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Finishing the sovereignty marathon swiftly and gracefully: DR DIRIR

July 4, 2012 · 3160018 Comments2012-07-05+03%3A37%3A16Frazer+Michael

Somalia’s Transitional government president Sheikh Sharif and Somaliland’s president Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo sign Somali reconciliation charter in the presence of Dr Anwar gargash. — Wam

BY YUSUF DIRIR ALI, MD

I differ with most of the dissenting opinions on Somaliland-Somalia dialogue. However, I entirely agree with those who feel the selected members of our negotiating team must have the experience and competence to triumphantly win our sovereignty back from Somalia.

Furthermore, we fully understand that we are negotiating with ourselves, because we are confidently convinced that our opponents do not have the chance of coming up with historic, legal and morally valid arguments against our case, but still, this process must not be taken flippantly.

Somaliland is in cross roads and we are at the stage of winning it now or never. In that regard, history will never pardon us if we do not use all our cards and become successful at this moment in time. Thus, we must do justice to our cause and grant it the seriousness it deserves.

Somalia president and other government official’s visit to Somaliland must strictly be ruled out before the sovereignty issue is resolved.

The selection of dialogue venues must be based on their neutrality, on their international political weights and on the democratic credentials of the hosting countries. I think there is no single African, Arab or a Muslim country that is capable fulfilling these conditions. Therefore, I would not consider them as logical venues for future meetings, but instead would go for the UK or Norway for obvious countless reasons.

This is the tick of time for which Somalilanders long-sufferingly waited and sacrificed everything they cherished for more than half century. There must be no room for the omission of a fact or unwelcome slips of the pen or the tongue. For that reason, we need to bring in seasoned foreign as well as Somaliland diplomats, lawyers and economy experts to meticulously prepare our case.

During last Somaliland-Somalia meeting in Dubai, UAE, many Somalilanders were gravely offended to read the Arab media calling Somaliland a region in Somalia and the Somaliland government one of the many feuding factions in that country. What is more, the Somaliland map was misrepresented and there was no sight of Somaliland flag on the Arab media. Our government must strongly protest future comparable impudent acts.

More importantly, we must educate the international media and the international community alike. We must clearly mark out the historic and geopolitical differences of Somaliland and Somalia.

To give the right contrasting pictures of the two countries, we do not only need seasoned multilingual media specialists to give press conferences, but also relevant print and audiovisual materials to be widely distributed in the internet and to the international media.

Besides the Somaliland-Somalia dialogue, another occasion of valuable importance is the upcoming conference in Istanbul, Turkey. We must learn from our previous mistakes and go to the most extreme levels of organizations and preparations for this conference.We must work hard to prepare for the next meeting and be ready to deliver a meticulously prepared and resonant argument to the world.

Somaliland is in the finishing line of a long and difficult sovereignty Marathon in a politically hostile train, hence we need to end this marathon as soon as possible with grace and international admiration.

Dr Dirir

drdirir@gmail.com

Follow @somalilandpress

By Frazer Michael

Tags: Dr Dirir, Dubai Statement, Federation, Recognition, Somalia, Somaliland news

Al Kenyawi says:

Well penned good Dr.
The Somalialnd Ministry of Informationa and National Guidance is not enough with its occassional amateur presentations, it may resonate with the internal audience to the re recognition discourse, but the arena of real debate and discussion is in the international community .
As suggested therfore to hire the professional services of marketing agents, political commentators, consultants and media gurus is an absolute necessity at this point in time, especially in the region, such as in the East Africa Community, IGAD, UK, EC and the heavy weights in the AU, such as Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt and supportive democracies such as Ghana.

10:28 pm on July 4, 2012

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Abdiwahab says:

look at that toad faroole sitting behind the dugsi teacher loool what a slimy dog can't accept somaliland is gone and taking its rightful ssc regions that was within somaliland for over 100 years with it while his m*jerten pseudo empire is crumbling thanks to the shocking truth about federalism and its rejection from my somalian neighbours who want to have a united strong nation like its neighbours somaliland djibouti kenya eritrea the two sudans and ethiopia long live the horn of africa yeeaahh

4:02 am on July 5, 2012

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- abdul says:
  
  your very confuse creature i Think it’s time you should seek counseling, That is not faroole he was not even near That area.
  
