By Hussein Adan Igeh (Deyr),
Somalia, (often taken as the prime example of a failed state) has for more than three decades embodied as the deficiencies of statelessness. The successive presidents of Somalia had time and again failed to create and develop a rules-based system to protect and promote the peace, security and socio-economic well-being of their own people. It is bizarre that the attention of many world leading developed countries and the international development partners are still focussing on a country that failed to meet even the most basic criteria of statehood.
The President of Somalia is increasingly opposing and resisting against the sovereignty and statehood of the Republic of Somaliland as well as the aspirations and self-determination of its people. The President of Somalia does not have the wisdom, sensibility, vision or the political acumen to lead a nation in tatters.
In reference to Hassan Sheikh’s recent statement on Somaliland’s independence and sovereignty I would say to him: “MIND YOUR OWN HOPELESS BUSINESS!!”
Instead of meddling in the internal affairs of the Republic of Somaliland, he could have properly addressed the complex structural and existential challenges which Somalia is facing for so long.
In addition, it would have been morally correct if he could at least have talked about his young Somali soldiers (more than 5,000) who are being permanently held hostage by the Eritrean dictator, Isaias Afwerki.The way in which Hassan Sheikh behaves says a lot about his moral integrity as a leader! It is clear he doesn’t care about his distressed citizens who need his help more than ever before.
It is utterly regrettable that his citizens are being used as human shields and being slaughtered in war frontlines taking place in a foreign country. A war that is not of their own!! A war they have absolutely nothing to do with it. President Hassan Sheikh convincingly knows that his young soldiers are dying for nothing in Eritrea /Tigray. Their names, values they stand for, their heroic deeds and their unmarked graves will always remain unknown!
Surely he will never miss those young soldiers who are aimlessly sacrificed, since he doesn’t care about their fate and desperate cry for his help! Those who will miss them are their mothers, fathers and other family members and relatives.
The history shall not repeat itself!! There is no doubt the President of Somalia and the government he leads are their own worst enemies. Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud masters the art of making enemies and blunders because he turned millions of ordinary Somalilanders into bitter enemies. This man is unpredictable on all accounts! He cannot be trusted. He is more dangerous than any of his predecessors.
The President of Somalia (one of the world’s classic failed state besieged and devastated by terrorists for more than a quarter of century) should be very realistic and must accept the inevitable and irreversible reality on the ground: Somaliland’s Sovereignty and Statehood are sacred and nonnegotiable. The history shall not repeat itself; the fate of the union is sealed off for good and forever! Legally, historically and politically Somaliland has a unique case.
The Republic of Somaliland was once an independent and sovereign country that voluntarily merged with Italian Somalia and the nuptials failed. The voluntarily union with Somalia has caused nothing but destruction and lost opportunity for millions of Somalilanders. Today, the people of Somaliland could have enjoyed their independence and would have been a success story had they not voluntarily united with Somalia Italiano on1st July 1960.
CONCLUSION:
The President of the failed State of Somalia and the weak government he leads should know that the birth of this great nation ‘The Somaliland Republic’ came forth through the sacrifice, bloodshed and tears of an oppressed and exploited people who found freedom as they endured the pain and heartache suffered at the hands of their oppressors (the cruel and blood thirsty regime of Somalia). However, Somaliland is today more stronger than ever before to endure an ever increasing existential threat from the neighbouring failed state of Somalia and their cohorts and crime partners.
To put in a nutshell, the people of the Republic Somaliland will not, cannot and must not make another historic and costly mistake. The people of Somaliland will never fall again into another trap of their own making by sacrificing the hard-won independence and sovereignty for the sake of a fanciful, unrealistic and problematic concept of Greater Somalia!!
Long Live the Republic of Somaliland and its Great people
Hussein Adan Igeh (Deyr) is the Former Minister of Trade & Investment, Former Presidential Spokesman.