Unrepresented Nations and Peoples

Organization
Somaliland

STATISTICS
Status: Unrecognized territory
Population: 3.5 million
Areas: 68,000 sq miles
Capital: Hargeisa
Language: Somali, Arabic, Englis
Religion: S!nni "slam
Ethnic Groups: Somali, S#aili, $romo
UNPO REPRESENTATION: %o&ernment o' Somaliland
(e %o&ernment o' Somaliland as been a member o' U)*$ since +00,
OERIE!
Somaliland is sit!ated on te eastern orn o' A'rica, and is ro!gly te size o'
England and -ales. "t sares its borders #it te .e/!blic o' 01ibo!ti on te #est,
2ederal .e/!blic o' Etio/ia to te so!t, to te nort te %!l' o' Aden, and Somalia
to te east. Somaliland com/rises o' a total area o' 334,600 sq!are 5m #it a
coastline o' 850 5m. (e region as a monsoon ty/e climate, #it a distinct rainy
s/ring season, and dry s!mmers.
*$*U6A("$)
(e /o/!lation is estimated at 3.5 million, #it an a&erage gro#t rate o' 3.37.
557 o' te /o/!lation is nomadic or semi8nomadic, #it ,57 li&ing in !rban areas or
r!ral to#ns. (e a&erage li'e e9/ectancy 'or males is 50 years old, and 'or 'emales 55.
(e /o/!lation is dis/ersed in Hargeisa, te ca/ital city, and oter main to#ns and
cities s!c as :!rao, :orama, :erbera, Erigabo, %abiley, :alig!badle, Saylac,
$de#eyne, and 6as Anod.
E;$)$<=
;!rrency: Somaliland silling >S"S?.
(e regions main so!rce o' income comes 'rom te e9/ort o' li&estoc5 >camels,
cattle, goats, and see/? to Sa!di Arabia and te %!l' States tro!g te /ort o'
:erbera. *rod!ce 'rom agric!lt!re are sorg!m and maize, #it te Hargeysa
igland being best s!ited 'or dry8'arming, #ilst te Ha!d region is more s!itable 'or
animal grazing.
(e traditional /ractice o' li&estoc5 e9/orts is no longer 'easible as a strong
contrib!tor to economic stability, as it no longer s!''iciently s!//orts a gro#ing
/o/!lation. Sa!di Arabia@s ban on te im/ort o' Somaliland li&estoc5, 'ollo#ing its
claim tat it is contaminated, as greatly a''ected te region. Somaliland 'inds itsel'
relying on money sent by relati&es and members o' te 0ias/ora #o 'led te co!ntry
d!ring te 3A80@s ci&il #ar. (e estimated &al!e o' teir contrib!tion is estimated at
300million USB a year.
-it Somaliland remaining !nrecognised in te international arena as a legitimate
state, it cannot a//eal to te -orld :an5 >-:?, "nternational <onetary 2!nd >"<2? or
oter international s!//ort, #ic gra&ely increases its s!sce/tibility to /o&erty and
!nem/loyment amongst its /o/!lation.
POLITICAL SITUATION
Somaliland is ca!gt in a &icio!s ;atc8++ /osition. (ey are being told, C0estroy
yo!r nation by 1oining destroyers in te so!t >Somalia?, and #e #ill recognise yo!.
Stay o!tside, #it stability and democracy, and #e #ill ignore yo!.C (e region as
been lobbying relentlessly 'or te /ast se&enteen years to #in s!//ort 'or its claim to
be a so&ereign state.
(e aim o' !ni'ying Somali 'actions contin!es today as te Arta ;on'erence in
01ibo!ti in +000 created a (ransnational )ational go&ernment >()%?, claiming to
re/resent Somalia and Somaliland as one entity. Ha&ing been lobbying 'or so&ereign
recognition, Somaliland o/ted not to /artici/ate in te negotiations. <oreo&er,
Somaliland re1ects te ()%, arg!ing Somaliland@s stri&e 'or inde/endence to be
nonnegotiable.
