The Republic of Somaliland will reconsider the resumption or complete suspension of talks it started with Somalia in 2012 according to a statement the country’s House of Representatives (HoR) released today.
“.. the House of Representatives will thoroughly debate on pertinent national issues to ensure that the statehood and sovereignty of Somaliland remain intact and will seriously reconsider the Somaliland-Somalia talks in view to arriving on a resolution commensurate with prevailing conditions and developments,” the statement said.
The statement follows a nomination of a committee to investigate and report back on recent protests in the Somaliland town of Las Anod, Sool region that the Speaker of the Lower House of the Somalia federal parliament, Sheikh Adan Madoobe, made on Tuesday, January 3.
The HoR statement pointed out that the Republic of Somaliland was more than qualified to look after its own affairs without outside parties jumping in into matters that were not of their concern in any way.
The statement apprises the African Union, international partners, and all and sundry of the RoS stand.
“The Somaliland House of Representatives wishes to emphasize to all international bodies, African Union, and international partners that the issues concerning Las Anod of Sool region – or any of the other regions and districts of Somaliland – are under the exclusive domain of the government of the Republic of Somaliland and that non-other has the authority or jurisdiction to interfere with it”, it said.
The Republic of Somaliland was on its own since 1991. It built, in contrast to its erstwhile failed partner to the south, Somalia. a fully functioning government with its flag, currency, emblem, anthem, national army, and smoothly-run executive, legislative and judiciary branches since then.
The country, following a popular referendum on its Constitution in May 2001, held eight free and fair 1person-1vote elections since 2002.
The statement said as much calling the Mogadishu interference ‘blatant aggression against the sovereignty of the republic of Somaliland’.
“Recently, the Speaker of the so-called “People’s House of Somalia”, which consists of individuals selected under a tent, issued a letter claiming to appoint a fact-finding committee on a matter related to Las Anod, a city within the borders of Somaliland. This appointment is not based on the facts on the grounds and lacks legality breaches clearly breaching international law. The House of Representatives views this letter as blatant aggression against the sovereignty of the Republic of Somaliland – sovereignty and statehood that is grounded on the express wishes of its citizens, who elect their leaders and representatives on free and fair elections decided on 1person-1vote,” the statement underlined.
The Somaliland Representatives further pointed out that Somalia or any of its branches had jurisdiction or authority over issues within the Somaliland boundaries. The statement called the appointment of a committee to look into an issue in one of the major Somaliland cities nothing but a make-believe gesture to put together a work of fiction designed to continue a habitual Mogadishu charade to mislead the international community and abuse its intelligence.
“The Mogadishu Speaker has undertaken this step,” the statement said, “fully well aware that neither this committee nor any other representing Somalia can enter the Republic of Somaliland let alone undertake a fact-finding mission in it”.
The HoR cautioned the international community not to fall victim to disinformation that had no relation to reality or the status quo.
“Therefore, any report issued by the Mogadishu-based House will not be based on facts that reflect the actual situation in the territory of Somaliland, including Las Anod,” the statement warned.
The HoR also reminded the African Union that the borders of the Republic of Somaliland that were drawn long before the hasty merger with Somalia in 1960 conformed with international standards and instruments and were no different than those on which the AU itself espoused.
“The borders of Somaliland conform to international law, including the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the principle of Uti possidetis,” the statement pointed out.
The HoR briefly explained how it had a constitutional role in speaking out against the Villa Baidoa interference at this juncture of time.
“The objectives of the Parliament, elected by the people, include ‘the protection of the peace and security of the Republic and Republic’s sovereign rule over its land, sea, and air’ as is stipulated by Article 38 of the Constitution. The House of Representatives consists of members who represent the public. These members are elected from all corners of the country,” the Representatives’ statement highlighted.
Several members of the Somalia-nominated have since Tuesday declined ‘responsibility’.
Under the guise of feigned solidarity with protesters in Las Anod, Somalians in Somalia proper, Kenya, and Ethiopia blew a local incident into gargantuan proportion i9nciting violence, reporting ‘genocides’, calling locals to violently topple the Somaliland administration in the area, and to, among others, kill anyone who is much as showed a difference of opinion. They use paintings, photo-shopped images, faked reports, and splashed scenes from violent incidents in other countries on social media not even considering that the world could not be bamboozled in 2023 as one could in the 60s or early 70s.
The idea was to curve away an important region from Somaliland and drive it to join Somalia when military engagement and all other methods failed using clan rivalry and social strife. Almost everyone of the detractors preached clan violence whereas in Somaliland no one was aware of hostility among clans.
The Somaliland statement:
The Somalia People’s House committee nomination:
