It is given that Somaliland is such a Beacon democracy in Africa, your article seems poorly negative about recognizing this recognition, saying “Somalia (Exclusive: Somaliland president says state recognition ‘on the horizon’ following Trump talks, 30 May).
The former British Somaliland The freedom of the 1960s and chose to participate in the former Italy Somaliland to form Somalia, while former French Somaliland is wise to sit as Djiboutiuti. Its reward, during the rule of the dictator Siad Barre, was death and destruction in the “Hidden War”, a period when many were resettled to Britain (Particularly Cardiff, where the first Somalis had arrived in the 1850s) from refugee camps, mainly in Ethiopia.
Now 34 years since Somalilander pushed Barre’s army and also healed freedom. Since then, we see many peaceful transitions from a leader and party to another election.
In 2007, I was leading a delliamentary in the UK parliament, supported by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, in Somaliland and also visited the Arica Union at Addis Ababa in ADDIs that it was not known. Answer is that an internal recommendation of identification is to gather dust because some of these members fear that recognition can encourage provinces of provinces in other countries. But Somaliland is not a province of Breakaway – it is a country that is reasserted its freedom and demonstrates a capacity to build personal democratic institutions, which seek in peace and security, and growth in economic growth.
At the same time Somaliland is a successful democracy, Somalia (The remaining South) is a failed situation. Why are today who are now running Somalia are not told to imitate peace, democracy, cohesion and economic success on a land rod?
Maybe, maybe, officials in foreign office reluctant to recognize Somaliland before any country in the region, but Britain should be willing to come second. Or are we forgetting of the great contributions made by soldiers from British Somaliland in the Second World War since the middle of the 19th century, as well as the contributions made to the UK?
Alun Michael
MP for Cardiff South and Penarth (1987-2012); Previous chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Somaliland and Somalia