(oday Somaliland as recei&ed greater s!//ort in trying to assert its inde/endence as
legitimate to te global comm!nity. $ne o' s!c s!//orts is te Unre/resented
)ations and *eo/les $rganisation >U)*$?, and tin58tan5 Senlis ;o!ncil. (e
;o!ncil arg!es tat since Somaliland #as granted inde/endence as a :ritis
/rotectorate in 3A60, des/ite it being only 'or 'i&e days, te same recognition o' its
inde/endence needs to be re8instated into global /olitics.
"n res/onse to Somaliland@s /lea, te /re&io!s :!s Administration arg!ed te iss!e
o' Somaliland to be one needing resol!tion by te A'rican Union. (at is, te United
States re'!ses to recognise te regions inde/endence, yet contin!es to in&estigate
/ossible s!s/ects #itin Somaliland, belie&ed to be lin5ed to al8Daeda attac5s on te
US embassies in Eenya and (anzania.
(e A'rican Union remain timid on te matter, s!ggesting te alteration o' A'rican
co!ntries borders to /otentially elicit !ncertainty #itin te continent, and t!s
considers it best to 5ee/ colonial borders in8tact. -eter tis im/lies Somaliland
so!ld acce/t its 'ate as /art o' Somalia, or #eter it so!ld o/erate !nder te
bac5dro/ o' so&ereignty, 'ollo#ing its acq!isition o' inde/endence 'rom :ritain,
remains !nclear.
2!rtermore, te Somali *resident Abd!lla =!s!' Amed is strongly in 'a&o!r o' te
!nion o' te t#o territoriesF to te dismay o' Somaliland, s!c attit!des a&e to date
gained greater in'l!ence amongst oter co!ntries. -ilst Somaliland remains a GState8
in8#aiting@, it sim!ltaneo!sly contin!es to enca/s!late all tat #ic is a stateF te
/resence o' a military 'orce, a national /o/!lation, distinct borders, antem, 'lag,
constit!tion and go&ernment.
Somaliland as !ndergone a remar5able str!ggle 'rom de'eating te tyrannical
leadersi/ o' Siad :arre, to creating and enco!raging a society 'iercely dedicated to
te /reser&ation o' its c!lt!ral eritage, and te /romotion o' a /olitical arrangement
tat ac5no#ledges eq!ality and re/resentation 'or its /eo/le.
UNPO "E"#ER PERSPECTIE
Go$ern%ent e&ecuti$e po'er:
Somaliland declared itsel' inde/endent 'ollo#ing te o&ertro# o' military dictator
Said :arre in 3AA3. Since, te 'ormer :ritis /rotectorate as created a transitional
'orm o' go&ernment #ic relies ea&ily on te !se o' clan elders in mediation,
a//ointments and te eq!al re/resentation o' clans. Eq!al re/resentation 'or all clans
is /aramo!nt to go&ernments mandate, in te 3AA3 elections te %!!rti >co!ncil o'
elders? enco!raged s!c by electing te ten /resident ><oamed "braim Egal? to
re/resent te "ssaq clan, #ilst also electing Abdiraman Ali 2ara >'rom te
%adab!rsi clan? as &ice8 /resident.
(e deat o' <oamed "braim Egal sa# im s!cceeded by te no# *resident 0air
.iyale Eain. (erm in o''ice is set at 'i&e years, o#e&er, des/ite <r .iyale
leadersi/ o''icially ending as o' <ay +008, it as been contro&ersially e9tended by
te %!!rti. (e most recent election #as in +005 #ere &oters elected a ne#
/arliament. *re&io!sly, members o' /arliament ><*@s? #ere a//ointed by clans
tro!g a /rocess o' cons!ltationF te alteration o' s!c is aimed at strengtening te
democratic /rocess so as better teir cances o' international recognition.