  5:39 am on July 5, 2012
  
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wanlaweyn says:

both dirrir and the commenter above kenyawi are advocating the old tired and unsuccessful roots. my friends there will not be solution which somalia is not part of it. the international community can not decide behind somalias back. the whole world can recognize sland but if somalia doesnt agree nothing will change on the ground. my advice is as someone from afgoi also i do not agree dismembering somalia, you should talk to somalis who have stake in the this. the TFG which is happening now but also reach settlement with the khatumo and puntland negotiate with border demarcation let khatumo decice whther they want stay with somalia or somaliland then agree new borders. that is only if you are sincere with this separation. there will never be recognition from the back door. it will be from within somalis then the world have no choice why it is so hard to understand

4:08 am on July 5, 2012

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M. Khalid says:

Among the important institutions where Somali land can present its cause is the International Court. Because there are many legal arguments concerning the 1960 union between Somali land and Somalia, the former should gear up for a long legal battle in trying to nullify the illegal union it made with the South. By illegal I mean the union charter which was supposed to be ratified by both parties was not seen by Somali land's representatives let alone accepted it. There was no union as such but there was a Greater Somalia dream driven by popular sentiment in the North.

4:10 am on July 5, 2012

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- mustaf says:
  
  well That was Than This is now, Those days whole nothern somalia decided to join today totaly completely different only one tribe wants to go That’s fair enough. let The people in nothern somalia have referendum specaily sool sanaag ceyn and awdal.
  
  5:57 am on July 5, 2012
  
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  - Hornid says:
    
    no problem with the referundum let 's do that from people of Loyada to Elabo and taleex. Everbody from former british protectorate vote and the choice of majority with 51% must be respected under IC supervision.
    
    7:55 am on July 5, 2012
    
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    - ahmed says:
      
      will IC accept referendun i don’t Think so, why? They know once one area or part of somalia have referendum rest will follow. They fear somalia will become five different countries and it will not stop There spread into ethoipia-kenya.
      
      8:08 am on July 5, 2012
      
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      - Hornid says:
        
        No five or 10 but only 3 somali country. Djibouti, Somalia and then Somaliland as it was supposed to be if Somaliland did not join Somalia in 1960. Therefore Puntland or Galmudug state don t have any legacy to become a country as they have been part of Somalia italia. I advice you to take some course of african country history and international law as you seem to really need it!
        
        2:38 pm on July 5, 2012
      - ahmed says:
        
        in reality you need intensive course about This matter, 19960′s britsih s/land it’s different compare today becuase Those days all nothren somalis They had one voice today none of That and IC are aware of This.
        
        s/lans region is one tribe one way street state,what will stop Puntland or jubbaland become independent from rest of somalia i suppose nothing will. today in somali peninsula people drew tribal lines which vert bad, That’s why IC will nor allow any sort of referendum which base on separation.
        
        3:00 am on July 6, 2012
mohamed cheers says:

Good Article. There are main problems when the negotiating parts do not match.
EG..while the Somaliland side is a functioning Govt, the TFG is not a functioning Govt
and is about to expire on August 20/12. What was so far achieved is merely to have talks.
It might not be certain that the expiring TFG President and the PM willt succeed to be
re-elected…a good probability. It's also possible that the strong UIC wing which enjoys
strong TFG insiders might steal the new presidency/PM shows after the August deadline.
If this happens, there's sure that the whole political dynamics of Somalia will change to
Muslim brotherhood power base. Either ways you look at the political future dynamics of
Somalia, everything look hazy and very complicated to come by easily. As for Somaliland
there should be no panic towards the Somalia political transformations of God knows which
circumstances would dictate over what?
Cheers.

6:13 am on July 5, 2012

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Faisel Ahmed says:

That is wonderful piece – Somaliland has reached a place where it can finish this marathoon, I agree with you that they don´t have solid facts and arguments when it becomes our legitmate case, for those folks who still think Khaatumo was a state then you have to ask the real people there, it wasn´t but a call that has received hearts but not heads! they have to know that Khaatumo members were betting on people´s emotions.

