Somaliland ( , Arḍ
aṣ-Ṣūmāl) is an autonomous country, which is not part of the
Somali republic
located in the Horn of
Africa. Those who call the area the
Republic of
Somaliland consider it to be the successor state of the
former
British Somaliland
protectorate.
Having established its
own local government within Somalia in 1991, the
country's self-declared independence remains unrecognized by any country or
international organization.
Somaliland
is bordered by Somalia in the East
and south, Ethiopia
in the south
and West, Djibouti
in the
Northwest, the Gulf of
Aden
in the North.
History
In 1991, after the collapse of the central government in Somalia,
the main part of the territory asserted its independence as the
"Republic of Somaliland" on May 18, 1991. It regarded itself as the
successor state to
British
Somaliland (which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the
State of Somaliland), but did
not receive any international
diplomatic recognition for various
reasons.
The economic and military infrastructure left behind by Somalia had
been severely destroyed by war.
The people of Somaliland had rebelled against
the Siad Barre regime in Mogadishu
, which prompted a massive reaction by the
government.
Abderahman Ahmed Ali Tuur
was the first president of Somaliland.
Muhammad Haji Ibrahim
Egal was appointed Tuur's successor in 1993 by the Grand Conference
of National Reconciliation in Boorama
(Borama),
which met for four months, leading to a gradual improvement in
security, as well as a solidification of the fledgling
state. Egal was reappointed in 1997, and remained in power
until his death on May 3, 2002. The vice president,
Dahir Riyale Kahin, was sworn in as
president shortly afterwards, and in 2003, Kahin became the first
president of Somaliland elected in a free and fair election.
The 2006
War in Somalia
between the Islamic Courts
Union, the forces of Ethiopia and
Somalia's transitional government did not directly affect
Somaliland.
Politics and government
Somaliland has formed a hybrid system of governance under the
Constitution of
Somaliland, combining traditional and western institutions. In
a series of inter-clan conferences, culminating in the Boorama
Conference in 1993, a
qabil (clan or community) system of
government was constructed, which consisted of an Executive, with a
President, Vice President, and Council of Ministers, a
bicameral Legislature, and an independent
judiciary. The traditional Somali council of elders
(
guurti) was incorporated into the governance structure
and formed the upper house, responsible for selecting a President
as well as managing internal conflicts. Government became in
essence a "power-sharing coalition of Somaliland's main clans",
with seats in the Upper and Lower houses proportionally allocated
to clans according to a predetermined formula, although not all
clans are satisfied with this formula of government. In 2002, after
several extensions of this interim government, Somaliland finally
made the transition to multi-party democracy, with district council
elections contested by six parties.
Relations with other regions
Somaliland
has political contacts with the United Kingdom
, Ethiopia, Belgium
, Ghana
, South Africa, Sweden
and Djibouti. On
January 17, 2007, the
European Union
sent a delegation for foreign affairs to discuss future
cooperation. The
African Union has
also sent a foreign minister to discuss the future of international
acknowledgment, and on January 29 and January 30, 2007, the
ministers said that they would discuss acknowledgement with other
member states In June 2007, the
Prime Minister of Ethiopia,
Meles Zenawi held a conference with
President Kahin during which he
was referred to in an official communique by the
Ethiopian Foreign
Ministry as the
President of
Somaliland, the first time that Somaliland has been officially
acknowledged as a sovereign state by another government. While this
is not claimed as a move to official recognition by Ethiopia, it is
seen as a possible step towards a unilateral declaration by
Ethiopia in the event of the African Union failing to move its
recognition of Somaliland forward.
A
delegation led by the President
of Somaliland was present at the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting 2007 in Kampala
, Uganda.
On November 27, 2007,
Annemie
Neyts-Uyttebroeck of the
ELDR, one of three
main parties in
EU, mailed a letter to
Javier Solana (the High Representative for the
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Secretary-General
of both the Council of the European Union (
EU))
and to
Dahir Rayale Kahin the
president of Somaliland, in which there is required an
acknowledgment of Somaliland by
EU.
In December 2007 the
Bush administration discussed whether to back the shaky
transitional government in Somalia or to
acknowledge and support the less volatile Somaliland
secessionists.Politics plays a big part in the new
independent Somaliland region with the highly respected university
Amoud with the university's first benefactor Bashir Mohamud
Yusuf.
Border disputes
Somaliland continues to claim the entire area of the former
British Somaliland.
