Somaliland People Already Held the Referendum
By: Osman Awad
Talks between Somalia and Somaliland have taken place in Istanbul, Turkey. Afterword, the delegations forwarded what they call Istanbul communiqué which states 9 principle points.
Overall the communiqué is superficial and the conclusion says the government of Somaliland and the federal government of Somalia have to reach agreement on future relations. The negotiations have ambiguous points and shows clearly that the talks have failed. The leaders of the current governments are not telling the truth.
Leaks and rumors say there are secret talks taking place. Talks between Somalia and Somaliland have been conducted in two ways; directly and indirectly. The one that’s carried out in Istanbul is a direct talk, but on the other hand President Hassan Ulosow, president of Somalia, hinted that the engagement of private talks between Somalia and Somaliland have been ongoing for a period of time. Those talks were indirect talks.
Deception and hidden agendas are not solutions. The Somaliland people have conducted the referendum and casted their votes. The withdrawal of unlawful unifications between Somalia and Somaliland has been approved by more than ninety percent of those votes. Therefore, the people of Somaliland will not be ready to repeat another referendum again. If the hidden agendas exist, it would create turmoil and disaster.
If the pressure comes from the friends of Somaliland then the only way we can get separate between two of us is to accomplish a new referendum with the witness of the international community. Somaliland would have difficultly refusing that proposal, therefore the current government must prepare seriously.
There is a sign that shows us how the federal government of Somalia is making preparation for that upcoming vote of the referendum. Look how the new prime minister selected his member of cabinets. The important portfolio has been given to those who are from Somaliland, particularly those from Sanaag, Selel, and Awdal. What does that meaning?
One of the principle points that have been agreed on between Somalia and Somaliland was the committed atrocity against the people of Somaliland by the Siyad Barre regime. This government is the only one that shows a little remorse to the people of Somaliland. This is not bad, it is better than nothing. But what happened to the people of Somaliland is more close to genocide. The killing of the people was based on targeting only certain ethnic groups.