Somaliland Focus (UK) - Newsletter 2, Summer 2008

Welcome to the Summer 2008 newsletter of Somaliland Focus UK. With our newsletters we aim to offer you not news about ourselves, but to provide a forum for interesting commentary on issues relating to Somaliland.

Somaliland's Political Landscape: Crisis Averted (Again)
Somaliland politicians have recently had to resolve major dilemmas in relation to the timing of elections, a process of voter registration and an inevitable but controversial extension of the presidential term in office. A resolution seems to have been found, but it involved a good deal of brinksmanship, and consequently some tense moments. Two recent riots in Hargeisa suggest that many Somalilanders are restless about the situation. No doubt global economic uncertainty contributes to that, but so have recent political crises. Michael Walls, Chair of Somaliland Focus (UK), reviews the process of reaching agreement on the key political issues and offers a few comments both on matters of concern, and of success... read more (or view PDF)

Reconstruction and Democratisation in Somaliland
An examination by Dr Steve Kibble of Progressio (and co-ordinator of the international election observation mission to Somaliland in 2005), in association with his colleague Dr Adan Abokor of Progressio's office in Hargeisa. The paper looks at the issues facing Somaliland in its unique process of democratisation, and considers the contrast between traditional clan systems and westernised democratic ideals. It provides an assessment of the impact that the international community and Somalilanders are having on the process and highlights the obstacles that Somalilanders face in their drive for reconstruction... read more (or view PDF)

State Formation in Somaliland: Building Peace from Civil War (PDF only)
Michael Walls considers the processes and structures that pertained in two consecutive phases in what is an ongoing and multi-phased peace- and state-building effort. The first of these phases is the process that began with the conclusion of the civil war against the Mogadishu regime of Siad Barre and culminated in the Burao conference in April, May and June 1991 at which the unilateral declaration of independence was made. The second starts with the collapse of the SNM immediately after the Burao conference, and ends with the Borama conference in the first half of 1993, which saw the election of a civilian government ... read more (view PDF)

Not a nice way to come home (originally published July 9th 1988; reproduced here with permission)
To mark the 20th anniversary this July of the aerial bombing of Hargeisa and Burao, we publish an article from The Economist (reproduced with kind permission) that examines the background to the conflict and the beginning of the final stage of the Somali National Movement's fight against Siad Barre's forces before the regime's collapse in 1991... read more (or view PDF)