H *resident: 0air .iyale Eain
H Iice /resident: Amed =!s!' =assin
Parlia%ent:
(e legislati&e assembly is com/rised o' t#o cambers8 an elected elder@s camber,
and Ho!se o' .e/resentati&es. (e elected *resident and Iice8*resident are Heads o'
go&ernment, #ilst te *resident nominates cabinet members #o s!bseq!ently
a//ro&e legislation. "n addition, Somaliland as an inde/endent 1!diciary.
H S/ea5er o' /arliament: 0!lbaante >;lan cie'?
*olitical *arties and 6eaders:
(e co!ntry as tree main /olitical /arties:
H Allied *eo/les 0emocratic *arty >U0U:? 8 *arty o' bot c!rrent *resident >0air
.iyale Eain? and &ice8 *resident >Amed =!s!' =assin?
H J!stice and -el'are *arty >U;"0?
H E!lmiye *arty >*eace, Unity and 0e&elo/ment *arty?
(ISTORICAL #AC)GROUN*
EA.6= H"S($.=
"n 388, te no# .e/!blic o' Somaliland #as 5no#n as te Somaliland *rotectorate
!nder :ritis r!le. $n J!ne +6t 3A60 te United Eingdom granted inde/endence to
te /eo/le o' Somaliland, res!lting in Somaliland q!ali'ying and being ac5no#ledged
as an inde/endent co!ntry by some 35 states. (e United Eingdom signed se&eral
bilateral agreements #it Somaliland on tis day, in addition, te ten U.S. Secretary
o' State, ;ristian Herter, sent a congrat!latory message. Ho#e&er, inde/endence #as
sort li&edF inde/endence lasted a mere 'i&e days.
.E;E)( H"S($.=
$n 3st J!ly 3A60 des/ite m!c dis/!te, Somaliland 1oined te 'ormer "talian Somalia
to 'orm te Somali .e/!blic. (e !nion 'ailed almost instantly mostly d!e to iss!es o'
re/resentation and /o#er. (e !nion #o!ld res!lt in almost all 5ey /olitical and
economic o//ort!nities being concentrated in So!tern Somalia, at te disad&antage
o' oter regions. (e strained relations #itin te co!ntry e&ent!ally escalated into a
ci&il #ar by te 3A80s. (is /aired #it te already tyrannical r!le o' Somalia@s Said
:arre since 3A6A, bot Somali and Somaliland #ere nearing colla/se. :ot
/enomenons@ came to an end in 3AA3 'ollo#ing te o&ertro# o' :arre by "saaq
o//onents 'rom te Somali )ational <o&ement >S)<?. (e S)< met at :!rao in
<ay 3AA3 and declared !nilaterally tat Somaliland #o!ld ence'ort become te
inde/endent .e/!blic o' Somaliland.
Somaliland as done amazingly #ell in managing te electoral /rocess. $n te 33st o'
<ay +003, Somaliland cond!cted a re'erend!m #ic endorsed a ne# constit!tion
and rea''irmed its stat!s as an inde/endent state. (e "nitiati&e and .e'erend!m
"nstit!te, an international non8/ro'it organization based in -asington 0.;, concl!ded
tat te re'erend!m #as cond!cted Co/enly, 'airly, onestly, and largely in accordance
#it internationally recognized election /roced!res.C
)inety8se&en /ercent o' te &oters a//ro&ed te constit!tion.
$n te 35t o' 0ecember +00+, si9 /olitical /arties too5 /art in te m!nici/al
elections in #ic Somaliland #omen #ere able to /artici/ate 'or te 'irst time. "n
A/ril +003 0air .iyale Eain, 'rom te r!ling Unity o' 0emocrats >U0U:? /arty,
#on SomalilandKs 'irst m!lti8/arty /residential elections.
(e second /arliamentary elections eld on te 5t Se/tember +005, sa# to te re8
instatement o' 0air .iyale Eain leadersi/.