Somaliland all the way.

8:21 am on July 5, 2012

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khaatumo citizen says:

Abtiyaal quit this ever ending calacal Somalia is one country and should stay that way.

I still don't understand why u want divide the country, is it because u scare of the southerns??

11:19 am on July 5, 2012

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Kayse says:

The only marathon Somaliland is active is the one where its so called Diaspora ministers are looting the locals. I mean how come 95% of the ministers are from the Diaspora? Most of them have looted the poor local people and bought houses and businesses abroad while the poor in Somaliland remains poor.

The locals must not accept this and request that 70% of government positions go to the locals who need jobs and will reinvest back into the country.

This former ex-taxi drivers and few with few degrees think they are more qualified when in fact what Somaliland needs is honesty, sincerity and reinvestment and that you do not need a foreign degree.

All these so called ministers are wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars abroad from the locals.

Shacabku wa inaay ku kacaan tuugtan sida Egypt oo xaaqooda uu dagaalaman. Ma dhici kartoo nin dhoof ku yimi inu idin taliyo. Wadanka idinka ku hadhay, idinka dhaxaan, gaajo iyo haraadba uu adkeestay oo dabkaa wadankaa hayeey.

Wa caadalaad daaro inu nin qurboo joog iska aha weeligi idin taliyo oo idinka dhaadhaciyo isagaa wax yaqanaa. Tasi ma soconayso shacabka Somalilandneey.

Sharif Sharif isaguba weligi muu joogin qurbaha inti yared oo wax ku soo dhigtay Sudan iyo Libya moyane and he is doing fine in Somalia.

Marka wa inaa laydin ka heelo rag wax so bartay lakin qurbo joog ahen. Wa inaad iska qabatiin nimankan qurbo jogta ah ee cadalaa daraada idinku hayaa.

Tuug guriyeey ka wada iibsadeen wadano shishiyee gurigoodi hoyana waxaay ka diidan yahin nin jooga inu wax dhiistoo.

Qashiinka yarana wa laydiinka diiday ina laydin ka qaado.

Markaa wa inaad mujiisin wadanimo, caadalaad, karti ood iska kiicisin dulmiga qurbahaa.

10:07 pm on July 5, 2012

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- ali mo says:
  
  well said kayse+allemagan.
  
  3:02 am on July 6, 2012
  
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- Layla says:
  
  You are right , Kayse, well said ! these people can not have both ways, enjoying EU life style anytime with EU Nationality and running Somaliland goverment. Local jobs for deserving local people.
  Layla.
  
  9:40 am on July 8, 2012
  
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Allemagan says:

If Somalia has not solid facts and concrete arguments to unify the country, neither Somaliland has a solid case and reason for separation. In the bright morning of July 1, 1960, when Somali republic was proclaimed one country, it was enshrined in the constitution that the entities that were known as Somaliland and Somali Italia ceased and were annulled by the people of the two regions.

Today, the recreation of the original borders of British Somaliland Protectorate is impossible as many region in the north such as Sool, Audal state and eastern Sanag do not want to be part of your separation. If we have to run any marathon, let us run and head toward the unity and brotherhood of our people.

10:48 pm on July 5, 2012

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- Abdi12345 says:
  
  I think you were busy looting the leftovers of your uncle-dictator, but Somaliland had a free and fair referendum and multiple local and general elections, which all confirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Somaliland.
  
  inventing your dream states in Somaliland and illegal document that was rejected by Somalilanders from its inception are not good arguments that will fly in the court of international justice. Suppose your dream regions were true and a referandum is held today in Somaliland, wouldn't you admit those regions make only 20% of Somaliland.
  
  Have you heard of something called MAJORITY? well, the majority of Somalilanders have voted for the recuperation of Somaliland sovereignty and there is no law in the international legal system that can annul it.
  
  Somaliland has better case than South Sudan, Eritrea, Bosnia, Slovenia, Croatia and Kosovo, which is getting its full independence in September 2012.
  
  you need to educate yourself better than this and come up with more logical arguments, instead of ranting each time you hear SOMALILAND.
  
  2:26 am on July 6, 2012
  
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