To: IGAD Secretariat
To: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
To: African Union
To: European Agency for Reconstruction
To: Somali Support Secretariat,
To: USAID
To: European Commission
To: World Bank
December 30, 2007
Statement by the Maakhir Diaspora Forum
We the concerned citizens of Somalia's State of Maakhir, in order to create a more knowledgeable audience, we appeal for your deepest consideration and most honest dedication to pacifying the Somalia's State of Maakhir Needs. We draw your attention to the creation of the new State of Maakhir in Northern Somalia.
We, being of sound mind and with sincere peaceful intentions, do again appeal to all the pertaining bodies to hear us out.
There has been a new regional state in the former disputed area of Sanaag and Western Bari regions, named as Maakhir State of Somalia, which is independent from Puntland and Somaliland and will put itself under the Federal Government of Somalia.
Although Somalia have not had central government however there have been two Separate states since the civil war broke out in the late 1980s and both states claimed Maakhir regions as theirs without any help or passing aids and other development proposals to Maakhir regions.
While Maakhir regions lacked international aid and all the other humanitarian activity, Maakhir regions have never lacked stability and peace and these regions are totally safe. We the Maakhirian Diaspora understand the challenges we are currently facing and are very optimistic by starting everything from scratch, from zero, from basic, while our country folk have the will to progress but they do not have the means and financial ability to actualize the underlying objectives that tend to sustainable economic development. In the mid years of the civil war, the regions of Maakhir were devastated until a peace deal was concluded between the Isaaq and Warsangeli. The Health Unlimited, which is a relief organization that supports indigenous people and communities affected by conflict had written extensively about this lengthy conflict on December 1996 and branded the region as “Neglected Part of Africa.” It stated, “The civil war devastated Sanaag and the inter-clan war continues. All and I mean all, the hospitals, clinics and health posts were destroyed. The work of Health Unlimited itself has been suspended until the charity can negotiate guarantees of safety.”(1)
Since toppling the late President of Somalia, Mohammed Said Bare, the Somali conflict escalated and some northern regions created a new political argument in which Former British colony of Somalia claimed unilateral independence in 1991. Maakhir does not believe such misleading argument and we strongly advocate a Federal System to be governed in Somalia. However, the effective development and functioning of such an arrangement requires technical support from the international community. Therefore, collaborating international organization would assume a role in this regard, including the implementation responsibility to provide the required support for the system’s development.
We are aware that many may not know of the complicated geo-political history of Northern Somalia and so would like to enlighten those who may believe otherwise. Please understand that the explanation, while accurate, is by no means a total historical explanation.
When the "Scramble for Africa” started and foreign powers came to Eastern Africa , Britain was the main coloniser in some of the Northern Somalia ’s regions and Maakhir Regions were left alone as Britain saw them as an independent and fully functioning State in which the Sultan had full authority.
Maakhir is the only Somali territory a foreign flag had never been hoisted while the rest of Somalia’s fast regions were cut into small pieces by other foreign powers. In general Somali territories were divided into five territories. Present day Djibouti was called French Somaliland until 1977. Until 1949, the Northern section of Somalia in which Maakhir was part of it but fully autonomous Sultanate was known to Western Powers as British Somaliland.
The south and Eastern sections was known as Italian Somaliland while far south and south west known as the Northern Frontier District was given to Kenya. While a large western portion known as the Ogaden was given to Ethiopia. One of the main reasons behind the establishment of Maakhir Regional State is to maintain and keep the existing peace and stability of Maakhir regions and with its neighbours.
We are informing all International Communities that Maakhir is self-governing Region like any other regional Government and rests on the building block system endorsed by the International community as a way of reconstituting the collapsed state of Somalia
Another reason for the establishment of Maakhir State of Somalia was to develop the socio-economic sectors and up-grade the life of the people. Maakhir will provide the much-needed public services by implementing a taxation system, and to ensure governance structures for the safety and security of the port and private local enterprises whose fiscal management and ownership follow a non-intervention practice.
Once again the Authority is aiming to improve the co-operation and collaboration with the federal government, local organizations and international community as the inhabitant of Sanaag and Western Bari did not receive all the available and apportioned aid from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and aid agencies.
Indeed, Maakhir State of Somalia is calling the International communities concerned in assisting Somalia to direct their aids and development to Maakhir Authority and not via the neighbouring Somaliland and Puntland as they both neglected Sanaag and Western Bari region of Somalia.
Maakhir State of Somalia is against the dismemberment of Somalia. We are strongly calling for Somali Unity and the prosperity of Somali Nation. This regional system which authorizes a local level government in Somalia is seen as a workable long-term strategy in Somalia in resolving inter-clan conflicts and building institutions such as police, court system and a local military base that protects and safeguards the humanitarian aid and the proper operation of International NGOs as well as the provisions of the United Nations Development Program.
As we mentioned earlier Maakhir territory did not receive any direct international help and aid since the collapse of the Central Government in early 1990s. There are no paved roads; there are no banks, no office buildings, no functioning police stations, no health authority, no airports, and not even functioning ports.
The Maakhirians and the new authority are both aware of the challenges they are currently facing and are very optimistic by starting everything from scratch, from zero, from basic. The Maakhirians and the new Authority do have the will to progress but they do not have the means and financial wherewithal to make possible the realization of them having their own regional State.
Maakhir regions are in need of any kind of assistance and the most needed ones are health projects, Educational projects, women's empowerment, and good governance project.
In considering the current situation we strongly emphasise these measures:
· The support of Maakhir State of Somalia’s declaration of self rule and self governing within Federal Somalia.
· We are urging all the International and National bodies to support the new state of Maakhir.
· Following this, the immediate delivery on the promise of aid and development that have been deprived of Maakhirians during the course of Somali’s civil war.
· We are urging the neighbouring states of Somaliland and Puntland not to interfere with Maakhir affairs.
· We support of a new conference between the states of Somaliland, Puntland and Maakhir to negotiate border issues, economic issues, and all the other issues that need a resolution mechanism.
Abdirizak Haji-Ali
Chairman of Maakhir Diaspora Forum
[email protected]
Tel-+4479-4737-1438
London, UK
References
1. Darcus Howe. “Official Africa Rejoiced at the Elevation of Kofi Annan; but in the Cathedral We Paid Homage to the People of Sanaag, the Neglected Africa” New statesman. December 6, 1996 . <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001642040>
2. Asha Abdalla. “Constitutional Blunder by the Speaker of Somali Parliament.” May 2007. /op/2006/jun/Asha-Abdalla.aspx