Somaliland: a peaceful place (catch all)
For too long the other Somali homeland has had too little attention, even though it is peaceful, democratic and rarely relies on external support - compared to the US$ billions, blood and time the "international community" has given to Somalia.
So prompted by a BBC radio report here are a few aspects you probably missed. The BBC found local children's favourite book was Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' :http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ggtb7
Along with some pictures:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23820941
I have finally found this 'letter' in The Spectator on the Hargeysa or Hargeisa International Book Fair by the BBC's reporter:http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/...om-somaliland/
Where Sheffield leads, few will follow
An update on Somaliland by a WoTR writer, although I fear England's eigth largest city recognising its independence will not lead to nations following them.
I like this passage:
Quote:
An official from the region’s interior ministry expressed this very sentiment to me: “you invaded Iraq to bring democracy and security, so why won’t you recognize our independence when we’ve already built democracy and security ourselves?”
Link:http://warontherocks.com/2014/04/fix...ition-problem/
A presidential election that few noticed
An article lauding and explaining why Somaliland is a success story and starts with:
Quote:
Meanwhile, in Somaliland – north of Somalia, East Africa – Somalilanders, quietly and confidently, continued concretizing their own statehood dreams: over the last few months, Somaliland has organised its third presidential election, which took place on November 13, demonstrating the strength of its electoral, multi-party and hybrid political system.
Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/cecili...of-somaliland?
When is a nation not a nation? Somaliland’s dream of independence
A 'Long Read' article that is an up to date description of this quietly successful country that no-one will recognise.
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/news/201...f-independence