A Flashback to an Article by Bashir Goth, Republic of Somaliland Ambassador to USA
July 5, 2007
Yes, it has been 16 long, arduous, and lonely years since we reclaimed our sovereignty on May 18, 1991. Yes, the recognition we have aspired to achieve may seem as distant as ever. Yes, detractors have called us—and still call us—all kinds of names. Yes, enemies hell-bent on breaking our will and sowing discord among our people have used all kinds of deceptive tactics and hired spin doctors to discredit our cause. Yes, the world refuses to acknowledge our achievements, our democracy, and the oasis of peace we have created. Yes, weak-hearted African leaders have been warned that recognizing Somaliland would open the gates of hell, with monsters emerging in scores from their scandal-ridden closets. Yes, our people suffer due to the absence of diplomatic relations, international credit lines, and regular trade agreements. Yes, some of our politicians, opportunists, greedy individuals, weaklings, and wishy-washy people have tried to weaken our morale.
But against all these odds, as people of Somaliland, we have only one thing in mind: that all roads lead to recognition. From day one, we have decided there is no rollback, no reverse gear, and most importantly, no free ride to our coveted goal of regaining our sovereignty, building our country, and gaining recognition. We have watched other countries with less democracy, less peace, and less ethnic cohesion gain sovereignty and recognition. We have seen Bosnia, Montenegro, East Timor, and all the former Soviet republics embraced and accepted by the international community. We now watch Kosovo and Western Sahara inching toward independence. Somalilanders know that we lack the political clout or an “alliance of the willing” to support our cause. We have neither oil to satiate Western hunger for fuel nor the “correct” creed to claim evangelical brotherhood.
However, like the hedgehog, we know one big thing: that our determination, our strong will, our resilience, and our enormous belief in the righteousness of our cause will bear fruit, no matter how long we wait or how much we suffer along the way. We have proven it in the past, and we will continue to prove that we have the resolve and persistence needed to stay the course. No one can deter us, no one can pigeonhole us, and no one can sway us from our goal.
Despite the world’s indifference, our people have worked hard over the last 16 years. We have held democratic local, parliamentary, and presidential elections; created a vibrant free press; kept terrorism at bay; rebuilt our ruined homes; established universities; and erected factories with our meager resources and remittances from our sons and daughters scattered across the world.
With or without recognition, we intend to continue our march. Our future plans include developing our roads, ports, airports, health systems, and education. Let the Africans whine about opening Pandora’s boxes; let the Americans and Europeans indulge in their double standards, lobbying independence for places like Kosovo while denying the same to Somaliland; let the Arabs wallow in their monkey business and Orwellian newspeak of confusion and self-pity—Somaliland has no time to waste. Yes, we may be traveling alone, but “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, And we have promises to keep, And miles to go before we reap” (with full apology to Robert Frost).
And reap we will. We have gained friends along the way. We owe ample gratitude to a few courageous countries that judged us by our achievements and extended a hand of friendship. They shook our hands when all had deserted us; they opened representative offices for us when all had avoided us. We owe enormous gratitude to South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Belgium, and the UK. Their legacy will be written in gold in the annals of our history.