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儘管沒有得到國際上的認可，索馬利蘭卻以比鄰國索馬利亞更穩定，更民主的方式贏得了聲譽。
The World
May 18, 2021 · 3:15 PM EDT By Halima
Gikandi
https://www.pri.org/stories/2021-05-18/self-declared-state-somaliland-celebrates-30
Years- independence
婦女在首都哈爾格薩遊行慶祝宣布獨立25週年，
2016年5月18日，星期三，索馬利蘭地區脫離索馬利亞。
自我宣佈為索馬利蘭的國家在很大程度上仍然未被世界其他國家所認可。但這並沒有阻止其估計的360萬人慶祝其獨立30週年。
在索馬利蘭首都Hargeisa，擁擠的街道上目睹了鳴笛鳴叫的愛國音樂。
社交媒體上的視頻顯示，年輕人穿著綠色，紅色和白色（國旗的顏色）。
Hargeisa文化中心主任Jama
Musse Jama博士說“年輕人出生在索馬利蘭，他們只認識索馬利蘭，他們認為索馬利蘭是他們的身份。這些年輕人毫無頭緒，不知道索馬利蘭之前的身份是什麼。他們出生在索馬利蘭。他們只認識索馬利蘭，並且認為索馬利蘭是他們的身份。”
與索馬利蘭年輕人不同，現年54歲的Jama還記得索馬利蘭獨立之前的日子。他出生在索馬利亞，該國是意大利和英國殖民地保護國的聯盟，1960年獨立後就加入了聯盟。
但是那個聯盟沒有奏效，在經歷了多年的政治衝突之後，索馬利蘭決定在1991年宣布自己成為一個獨立國家。
Jama說他為索馬利蘭在過去30年中所取得的成就感到自豪-並表示，Hargeisa已重新成為該地區的文化中心。
他說“
哇。
30歲那年。索馬利蘭人的感受就是那個時代的力量。”
該國尚未得到其他國家官方認可。
儘管索馬利蘭擁有自己的護照和憲法，實際上是一個國家，但非洲聯盟，聯合國和包括美國在內的大多數國家仍然不承認索馬利蘭。
儘管如此，索馬利蘭越來越多地尋求與台灣，阿拉伯聯合大公國和肯亞等國
家建立外交，政治和商業關係。
肯亞內羅畢索馬利蘭特派團的外交官Ismail
Shirwac說“我們與世界上許多國家都有許多政治和外交關係。即使沒有得到國際認可，我們也一直在踐行我們的價值觀。”
的確索馬利蘭雖然不算完美，但比鄰國索馬利亞更穩定，更民主，因此贏得了聲譽。
Shirwac說我們已經證明，在動盪和專制的海洋中，我們是充滿希望的島嶼。”
該國舉行了多次公開的民主選舉，並成功地移交了權力。該國將於5月31日舉行地方選舉，這與索馬利亞的選舉形成鮮明對比，索馬利亞未能舉行選舉幾乎使首都分裂。
由於對索馬利蘭主權的不同意見，索馬利蘭與索馬利亞之間進行對話的先前嘗試失敗了。
Shirwac說顯然有件事不在桌子上。”每位索馬利蘭德人都告訴你，索馬利蘭共和國的人民無意與索馬利亞團聚。
他說他希望國際社會早日承認索馬利蘭，但無論如何，該國將繼續走民主和獨立的道路。”索馬利蘭將繼續存在。”
Self-declared state
of Somaliland celebrates 30 years of independence
With little
international recognition, Somaliland has nevertheless cultivated a
reputation for being more stable and more democratic than its neighbor
Somalia.
The World
May 18, 2021 · 3:15
PM EDT
By Halima
Gikandi
https://www.pri.org/stories/2021-05-18/self-declared-state-somaliland-celebrates-30-years-independenceWomen
march in a procession to celebrate the 25th anniversary of proclaimed
independence in the capital Hargeisa, Somaliland, a breakaway region of
Somalia, Wednesday, May 18, 2016.
The self-declared
country of Somaliland remains largely unrecognized by the rest of the
world.
But that hasn’t
stopped its estimated 3.6 million people from celebrating its 30 years
of independence.
In Somaliland’s
capital, Hargeisa, the crowded streets witnessed patriotic music blaring
from honking cars.
Videos on social
media showed young people draped in green, red, and white — the colors
of the national flag.
"[Young people]
were born in Somaliland. They know only Somaliland, and they consider
Somaliland [to be] their identity."
Dr. Jama Musse Jama,
director, Hargeisa Cultural Center
“These young
people have no clue, idea what the identity was before Somaliland. They
were born in Somaliland. They know only Somaliland, and they consider
Somaliland [to be] their identity,” said Dr. Jama Musse Jama, director
of the Hargeisa
Cultural Center.
Related: Somali
torture victim will face his abuser after 31 years — in US court
Unlike Somaliland
youth, 54-year-old Jama remembers the days before Somaliland’s
independence.
He was born in
Somalia — which was a union of the Italian and British colonial
protectorates that joined together after independence in 1960.
But that union
didn’t work out, and after years of political conflict, Somaliland
decided to declare itself an independent state in 1991.
Jama said he’s
proud of what Somaliland has achieved over the past 30 years — and said
Hargyesa has reemerged as a cultural center in the region.
“Wow. At the age of
30. The power of that age is what Somalilanders are feeling,” he said.
Related: Somali
Americans share in the grief and pain over George Floyd’s killing
“But also, it’s a
kind of disappointment with the entire world," which has yet to
officially recognize the country.
Despite functioning
as a de facto state with its own passports and constitution, Somaliland
remains unrecognized by the African Union, United Nations and most
countries, including the United States.
Still — Somaliland
has increasingly sought to establish diplomatic, political and business
relationships with countries like Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and
Kenya.
"We've had many
political and diplomatic relationships with many countries around the
world,” said Ismail Shirwac, a diplomat at the Somaliland mission in
Nairobi, Kenya.
“We’ve been
practicing our values even without having international recognition.”
Ismail Shirwac,
diplomat, Somaliland mission, Nairobi, Kenya
“We’ve been
practicing our values even without having international recognition,” he
added.
Related: US-based
Somali Bantu face deportation to a country they've never known
Indeed, while not
perfect, Somaliland has cultivated a reputation for being more stable
and more democratic than its neighbor Somalia.
"We've proven we
are an island of hope in an ocean of unrest and autocracy,” said Shirwac.
The country has
held multiple, open democratic elections and had successful transfers of
power.
On May 31, the
country will hold local elections, in stark contrast to Somalia, where
failure to hold elections nearly split the capital apart.
Previous
attempts for dialogue between
Somaliland and Somalia have failed, due to disagreement about
Somaliland sovereignty.
Related: Despite
recent historic gains in ending FGM, Somalia sees dramatic increase
Shirwac says one
thing is clearly off the table.
"Every Somalilander
tells you that the people of the republic of Somaliland have no
intention of reuniting with Somalia.”
Ismail Shirwac,
diplomat, Somaliland mission, Nairobi, Kenya
"Every Somalilander
tells you that the people of the republic of Somaliland have no
intention of reuniting with Somalia,” he said.
While he’s hopeful
that the international community will recognize Somaliland soon, he
said, regardless, the country will continue on its path of democracy and
independence.
“Somaliland is here
to stay,” he said.
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