CULTURE AN* LANGUAGE
6A)%UA%E
Somali is te o''icial lang!age, incl!ding Arabic and Englis. "t is mandatory tat
Arabic be ta!gt in scools and mosq!es, #it Englis too being s/o5en and ta!gt in
scools aro!nd te co!ntry. Somali is one o' te ;!sitic 6ang!ages o' te A'ro8
asiatic 'amily.
.E6"%"$)
<a1ority o' te /o/!lation consists o' S!nni <!slimsF "slam is te /rinci/le 'ait and
religion. .eligion in'orms social norms and /ractice, s!c as #omen #earing a i1ab
>a &eil co&ering te body e9ce/t 'or te ands and 'ace? in /!blic, and all Somalis
abstaining 'rom gambling, te eating o' /or5, or drin5ing o' alcool, as is disco!raged
in "slam.
<A.."A%E
(ere /ertains a 'reedom o' marriage, b!t bot /eo/le m!st be <!slim. Arranged
marriages are not as /o/!lar as be'ore, b!t #en tey occ!r, te bride is o'ten m!c
yo!nger tan te groom. $/tionally, marriage to a co!sin 'rom te moters@ side o'
te 'amily is also enco!raged as a means to strengten 'amily alliances.
;U"S")E
Somali /eo/les daily brea5'ast consists o' bread called la9oo9 >6a@oo?, li&er, toast,
cereal or /orridge. (raditionally te main meal o' te day is eaten at l!nctime, and
incl!des a combination o' rice or noodles #it meat and sa!ce. ;ommonly it is
considered /olite to lea&e a small /ortion o' 'ood on ones /late #en &isiting omes.
(e !nderstanding isF te remaining 'ood signi'ies tat yo! been gi&en eno!g 'ood.
(oday tis /ractice is not entirely mandatory, b!t does 'orm /art o' te Somali
/eo/le@s c!lt!ral eritage.
<A") )A("$)A6 H$6"0A=S
H 6abo!r 0ay >3 <ay?
H .estoration o' Somaliland So&ereignty >3883A <ay?
H "nde/endence 0ay >+6 J!ne?
H <a#lid )abi 8 :irtday o' Holy *ro/et <!ammad
H <i@raa1 )abi 8 (e day o' te bodily ascension o' Holy *ro/et <!ammad
H Eid !l 2itr 8 <ar5s te end o' .amadaanF te "slamic oly mont o' 'asting
H Eid al Ada8 (e religio!s 'esti&al o' sacri'iceF te day commemorates te
#illingness o' "braim >Abraam? to sacri'ice is son "smael as an act o' obedience
to %od. <!slims all o&er te #orld, #ere /ossible, sacri'ice a goat or see/ as a
reminder o' "braim@s obedience to %od.
H "slamic )e# =ear

RELEANT LIN)S
Somaliland %o&ernment: tt/:LL###.somalilandgo&.comL
Somaliland ;amber o' ;ommerce:tt/:LL###.somalilandcambero'commerce.comL
Somaliland ;amber o' ;ommerce, "nd!stry M
Agric!lt!re:tt/:LL###.somalilandcamber.comL
Somaliland (imes )e#s/a/er: tt/:LL###.somalilandtimes.netL
Somaliland 6a#: tt/:LL###.somalilandla#.comLbodyNinde9.tml
Somaliland U//er Ho!se o' *arliament: tt/:LL###.g!!rti.orgL
Somaliland 2or!m: tt/:LL###.somaliland'or!m.orgL
Somaliland )ational Election
;ommission:tt/:LL###.somalilandelectoralcommission.orgL
U;"0 *arty: tt/:LL###.!cid/arty.comL
E!lmiye *arty: tt/:LL###.5!lmiye.comLinde9.as/
U0U* *arty: tt/:LL###.9isbiga8!d!b.comL
Somaliland *olicy M .econstr!ction *olicy "nstit!te: tt/:LL###.so/ri.orgL
8 See more at: tt/:LL###.!n/o.orgLmembersL4A36Ostas.0$1tD.l.'-0.'zgn.d/!'