Somaliland President assures the world that the Republic of Somaliland is here to stay

By M.A. Egge

The President of the Republic of Somaliland Musa Bihi Abdi has reiterated the fact that the MoU envisaged to earn Somaliland its obligated recognition that was mutually entered with the neighboring country of Ethiopia is duly on course and would be seen to treatise.

He reassured friends and foes alike that the nation of the Republic of Somaliland is here to stay forever without being swayed by any entities and that no amount of pressure would sway the determination and resolve of the people to achieve their aspirations.

Somaliland’s Head of State similarly was convictional that the nation’s aspirations as a dejure state are there to remain hence no foes would curtail its determination whatsoever.

The President expressed the sentiments as he addressed the nation on the occasion of the 33^rd celebrations of the 18^th May Anniversary that saw the country declare the re-assertion and re-establishment of her independence that was first earned from the British on the 26^th of June 1960.

Thus, it was the day that Somaliland severed its ties and dissolved the ill-fated union with Somalia, which was an Italian protectorate, following Mogadishu’s tyrannical tendencies that perpetrated genocide of Somalilanders.

President Bihi reminded the nation that the gumption Somaliland had when it entered its union with Somalia was propelled by the dream of the Greater Somalia, a determination that was fronted by Somaliland that would have seen all Somali inhabited areas come to one thresh-hold.

This dream was first undermined by the Mogadishu administration which was quite partisan in its distribution of the national cake and power play, thence had Somaliland terribly short-circuited.

The result, the President explained, saw belligerent and dissent by Somalilanders who cried foul; the Mogadishu government thereafter exacerbated the situation instead of addressing it and acting in a just and appropriate manner.

The President noted that the subsequent persecution of the people who were deemed insurgents resulted in the armed struggles that triumphantly resulted in the declaration of the reverting to the initial statehood.

He explained at length how the Somali government of Mogadishu, to their chagrin, has tried to undermine Somaliland in the past three decades and even stepped up their fight against Somaliland’s nation-hood in recent times instead of pacifying and uniting their backyard.

He pointed out that Somaliland has progressively remained on course to steadfastly make progress in all spheres of social-economical, political, and security sectors over the years without tangible foreign funding.

President Musa Bihi sent his greetings and congratulations to the people of Somaliland on the occasion of the observance of the national day urging them to be united solidly and hence remain steadfast to the cause, aspirations, and determination with the resilient nature they have depicted over the decades to achieve their dreams.

He took a swipe at the Mogadishu administration led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud for running berserk when Somaliland entered a bilateral MoU with the government of Ethiopia for the good of both nations. He noted that the cry of unheralded “holy war” against Ethiopia declared by Hassan Sheikh was only not tenable, uncalled for or binding, but only depicted bitterness and deep-rooted loathing of the aspirations of the people of Somaliland.

He said that they globe trotted all over to decry Somaliland’s aspirations demanding that they, Mogadishu, enter the Ethiopia agreements instead, and thus, bringing forth to limelight their hypocrisy.

The President was categorical that the agreements with Ethiopia are at an advanced stage and would be seen to be implemented in a professional manner and in conformity with international standards of bonafide treaties.

He echoed former President Dahir Rayale’s words of wisdom that cautioned against virulent words by politicians across the political divide in public during the electioneering campaigns period.

He called for sobriety and positive engagements devoid of malice that may foment seeds of discord amongst the populaces during the election campaign season.

He joked with his main competitor Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro who is the WADDANI flag-bearer saying that any of them who wins the presidential race should congratulate the other.

Former Somaliland president Dahir Rayale Kahin addressed the audience immediately before the President was invited to the dais by the Hargeisa City Mayor Cllr. Abdikarim Ahmed Mooge hailed Somalilanders and their resilience for impeccably building the nation from scratch without any international help.

Present at the dais to grace the occasion were also former Somaliland Vice Presidents Abdirahman Aw-Ali Farah and Ahmed Yusuf Yasin, Senate Speaker Suleiman M. Adan, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Yasin Hiir Faratoon, Chairman of the WADDANI Mr. Hirsi Ali X. Hassan, WADDANI presidential candidate Mr. Abdirahman M. Abdillahi, service commanders, officials from the KULMIYE Party and the UCID Party, members of the cabinet, MPs, diplomats, distinguished local and foreign guests.