It is currently in
control of the western half of the former British Somaliland, with
northeastern Maakhir having declared a
separate, unrecognized autonomous state within Somalia on July 1,
2007. Formation of Maakhir state to eastern Somaliland. and
with the disputed southeastern Sool
state under
the control of neighboring Puntland
since 2003. A separatist movement exists also in the
westernmost Awdal
province.
Tensions between Puntland and Somaliland escalated into violence
several times between 2002 and 2009. In October 2004, and again in
April and October 2007, armed forces of Somaliland and Puntland
clashed near the town of Las Anod, the capital of Sool region. In
October 2007, Somaliland troops took control of the town.
While
celebrating Puntland's 11th birthday on 2 August 2009, Puntland
officials vowed to recapture Las Anod
. In its essence, the conflict between both
'lands' in northern Somalia is about the future of Somalia. While
Somaliland claims independent statehood and therefore 'split up'
the 'old' Somalia, Puntland works for the re-establishment of a
united but federal Somali state.
The Somaliland Defence Forces took control of the town of Las Qorey
in eastern Sanaag on 10 July 2008, along with positions five
kilometres east of the town. The Somaliland Defence Forces
completed their operations on 9 July 2008 after the Maakhir and
Puntland militia in the area left their positions.
Military
The Somaliland Armed Forces are the main military system in the
Somaliland region along with the Somaliland Police Force, all of
whom are part of the internal security forces and are subordinate
to the military. Currently around 400,000 personnel are active in
Somaliland. The Somaliland Armed Forces takes the biggest share of
the government's budget with the police and security forces. The
current head of Somaliland's Armed Forces is the
Minister of Defense Mudane Adan Mire Mohammed MP.
Some military facilities were bought during Egal's administration
to assist the military's usual duties and the necessary
movements.
Administrative divisions
Regions in the Somaliland macro-region of Somalia:
Map of Somaliland
Map of Somaliland
The main cities and towns in Somaliland:
16 new Districts:
| District |
Region |
Annexed Region
|
| Haji Salax |
Odweyne |
Togdheer |
| Kalabaydh |
Sool region |
- |
| Wajale |
Gabile |
Hargeysa |
| Widh-widh |
Buhoodle |
Sool |
| Qorulugad |
Buhoodle |
Togdheer |
| Go’Da Weyne |
Sahil |
- |
| Harasheekh |
Odweyne |
Togdheer |
| Raydab Khatumo |
Odweyne |
Togdheer |
| Garba Dardar |
Salal |
Awdal |
| Boon |
Sala |
Awdal |
| Harirad |
Salal |
Awdal |
| Las Idle |
Sahil |
- |
| War Idad |
Sarar |
Togdheer |
| Elal |
Sarar |
Togdheer |
| War Imran |
Togdheer |
- |
| Magalo Ad |
Awdal |
- |
The
eastern portions of Sanaag and Sool Regions are disputed by
Puntland.
Geography
Map of Somaliland
Somaliland is situated in northwestern
Somalia in the
Horn of Africa. It lies
between the 08°00' - 11°30' parallel north of the equator and
between 42°30' - 49°00' meridian east of Greenwich.
The Somaliland region
is bordered by Djibouti to the west, Ethiopia to the south, and the Puntland region of Somalia to the
east. Somaliland has a coastline with the majority
lying along the Gulf of
Aden. The region is slightly larger than England
and has an area of 137 600 km²
(53 100 sq miles).
Somaliland's climate is a mixture of wet and dry conditions. The
northern part of the region is hilly, and in many places the
altitude ranges between 900 and 2,100 metres (3,000-7,000 ft) above
sea level.
The Awdal, Saaxil and Maroodi Jeex
regions are fertile and mountainous, while Togdheer
is mostly semi-desert with
little fertile greenery around. The Awdal region is also
known for its offshore islands,
coral
reefs and
mangroves.
Hargeisa countryside
Ten
kilometres to the north of Ceerigaabo
are the remains of a juniper
forest, running along the edge of the escarpment which looks down to the Gulf of Aden. The escarpment is about above
sea level, where the road from Ceerigaabo drops
down to the coast.
Two kilometres (1 miles) to the west it
rises to the highest point in Somaliland and Somalia alike; At
high, it is known variously as (Somali Shimbiris
or Shimbir Beris) meaning in English the abode of the
birds.
