned Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government not interfere Somaliland and could be an indicative of Somaliland efforts, but that is not enough.
On 4th February 2004, British House of Commons debated on Somaliland recognitions and the visit by the members of the British Parliament. After, MPs Mr. Andrew Robathan and Tony Worthington visited to Somaliland as part of fact finding team; they expressed Somaliland as free and fearless society, which build its unique ‘One Man One Vote’ democratic system. During their visit the delegate addressed joint Upper & Lower Houses of Somaliland Parliament. Later, President of Somaliland delivered the famous lecture in the House of Commons following the official invitation from the house.
Tony Worthington met Dennis McNarama, Inspector General for UNHCR, who was visiting to assess the situation in Hargiesa, Publicly said, Everyone in Hargiesa, Burco, Berbera, and Borama was refuge or an internally displaced person decade ago due to 1988 bombing in major cities in Somaliland by Somali National Army Forces, which left 500,000 dead and displaced 3 million.â€
Tony Worthington on Somaliland background, said Somaliland entered an ill-starred union with the Former Italian Somalia in 1960, in response to the dreams of Somali Patriots who wished to unite the lands in which Somalis lived. Over time, The people of the Former British Somaliland became so hostile to the way in which the nation (Republic of Somalia) was being administrated, with the allocation of resources and revenues been skewed in favor of the South and Capital, Mogadishu, that they stated insurrection and eventually declared independence. People of Somaliland made mistake of uniting with Somalia but this should not result life time endure.
Somaliland Scouts regiment played a heroic part in the Second World War and showed astonishing loyalty and affection for the Queen of England. There is no doubt that Somaliland People and Scouts feel badly, because British governments failed to respond their need and even rights of Somaliland Scouts who don’t receive any financial aid from Her Majesty the Queen and UK, like pensions. Tony Worthington bravely explained and enlightened the case of Somaliland, saying…
“The withdrawal from Somalia had profound consequences elsewhere in Africa and was one reason for the world's appalling lack of action in Rwanda. Liberia was also left to rot. The creditable exception was Britain's successful intervention in Sierra Leone. The world regarded Somalia as a basket-case, but Somaliland is not a basket-case, and it deserves better. However, since the declaration of independence, which no country in the world has accepted, Somaliland has rebuilt its country and the city of Hargeysa in the most inspiring way. It has created most of the institutions of a modern state. It has acted totally on democratic lines, and the demand for independence was supported in a referendum by more than 90 per cent. of the population. The level of stability is impressive; and the rule of law exists, with a proper police force and a properly constituted national army-as against warlords elsewhere in Somalia. Guns are genuinely not allowed on the streets.†……… continued……….
“Presidential elections were held relatively recently. The president won by only 280 votes out of a population of 3.5 million, but the election passed off peacefully. I met Ministers there, and I was far more impressed with their plans than those of several other African countries that I have visited-countries that we recognise and support. Somaliland is doing nearly everything right, but it is being ignored.â€â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..Continued………
â€One of the most remarkable aspects of the achievement has been the contribution of the far-flung Diaspora of Somalis to rebuilding Somaliland. The website for the Somaliland front organization shows a long list of projects that are being funded with the assistance of the diaspora. For example, they support the university of Somaliland trust fund; they organize donations to the Farah Omar secondary school and to the malaria treatment and prevention programme. They also contribute to the campaign for the recognition of Somaliland, to the campaign to lift the ban on Somaliland livestock and to the rebuilding of Burco hospital-it is not named in honor of the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow), who speaks for the Conservative party on these matters-and the Hargiesa psychiatric hospital.†… Tony ended...
Mr. Prime Minister, Somaliland defends freedom, civil liberties, democracy and human rights, where Special Envoy of General Secretary of UN Koffi Anan to Somaliland and Somalia, Ghanim Al-Najjar in several occasions highlighted the freedom and human rights respect in Somaliland.
Today, Somaliland freedom and democracy faces terrorist attack after murder of aid workers by foreign terrorist infiltrated into Somaliland from Somalia. British Principal of Sheikh Secondary School and his wife were murdered in cold blood at their residence in school campus followed by murder of Italian social worker in Borame and last, Kenyan born GTZ staff during her way to Berbera. Somaliland Special Task Forces (STF), who protects foreign tourists, interests and UN workers, captured the killers and then it was Somaliland Supreme Court (SC), who jailed them for life.
Somaliland, the forgotten nation by its most precious friends and allies pleads international recognition, in order to do business with rest of the world. In history of Somaliland, no bagging pot was reported unlike many African nations, no loans, no direct aid, and even no international support. Somaliland never runs carrying bagging pot around the globe for aid and loans, its time the world accept Somaliland as business partner, but not aid or loan hunter. Somaliland is proud of its home made celebrities including booming economy, education, social services, unique model of democracy, press freedom, freedom of expression and may more, which the world will keep exploring its endless tail.
Conclusion
While Somalilanders voted for their right of self-determination, the subject of state secession is still a matter of international acceptance, and should not pushback this new model of democracy. Unity comes with the happiness of uniting parties. In modern World, no one can make Somaliland accept another remarriage with Somalia. World should understand that unity between Somalia and Somaliland is ended story. Somaliland enjoy warm relationship with all its neighboring countries and signed business and commercial agreements with many I.G.A.D members including Ethiopia to use Somaliland major seaports and tourism agreement with Djibouti. In Europe, the case of Somaliland is been paralyzed by the quarrel between the U.K. and Italy, Somaliland's future remains to be seen.
In my personal view, writing about Somaliland is like entering an endless success story……….
ALLAH BLESS SOMALILAND………………………..We all stand united
By Abdirahman Ahmed Ali
