SOMALI WRITTEN SCRIPTS

                                                               SOMALI SCRIPT

(Script definition: dictionary say "the letters or characters used in writing by hand; handwriting,  cursive writing).

Somali language had no written scripts before 1972 but, Somalis were still educated throug other languges, such as English, Arabic, Italian and etc, according to Somali and foreign historians. 
Before 1972 Somalis could write and speak those three languages  fluently. Due to educational stage limits, only elementary levels could be available to graduate, where high schools and colleges were future dreams. But highly qualified teachers and educators were the product of those elementary schools.

Since that, many different Somali script  were proposed after the independent in 1960. Finally Somali Latin alphabet were adopted officially in 1972. The good thing here is to have our own scripts, but the bad thing was when the school syllabus were based on Somali language include the scientific course such as mathematics, biology, chemistry, and so on, all science terminologies were translated into Somali. To my way of thinking, it wasn't pretty awesome to implement such this ugly ideology or to Somalizize the school curriculum which caused huge setback to Somali society. Many Somali scholars suffered language barrier when they travelled to overseas.

Governments shape the societies, yes we had good quality of educational system but, the bad impact was, the change of school syllabus into local language. I wasn't much lucky to be one of Somali National University graduates because of my age, but I wouldn't be so happy too, to look ignorant while I'm educator and graduate from the local National University.

SOMALILAND THE FARYTALE OF THE CENTURY

Culturally every nation on earth has it's own fairytales, Somalis had number of interesting fairytales such as (Dhag dheer, Cigal Shiidaad, Cali Duul Duul, Axmed Beenaale) and etc. Most of these fairytales were published by the Ministry Of Culture And Higher education during civilian and military governments before 1990s. 

The story of Somaliland reminds me, Mr C. S. Lewis who tried to write a fairytale story for his new born baby girl, Mr Lewis thought he could finish his book (The Lion, The Witch And Wardrobe) before his baby girl grew older and older, but something deferent happened, his fairytale is as follows.

   

"Dear Lucy, 

I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again"

Somaliland could not finish the fairytale of breakaway story before the kids grew older, however today for some reason no kid will buy the concept of separation.

SOMALILAND STUCK ON RECOGNITION

Continuing of our last column titled "Somaliland stuck on borders" actually Somaliland didn't stuck on border issues only but, stuck on finding recognition from African countries, Arabs, Wester Europe, North America, Regional, and International Organizations, over the last 22 years too, spending millions of dollars of tax payers money, to hire group of lawyers, advisors, experts, and high mileage trips to overseas.

To all of these nothing done yet to them, except coming back home with empty handed, now the question is, what is wrong with their project, are they in the right side of this process. Simply no to this question, why Somaliland is not in the right position of this process, the answer of this question is as follows.

There are international standars to process such this huge project, let us take examples. Quebec is French spoken State in Canada which twice suggested to be sovereign or independent State from Canada in 1980 and 1995 Quebec leaders started to negotiate with the federal government of Canada, which was the right direction to do this job done, after long debate both Quebec and the federal government agreed to hold referendum for Quebeck citizens either to breakaway or remain part of Canada, the referendum was held and resulted "NO" because of that result Quebec remained to be part of Canada. The biggest reason Quebec couldn't breakaway was, people of Quebec voted down both referendums and were not ready to breakaway from Canada, that is why they voted "NO". 

An other example in Africa,  (Southern Sudan) after 23 years of bloody struggle between SPLA and Sudanese government ended to negotiate on roun table, priorities were given to have peaceful solutions and end the civil war, second project was to create environment to built a coalition government or "National Unity Goverment", third project was power-sharing, fourth project was resource sharing, and fith project was to hold referendum after 5 years, for southerners to breakaway from the rest of Sudan or remain part of it.

What is the main factor both Quebec and Sudanese sides share, Quebec leaders started to negotiate with federal government before declaring any unilateral decisions, but Somaliland declared unilateral decisions with out respect of the mainland. SPLA led by late John Garang agreed with Sudan to have National Unity Government, means to join Sudanese government first and made the refrumdom option last code. Which finally resulted to break from Sudan after 5 years of coalition government. The factor they share both Quebec and SPLA is, being part of system first and negotiated.

Now is there any factor Somaliland shares with these examples we mentioned above, "NO", ok how about the out standing questions of "do Somalilanders agree all of them the idea of breaking away project from mainland Somalia?" What about the different tribes who belong to those States in North Somalia, do they welcome this project or vote down against?. Is there any political disaffection among these tribes?, or is only enough to hear one voice from one tribe one side to declare breakaway decisions, who are the decision makers?, let us analyse all these to our next column.

Continues.......

SAID ABDI HIRSI

Los Angeles, California.

Email: somalitimes@gmail.com

SOMALILAND STUCK ON BORDERS

Since the colonial withdrew from Somalia in 1950s. Italian Somaliland (Southern Somalia) became "a UN trusted territory under Italian administration, and the country was granted internal autonomy for ten years till Somalis held presidential election after independent in 1960.

British Somaliland (Northern Somalia) wasn't that lucky as Italian Somaliland and never had any  formal administration or "internal autonomy" like the Southern Somalia, till Somaliland united with south Somalia under the name of Somali republic.

In 1991 after the collapse of Somali central government, Somaliland declared self imposed government and broke away from the rest of the country.

Since that, Somaliland had suffered a confusion of border issues, arguing there was international border between the North and Southern part of Somalia during British and Italian era. However Somaliland couldn't understand the definition and the difference between "international and inter-state borders, borders define geographic boundaries of political entities such as governments and sovereign States, (remember as we mentioned above British  Somaliland never had any political system, as Italian Somaliland had internal autonomy which could decide her political geographic boundaries), in most cases "International borders are territorial limits of the governments, which are fully controlled and crossed legally only at designated border checkpoints and border zones. Whereby inter-state borders are open, crossed freely and remain unguarded. 

Both British and Italian colony never considered the inter-state borders between the two colony zones in Somalia as International borders, and Somalis used to cross freely. Former (OAU) Organization of African Unity known today (AU) African Union had adopted a border resolutions in OAU charter which says as follows. 

(i)the principle of the respect of borders existing on achievement of national independence, as enshrined in the Charter of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), Resolution AHG/Res.16(I) on Border Disputes between African States adopted in Cairo in July 1964, and the Con- stitutive Act of the African Union, 
Which means the borders of African Countries will remain as it was when they gained the independent. South and North Somalia had inter-state borders but never International borders.
Continues.....