Feeds: 
symbol identifies content for paid subscribers only.
GOODBYE SOMALILAND.
There was a good WaPo article yesterday on considerations within the Bush administration to abandon the transitional Somali government (the one we backed Ethiopian efforts to reinstall last year) and back a separatist movement in Somaliland. To give a brief and crude account, Somaliland is the part of the Somalia that was a British colonial possession; the rest was an Italian colonial possession, and the two parts were unified in the 1960s. Somaliland (in which considerably more order has been maintained than other parts of Somalia) has been seriously seeking independence since 1990, and already runs its own affairs. While either full or de facto recognition of Somaliland makes some sense on its own merits, the decision to dismember Somalia would have wider implications:
The official U.S. government position is that the United States should withhold recognition from Somaliland because the African Union has yet to recognize it. "We do not want to get ahead of the continental organization on an issue of such importance," said Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi E. Frazer in an e-mailed response to questions.The issue is diplomatically sensitive because recognizing Somaliland could set a precedent for other secession movements seeking to change colonial-era borders, opening a Pandora's box in the region.
Like Kosovo and potentially Kurdistan, there's a lot to say for Somaliland independence. But at some point people are going to start asking questions about all these dismembered states we seem to be leaving in our wake ...
--Robert Farley
COMMENTS (3)
But at some point people are going to start asking questions about all these dismembered states we seem to be leaving in our wake ...
"In our wake"? Those independence movements have been going on since well before the U.S. got interested in them. Not everything's about us. Judge their claims to independence on their merits. Whether the U.S. recognizes them or not is hardly the only thing that will determine whether they succeed. People in other countries recognize this even if Americans think their own actions are pivotal to everything that happens in the world.
Posted by: Ryan | December 5, 2007 12:36 PM
The United States should have recognized Somaliland along time ago. Its been called "Africa's Best Kept Secret" and its going to succeed with our help or not, but without our help attaining recognition could take longer. Keeping Somaliland hostage for Somalia's failures is not the answer.
Posted by: Sam Mahone | December 7, 2007 5:57 PM
Its about time America had to think rationally about its failed policy in the Horn of Africa and particularly the country that used to be called Somalia.
Without the kind of support and international media coverage enjoyed by similar regions like Kosovo and before it gained independence that of East Timor, Somaliland has managed to pull itself from the ruins of civilwar and established on its own, with its own megre resources, a functioning democracy with all the trappings of a modern state.
What doesn't make sense and really buffles anyone with an ounce of rational mind, is how the Warlords and the Destroyers in the Southern Somalia are afforded international recognition and supported with millions of dollars, while those who bring peace and made something out of the ruins and put in place a functioning state is ignored and in most cases kept under the carpet.
I think its about time the world shall come to terms with this reality and deal with it.
Posted by: Khadar | December 9, 2007 3:46 AM