The situation in Somliland is invitably compared to the violence and chaos that have prevailed across much Somalia since 1991. Viewed against that backdrop, the contrast is hard to overstate. Somalilandhas been largely at peace for more then a decades. It has held successful parliamentary elections. And in many respects the government's human right record compares well against any country in the region.

Somaliland's record of long-term stability, however, is not with out blemish. When if fought for power against the Siad Barre government, one of the SNM's slogans was" Nabad Iyo Caano "--" Peace and Milk ". Somaliland has been remarkably successful at preserving the peace. Goven that Somaliland is surrounded by the chronic istability and violence of Somali, including Puntland, the long-runing insurgency across the border in Somalia and Ethiopia's Somali Region. this is a success that requiress considerable effort to maintain.

It is important to recollect that, after achieving independence from British Colonial rule on June 26, 1960, Somaliland was duly recognized as a sovereign entity by the United Nations and Thirty -Five countries, including the United States. Several days later, on July 1, 1960, the independent country of Somaliland voluntarily joined with its newly independent Somalia ( The former UN Trust Territory of Somlia that was a former Italian colony ), to create the repbulic of Somalia.

Somlilanders rightfully note that they voluntarily jioned a union after idependence, and that, under international law, they should ( and do ) have the right to abrogate that union, as they did in 1991.Examples abound in the second half of the twentieth century of international recognition countreis that have emerged from failed states, including East Timore and the successor statesof the Southern Sudan, Eritrea and former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.The same legal principle should be applied to Somaliland.

The political basis for Somaliland's claim is that the voluntary union of 1960 was derailed in 1969 by the military coup d'etat in Somalia that ushered in more than two decades of brutal military rule under the dictatorship of General Siyad Barre. Barre ( big Mouth ) destroyed the foundations of the north-south democratic compact, most notebly by unleashing a murderous campaign ( bordering on genocide ) against northern civilians ( Now Somaliland ) that resulted in more than 100,000 deaths and created over 2,000,000 refugees as part of a widening civil war during the 1980s. Even after Siyad Barre was overthrown in 1991 by a coalition of guerrilla armies, includingthe Somali National Movement ( SNM ).In May 2001, a popular mandate was given to dissolving the union, when a resounding number of ballots cast ( 97 % ) in a national Somaliland referndum favored the adoption of a new constitution that explicitly underscored Somaliland's indepedence.

Somaliland's government contends that Somaliland is a legal anomaly whose recognition would set no precedent relevant to the rest of Africa. Somaliland did exist as an independent country in 1960, Albeit only for a matter of days, before voluntarily merging with the rest of Somlia. Since Somaliland currently exists within the old colonial boundaries of British Somaliland, its government argues that it is simply returning to its previous status as an independent satate and that its existence in no way threatern the inviolability of inherited colonial bounderies.

Somaliland deserves recognition if the President Biden administration is truly sincere about promoting democracy in the wider Africa and Middle East.In sharp contrast to Somalia where instability and crisis have reigned and in fact intensified in the las thirty one years, Somaliland has established a democratic policy. Somaliland's embrace of democracy, its persistence in holding round after round of elections, both winners and losers abiding by the rules, the involvement of the grassroots, the positive role of traditional authorities, the culture of negotiation and conflict resolution, the temperance of ethnicity or clan affliliation and its deployment for constructive purposes, the adptation of modern technology, the conservative use of limited resources, and the support of the daispora and the professional and intellectual classes are some of the more outstanding features of Somaliland's political culture that are often sorely lacking elsewhere.

The United States government has been largely supportive of development and security efforts in Somaliland, thought these efforts have been limited by the diplomatic imperative to channel assistance and dailogu through the framework of broader engagement with Somalia as whole. US government said they believe that there is a real possibility of deeper US engagement with Somaliland's government in the near term. US Defence Department officials have pushed for closer US ties with Somaliland as part of a policy shift that would emphasize building stability in Somaliland.Somaliland leaders are also eager to cooperate with the Biden Administration in a variety of couter-terrorism measures, including working with the Combined joint Task Force---- Horn of Africa ( CJTF-HOA ) based in Djibouti. They are currently prohibited from doing so due to US legislation that prevents cooperation with unrecognized Somaliland government.

The time for U.S. recognition of Somaliland is now, not only because it is right, but because it is in the interests of the United States. Recognition of Somaliland, followed by expanded engagement by Somaliland with the international community, would serve as a powerfull lesson for other countries the region and Africa of the benefits associated with the creation and consolidation of democratic systems of governance. Somaliland would become a model to emulate, and The United States would be congratulated for undertaking a proactive policy in support of a moderate African democracy.

ANIIS A. ESSA----HEAD

SOMALILAND ADVOCACY GROUP

GOLJANO, HARGEISA

SOMALILAND.