Due to the fertility and greenery of some of the regions of
Somaliland, wild animals (e.g.
zebras) come to
the area either to breed or to graze on the grassland
savanna. There are many animals which are native to
Somaliland. Prominent animals are the
kudu,
wild
boar,
Somali
Wild Ass,
warthog,
antelope, the
Somali
sheep, wild
goat,
camel,
lion and
cheetah. There is also the largest world population
of
caracals in the Burco area. Moreover,
many birds and different types of
fish are also
found in and around Somaliland.
Extreme recorded temperatures range from at Ceerigabo to at
Berbera.The combination of a yearly average temperature of and the
high level of humidity makes Berbera one of the hottest cities in
the world.
Economy
Somaliland's economy is in its developing stages, as is the region
itself.
The
Somaliland shilling, while
stable, is not an internationally recognized
currency and currently has no official
exchange rate. It is regulated by the
Bank of Somaliland, the
central bank, which was established
constitutionally in 1994.
Remittances from the large Somali
diaspora contribute immensely to Somaliland's economy. Remittances
come to Somaliland through
money transfer companies, the
largest of which is
Dahabshiil, one of
the few Somali money transfer companies, sometimes known as
hawala, to conform to post-9/11
money-transfer regulations. "The World Bank estimates that
remittances worth around $1 billion a year reach Somalia from
emigres in the U.S., Europe and the Gulf states. And industry
experts reckon that Dahabshiil may handle around two-thirds of that
and as much of half of it may reach the semi-autonomous region of
Somaliland."
In 2009,
the Banque pour
le Commerce et l'Industrie - Mer Rouge, based in Djibouti, opened a branch in Hargeisa
, to become the first bank in the country since the
collapse in 1990 of the Commercial and Savings
Bank of Somalia.
The bulk of Somaliland's exports are
livestock, which has been estimated at 24 million.
In 1996, 3 million heads of livestock were exported to the
Middle East.
In February 1998, this export was badly
affected by a Saudi
Arabian
ban on imports of beef. The ban was
eventually lifted in December 2006, allowing the industry to
recover. Other exports include
hide, skins,
myrrh, and
frankincense.
Agriculture is generally considered to
be a potentially successful industry, especially in the production
of
cereals and
horticulture. Mining also has potential, though
simple
quarrying represents the extent of
current operations despite the presence of hugely diverse
quantities of mineral deposits.
Recent research in Somaliland shows that the region has large
offshore and onshore
oil and
natural gas reserves. There are several wells
that have been excavated over the past few years, but due to the
region's unrecognised status, foreign
oil companies and coal companies have not
been able to benefit from this.
Since the
Eritrean-Ethiopian War
, Somaliland has grown as a major export port for
Ethiopia. Ethiopia signed an agreement with the region
specifying that the port city of Berbera
will export and import goods for Ethiopia, while
the latter will pay for it.
Tourism
The
Somaliland region of Somalia has a budding tourist industry and is
home to what is often considered to be one of the most interesting
attractions in the Horn of Africa,
the Laas
Gaal
cave paintings.
Currently, a small number of tourists travel to the region to see
this sight.
The paintings are situated near Hargeisa and were discovered by a French archaeological team in 2002. The
government and locals keep the cave paintings safe and only a
restricted number of tourists are allowed. Other notable sights
include the Freedom Arch in Hargeisa and the war memorial in the
city center. Natural attractions are very common around the region.
The
Naasa
Hablood
hills are twin hills located on the outskirts of
Hargeisa that Somalis in the region consider to be a majestic
natural landmark.
The Ministry of Tourism has also encouraged travellers to visit
historic towns and cities in Somaliland.
The historic town of
Sheekh is located near Berbera and is home to old British colonial buildings that
have remained untouched for over forty years. Berbera also
houses historic and impressive
Ottoman architectural buildings.
Another
equally famous historic city is Zeila
.
Zeila was
once part of the Ottoman Empire, a
dependency of Yemen
and
Egypt
and a major trade city during the 19th
century. The city has been visited for its old colonial
landmarks, offshore
mangroves and coral
reefs, and its towering cliffs and beach. The
nomadic culture of Somaliland has also attracted
tourists. Most nomads live in the countryside.
Transport
There is
a bus service in Hargeisa, Burao
, Berbera and Borama
.
There are also services between the major towns and adjacent
villages operated by different types of vehicles such as 4 wheel
drives and light goods vehicles (LGV) .
Demographics
Languages
Most people in Somaliland speak the region's two official
languages:
Somali and
Arabic. Article 6 of the Constitution of
2001 designates the official language of Somaliland to be Somali,
though Arabic is a mandatory subject in school and is used in
mosques around the region.
English is also spoken and taught in
schools.
