- Title: [SW Column] Somaliland and Puntland confrontations
- From:[]
- Date :[]27 Jan 2000
Somaliland Puntland Confrontations
Igal tells the representatives from
Puntland to go away. Cabdulahi Yusuf tells Igal the problem with Somalia is Somaliland.
May we be looking at the beginning of an all out confrontation between somaliland and
Puntland. Most likely, but what are the intentions? What is at stake for both communities
and what may this do to the over all effort to find peace for all Somalis? These are among
the most important questions that all Somalis must be thinking. What are the intentions?
It appears that the goals of the somaliland administration are at times in conflict with
those of Puntland. The administration of Puntland articulated clearly that their goal is
to maintain peace , to build a community of Puntlanders, and to live respectfully with
their neighbors while maintaining federal union with any future Somalia. Although these
plain and decent intentions seem very simple and worth the support of all decent people,
it is not seen as such by all. There are those who claim that these objectives are a cover
for nation-wide and regional power ambitions by few. There are those who just do not like
it because it contaminates their own agenda, and then there are those who think of them as
good but disagree with the process. In any case it is difficult to imagine why Puntland
administration would like to pick a fight with somaliland at this juncture of its history.
For somaliland, the intentions are to build Somalia-free, Isaq-ruled nation on the ashes
of what the British called Somaliland. This objective is complicated but suffice it to say
that the mistreatment of Isaqs by Siyad Barre government combined with the fierce
clan-based power struggle in the south, have given this cause an identity. Their intention
is simply to make it come true. The strategy is simple, you claim to be different, you
claim to be peaceful ( the easiest way to do this is to create instability around you),
and you bribe, coerce and beg your way to international recognition. Those are the
intentions of the Somaliland leaders. What is at stake for both administrations. It is
simple for Puntland. Their ability to maintain peace and solidarity with the other regions
of Somalia is what is at stake for them. They would like to avoid finding themselves under
the control of some unruly gangster in south Mogadishu. They want to build a decent
community by the 21st century definition. For somaliland what is at stake is more
complicated and ambitious. They want to build a clan-nation (a concept that is in conflict
with 21st century definition of a nation) . They want to have nothing to do with Somalis
and most certainly Puntlanders, but they need non-Isaq land for two simple reasons: a)
Their international recognition is tied to having a non-Isaq land in their borders- that
is the argument that goes like this, “ we have been a nation before Somalia became a
nation” while ignoring that Somalia existed before the British came. b) Extra land
and minorities have historically contributed to the success of most ambitious nations- can
you imagine United States of America with out African-Americans or Russia without the
Caucasus, etc. Finally, what is the potential impact of the Puntland vs Somaliland
confrontation on the bigger, more important issue- peace for all Somalis. It is hard to
tell at this point, but this confrontation has both positive as well as potentially
negative impact on the effort to bring Somalis back together. What is positive? Well if
somaliland picks a fight with Puntland, it risks bring to the forefront the most
internationally-recognized reason (although passively articulated)for rejecting its
secession - that is dividing African land based on the European concept of nation, thus
sewing the seeds for future genocide’s in the horn. Fight with Puntland will negate
somaliland’s claim that they are peaceful, therefore, they should be recognized as a
separate nation. Further more, no intelligent leader or policy person will support a
repeat of Eritrea/Ethiopia scenario- the consequence of divorce on unclear terms
(borders). In summary, the international community may see the trees for the forest with
respect to its debate on what to do with somaliland. A clear message of no recognition
would help facilitate the effort for peace for all Somalis. What is potentially negative
about this confrontation? Well, it destabilizes the only peaceful regions of a dying
nation. This clouds the hopes for reconciliation. It will make the day for the likes of
Aidid (the South Mogadishu gangster).On the other hand, this may be precisely what Igal is
looking for by confronting Puntland.
Thanks
Aidid.
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