18 May is the day we reclaimed our lost independence which we discarded in 1960 when a handful of inexperienced politicians failed to properly negotiate for Somaliland’s sovereignty, independence, and freedom

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be taken by the oppressed.” Martin Luther King.

 “There is nothing more precious than freedom.” Ho Chi Minh.

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Thomas Jefferson

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” Frederick Douglass.

Back ground information

So-called Somali nationalism was nothing but part and parcel of the I960s wind of independence that has been sweeping the vast African landscape, as Arab nationalism has been sweeping the Arab world beginning from so-called World War 1 to the 1960s, and the wind of independence that has been sweeping South America in the 19th century and the United States and specifically former 13th colony in the 18th century. The dream of pushing for a so-called greater Somalia was no different than the fictional Arab nationalism spearheaded by Sharif Hussein of Mecca, the founders of the Baath Party Antoine Saada and Michael Aflaq in Syria that brought to power the free officers Union in Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya and fueled Algerian war of independence against the French colonialism. There was nothing so special about the ill-fated failed union between British Somaliland Protectorate and Italian Somalia. In 1960 our inexperienced pseudo-politicians failed to explain what has happened to the misled and misled Somaliland public. The last person living among the Somaliland group who threw away our independence was Mr. Ahmed H. Duale (Kaisy) who has recently passed. These were the group who never articulated for the people of Somaliland what has exactly happened, because if they have done that our active war of re-independence would have been started in 1960, just as the Eritrean war of independence has just started the day in 1961 when Ethiopia has done away with the loose federation between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

18 May is a precious and so valuable to the people of Somaliland. It is the day we have re-acquired our independence that has been left for dead for about 30 years. It was a day our lost hope has recovered and restored. The U.N. propped weak entity in Mogadishu must know Somaliland did not come cheap and the people of this nation are warriors who were battling imperialists and colonialists for hundreds of years, and they are more than ready to defend their sovereignty, and independence at any cost against any invaders whoever might be. The only thing we may negotiate with that figment is official separation. We know there is nothing more precious and valuable than freedom, liberty and independence. The people of Vietnam, Eritrea, Cuba, all South America and others gave so much for their independence. Independence is not something that is given to people, independence and freedom are precious commodities that are to be demanded and sacrificed for. The Independence of Somaliland is not something a corrupt, unelected bureaucrat, a lowly ambassador, and envoy for this state, or that, an angry tribal person looking for attention can reverse. This is a peoples’ will, stronger than steel, bigger than a continent and much more powerful what anyone no matter how powerful he can be has the ability to reverse or erase.  Somalilanders of all ages need to remember what lack of independence and the power to choose have done to them when their independence have get out of their hands, and fell into the hands of corrupt foreign politicians.

26th June 1960 a day we threw away to people who later on became our bitter enemies

Heesihii layaabka Lahaa ay Alifeen Mu-al-ifiintii Waa Wayna een Marna Taarikhdu Ilaawi Karin Wakhtigaa, EE Maalintaa Loo QaadayWaxa Kamid Ahaa Ali Suguleh (Dun-Arbeed), Hussein Aw Farah, Abdillahi Qarshi, Mohamed Omar(Huriyo), Hassan Sh. Mumin, Iyo Qaar Kaloo Badan. Heesihii Maalintaa Loo Qaaday Waxa Kamad Ahaa Heestii uu Alifay Ismail Sh. Ahmed (Cagaf): Calankaan Dhidbay Saw Masoo Dhicin, Iyo Heestii U Sameeyay  Sahardiid Mohamed Jibiye (Aan Meela Hasheena Mandeeq) iyo Heesa Kale oo Badan Ay Ka Mid Ahay uu Ku Qaaday Fanaankii Wayn Mohamed Suleiman ee Ahayd Waa Mahad Alee Madaxeen Banaan.

 

 

Prof. Suleiman Egeh is a freelance writer, political commentator and a senior science instructor.

home

Related Articles

Back to top button

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker