SECURITY IN SOMALILAND
I know what you think. “How is it possible to travel to Somaliland”, “it must be dangerous”, etc.
To be neighbors with Somalia, or more precisely Puntland, also semi-independent, we think they might be terrorists everywhere, that people may even be armed, that we risk to get kidnapped or bombed in an attack…
As I explained in the introduction, Somaliland is independent! With its borders, its police, its laws, etc. It’s not the chaos like in Somalia, SOMALILAND IS NOT SOMALIA !!!! And they can be proud to live in peace. A fragile peace? Honestly, I don’t think so, I don’t hope so. So stop to let your imagination run!!!
People live normally, they go to pray, to work, to buy at the market, it’s a safe country, you don’t see people carrying guns. There’s police checkpoints at the entry of the villages and near the borders, but that’s all.
I felt safe at all time, in the streets of Hargeisa and Berbera, in the bus, at the hotel. So don’t be afraid to go!!! An escort is still necessary to visit the site of “Las Geel”, but more as a precaution and protection of the few tourists who come here than by real danger. See more details on my itinerary further.
MY EXPERIENCE AS A WOMAN TRAVELING ALONE AND DRESS CODE
I felt safe throughout my stay and had no problem with the locals. For the dress code, as a respect for the population, who is Muslim by 99%, it’s better to cover yourself. A veil, a shirt or wide Tshirt with long-sleeves, trousers or ideally a long skirt. It’s not mandatory to be covered or veiled to enter and travel in the country, but it’s a question of respect, it’s also better for your own well-being and to avoid embarrassing situations. Lighter clothing would be seen as a provocation.
People are curious in the street when you walk to know what you’re doing here. At first, some may be a little suspicious, it’s not usual to see a foreign woman walking alone, so many think I might be a journalist. Once the doubt is cleared, the people are immediately more friendly.
THE SOMALILANDERS
The local population is VERY friendly, as I explain before, even if they are a little suspicious at first “are you a journalist?”.
A great surprise to see that many know English, either because they learnt it during the colonial period (English protectorate until 1960), or because some went abroad to live, especially in England (people with money who fled during the years of conflict or as refugees) and then came back.
The separation between men and women is not so strict as in some Muslim countries, in buses, for example, a man can sit next to a woman even if it is not his. In the tea houses, however, there are mostly men only and in some restaurants, especially in the villages, one room is reserved for women and another for men.
