PRESS RELEASE

By Khaatumo Forum for Somali Peace, Development and Unity

Lascanod, the capital of Somalia’s regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (now Khatumo State of Somalia) has a history of giving a rude awakening to its occupiers, the one-clan secessionist enclave based in Hargeisa calling itself Somaliland. Lascanod was once again on fury and fire on 18 May, the date the secessionists hold dear as their national day (more correctly a clan day), commemorating the date in 1991 when the clan’s anti government insurgents known as the Somali National Movement (nothing Somali and national about them) forced delegates to a reconciliation conference in Burco among northern clans to endorse at gun point their declaration of the secession of the NW region from the rest of Somalia to rename “Somaliland”, its former defunct colonial name. For the people of Lascanod, as for the rest of the SSC regions, 18 May is dedicated to burning the rubbish in their midst, a symbolic act representing the cleansing the odour of secession from their regions.

People in Lascanod, young and old, women and children, all came out to show their feelings on the day in their calendar they detest most. It was a day marked by the outpouring of Somali nationalism, the display of Somalia’s national flag and the chanting of slogans denouncing the occupation and the secessionists and yelling “down with the Soomaalidiid” (the renegades). Not a single Somaliland flag was in sight and for good reason. Their lackeys and paid puppets among the local community were supposed to do that dirty job of waving the secessionist flag for the TV camera but even they chose to keep out of the way lest they run the gauntlet of the angry crowd. There could not have been a better contrast between the fanfare and festivities for May 18 in Hargeisa, the citadel of the secession, and its rejection in Lascanod, Buuhodle and in the rest of Khatumo State- the cradle of Somali unity .

Nothing enrages the secessionists more than acts of defiance against their occupation and secession, particularly on 18 May when they want to fish for recognition and put on their best facade for the attention of the international community that everyone is with them and their “Somaliland” remains an oasis of peace and tranquillity in contrast to the turmoil in Southern Somalia. When their carefully choreographed show is spoiled, as happened in Lascanod, their response is brutal and indiscriminate, reminiscent of the worst practices of former colonisers in Africa. Their wild armed militia were let loose on peaceful demonstrators – women and children – whose only crime was merely to manifest their opposition to “Somaliland” and all it stands for. Scores of people have been shot, including a number of deaths. They are martyrs in every sense and their lives will not be lost in vain in this world and the one hereafter.

May 18 may be Somaliland’s “national” day but it is also one of two days when Puntland, who preposterously lays claims to these regions, restates without failure its commitment to liberate the SSC regions and warns Somaliland to leave the SSC regions or else face untold consequences. This is of course their usual bravado which they have been saying since Lascanod was occupied by Somaliland with their collusion on 15 October 2007- another date Puntland also reiterates the same mantra to the SSC people and the same warning to Somaliland. Neither Somaliland nor the SSC people take Puntland’s empty utterances seriously. It is a cynical gesture to fool those in the SSC regions gullible enough to believe them. Indeed, notwithstanding their noises for public consumption, Puntland is at one with Somaliland that Khatumo should be scuppered but otherwise differ on who should own the SSC regions. The occupied SSC regions would have been liberated if Puntland was not obstructing Khatumo and the liberation struggle, not militarily but in every other way for its own narrow interest.

Once again the SSC unionist people standing up to the secessionists to defend Somalia’s unity have been betrayed by the federal government of Somalia headed by Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud. Not for the first time, there was not a single word of support or sympathy from him for the victims of Somaliland’s occupation and atrocities. But it could have been worse on his part. Pandering to the secessionists for his personal political interests has been his stand since he came to office. On a previous occasion, when the enclave conducted its election and a similar uprising took place in Lascanod opposing the treacherous election being forced on them , in which a number of demonstrators waving the Somalia’s flag were shot dead in the streets, Hassan Sheikh did not utter a word of censure against Somaliland’s crimes in Lascanod. Instead, he congratulated them for the success of their election whose objective was to cement the separation of “Somaliland” from the rest of Somalia.

He is less likely to change his stand now that he is busy with his re-election at any cost and needs support as in the past from those MPs in the Federal Parliament hailing from the secessionist clan. They are expected to pool their votes behind any presidential candidate they deem more amenable to Somaliland’s interests or at least less tough on it – in other words, Hassan Sheikh is their man.

Somaliland’s bloody action might have relieved their anger but they have inadvertently given a boost to the liberation struggle – uniting the people against them. They are unlikely to succeed and should follow the wisdom and example of their former colonial master who left when they realised that their time was up. It would only be matter of time before they are thrown out of the city and the rest of Khatumo’s occupied territory. If they have any sense and foresight – and that is in short supply- they should cut their losses and withdraw their militia from the SSC regions right away. The worst option is the occupation which will be defeated but at a cost to Somaliland in men and materials and not least in creating an unbridgeable chasm between the brotherly people which is in no ones interest.

Fadumo Osman
Chairperson
Khatumo Forum for Somali Peace, Development and Unity
Email: osmanyare2@gmail.com