Somali
belongs to a set of languages called Lowland East Cushitic languages spoken by
Somalis living in Somalia, Djibouti, and in adjacent territories. Eastern
Cushitic is one branch of the
Cushitic languages, which in turn is part
of the great
Afro-Asiatic
stock. Arabic is the most widely spoken language of the
Afro-Asiatic linguistic family.
The main Somali dialect that is the most widely used is Standard
Somali, a term applied to several sub-dialects, the speakers of
which can understand each other easily.
Standard Somali is
spoken in most of Somalia and in adjacent territories (Djibouti,
Ogaden
, North
Eastern Province
), and is used by broadcasting stations in the
Somaliland region.
Facility with language is highly valued in Somali society; the
capability of a suitor, a warrior, or a political or religious
leader is judged in part by his verbal adroitness. In such a
society,
oral poetry becomes an art, and
one's ability to compose verse in one or more of its several forms
enhances one's status. Speakers in political or religious
assemblies and
litigants in courts
traditionally were expected to use poetry or poetic proverbs. Even
everyday talk tended to have a terse, vivid, poetic style,
characterized by carefully chosen words, condensed meaning, and
alliteration.
In the pre-revolutionary period, English became dominant in the
school system and in government. However, the overarching issue was
the development of a socioeconomic stratum based on mastery of a
foreign language. The relatively
small proportion of
Somali (less than
10 percent) with a grasp of such a language — preferably English —
had access to government positions and the few managerial or
technical jobs in modern private enterprises. Such persons became
increasingly isolated from their nonliterate Somali-speaking
brethren, but because the secondary schools and most government
posts were in urban areas the socioeconomic and linguistic
distinction was in large part a rural-urban one.
Even before the 1969 revolution, Somalis had become aware of
social stratification and the
growing distance, based on language and literacy differences,
between ordinary Somalis and those in government. The 1972 decision
to designate an official
Somali
alphabet and require its use in government demolished the
language barrier and an important obstacle to rapid literacy
growth.
In the years following the institution of the Somali Latin script,
Somali officials were required to learn the
orthography and attempts were made to inculcate
mass literacy—in 1973, among urban and rural sedentary Somalis, and
in 1974-75, among nomads. Although a few texts existed in the new
script before 1973, in most cases new books were prepared
presenting the government's perspective on Somali history and
development. Somali scholars also succeeded in developing a
vocabulary to deal with a range of subjects from mathematics and
physics to administration and ideology.
Religion
With few exceptions, the Somalis are entirely
Muslims,the majority belonging to the
Sunni branch of
Islam and
the
Shafi`i school of
Islamic jurisprudence, although some
are also adherents of the
Shia Muslim
denomination. Islam also serves as the state religion. Though
traces of pre-Islamic traditional religion exist in Somaliland,
Islam is extremely important to the Somali sense of national
identity. Many of the Somali social norms come from their religion.
For example, men shake hands only with men, and women shake hands
only with women. Many Somali women wear a
hijab when they are in public. In addition, Somalis
abstain from
pork,
gambling, and
alcohol, and
receiving or paying any form of interest. Muslims generally
congregate on Friday afternoons for a sermon and group prayer.
Compliance with these prohibitions depends on each individual's
level of
orthodoxy.
Nevertheless there has been
Catholic
missionary activity. In colonial days,
British Somaliland was under the care of
the
Roman
Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia, like the
Vicariate
Apostolic of the Gallas (including French Somaliland
(Djibouti) as well as its Ethiopian main territory) confided to the
Order of Friars Minor
Capuchin.
Culture
Clan system
There are about 3.5 million people in Somaliland. Somali society is
organized into
clans, which range from 5,000 to
over 50,000 in size. The largest clan in Somaliland is the
Isaaq. The second largest clan in the region, and that
of the current president, is the
Gadabuursi Dir. Other
clans with a presence in Somaliland include the
Issa,
Gabooye, and
Harti Darod (such as the
Warsangali and
Dhulbahante).
The Warsangali and Dhulbahante mostly
reside in southern Sool, some parts
of Eastern Sanaag
, and a small
part of south-eastern Togdheer, while the Isaaq are concentrated in the regions of
Maroodi Jeex, Sanaag, Sool, Awdal,
Togdheer, and Saaxil. The Gadabuursi
inhabit the western part of the region, in Awdal and parts of
Gabiley
.
The clan families are divided into lineage units, typically ranging
from 2,500 to 10,000 members. It is possible for Somalis to know
how they are related by simply giving their name and clan
membership. Clan discrimination in Somaliland is highly forbidden
and all clans are considered equal by the
Government of
Somaliland.
Marriage
Most Somalis in the region choose to marry whomever they desire as
long as they are
Muslim. In the case of
arranged marriages, brides can be much younger than the grooms.
Marriage to a cousin from the mother's side of the family (of a
different lineage) is traditionally favored to strengthen family
alliances, but this practice is not as common as before.
Virginity is valued in women prior to marriage. In
addition, divorce is legal in Somaliland.
Cuisine
It is considered polite for one to leave a little bit of food on
one's plate after finishing a meal at another's home. This tells
the host that one has been given enough food. If one were to clean
his or her plate that would indicate that he or she is still
hungry. Most Somalis don't take this rule so seriously, but it is
certainly not impolite to leave a few bits of food on one's plate.
Traditionally, the main meal of the day is eaten at lunchtime and
Somali people usually begin their day with a
flatbread called
laxoox (or
lahoh), as well as
liver, toast,
cereal or
porridge made of
millet or
cornmeal. Lunch can
be a mixture of rice or noodles with meat and sauce. During the
pre-independence period,
Italian
expatriates imported some of their cuisine to Somaliland; for
example,
Pasta Al Forno (or
Baasto Forno in
Somali).
Also consumed during
lunchtime is a traditional soup referred to as maraq,
which is also part of Yemeni
cuisine. Maraq is made of vegetables, meat and beans and is
usually eaten with flatbread or
pita bread.
Later in the day, a lighter meal is served which includes
beans,
ful medames, muffo
(patties made of oats or corn),
hummus, or a
salad with more laxoox/
injera.
Turkish coffee and
Turkish tea are also imbibed. The latter
beverage has been adapted to form what is one of the most famous
drinks in the region:
Shaax Xawaash. Consumed by the
majority of Somalis, Shaax Xawaash is made of
cardamom (or
Xawaash) and
cinnamon barks (
Qoronfil).
Arts
Islam and
poetry have
been described as the twin pillars of Somali culture. Most Somalis
are Sunni Muslims and Islam is vitally important to the Somali
sense of national identity. Most Somalis don't belong to a specific
mosque or sect and can pray in any mosque
they find.
Celebrations come in the form of religious festivities, two of the
most important being
Eid ul-Adha and
Eid ul-Fitr which marks the end of the
fasting month. Families get dressed up to visit one another. Money
is donated to the poor. Other holidays include
June 26 and
May 18, which
celebrates Somaliland's independence from Britain and Somalia;
however it is unrecognised by the international community.
In a
nomadic culture, where one's
possessions are frequently moved, there is little reason for the
plastic arts to be highly developed.
Somalis embellish and decorate their woven and wooden milk jugs
(Somali
Haano, the most decorative jugs are made in
Ceerigaabo) and their wooden headrests, and traditional dance is
important, though mainly as a form of courtship among young people.
The traditional dance known as the
Ceeyar Somaali in the
Somali language is Somaliland's favourite dance.
Also, an important form of art in Somaliland is
henna painting (Mehndi) (Somali: Xenna). The
Henna plant is widely grown across the region and it
was
Arab merchants and settlers that first
brought the art of henna painting in early Somaliland. During
special occasions, a Somali woman's hands and feet are expected to
be covered in decorative mendhi. Girls and women usually apply or
decorate their hands and feet in henna on joyous celebrations like
Eid, weddings etc. The henna designs can be very simple to highly
intricate.
Unlike Pakistani
, Indian
or Bangladeshi
henna designs, the Somali and Arab designs are more
modern and simple compared with the latter. Traditionally,
only women apply this
body art, as it is
considered a
feminine custom.
Henna is not only applied on the hands and feet but is also used as
a
dye. Somali men and women alike use henna as a
dye to change their
hair color.
Mostly, elderly men with grey hair apply this procedure because
black hair dye is forbidden in Islam. Women are free to apply henna
on their hair as most of the time they are wearing a
hijab.
See also
Notes
Sources and references
- [8230]
- Wales Strikes Out On Its Own In Its Recognition of
Somaliland
- Hoehne, Markus V. 2009: Mimesis and mimicry in dynamics of
state and identity formation in northern Somalia, Africa
79/2, pp. 252-281.
- Hoehne, Markus V. 2007: Puntland and Somaliland clashing in
northern Somalia: Who cuts the Gordian knot?, published online on 7
November 2007. http://hornofafrica.ssrc.org/Hoehne/
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