Stern Warning to OAU: Consequences of Ignoring African Colonial Borders

Somaliland is not breakaway or separatist or secessionist. Somaliland was separate British
Protectorate Colony for nearly 80 years (1884-1960) and achieved independence on June 26,
1960 with immediate diplomatic recognition from more than 30 countries while Somalia was
still Italian colony. If Nyanza province of Kenya or Lusaka province of Zambia or Puntland
administration of Federal Somalia declare independent of their respective countries, that is
secession or breakaway because these provinces share colonial borders that cannot be altered
with their respective countries.
Because of chauvinistic jubilation in 1960s (The year of Africa), Somaliland hastily and
unthoughtfully shared unrectified union with Somalia. In October 1969, General Siad Barre took
over the country in military coup and established brutal dictatorship. Siad Barre’s Regime of
Somalia waged devastating war against Somaliland committing genocide against its people,
leveling major cities of Somaliland on the ground and destroying the livelihood of rural areas.
The Barre’s criminal Regime slaughtered 50, 000 or more Somalilanders in the years between
1984-1990.
SNM led fierce armed resistance against the fascist regime of Siad Barre and defeated in
January 1991. After the victory, Somaliland people withdrew from the disastrous union and
reclaimed its independence of June 26, 1960. For unknown reasons, Somaliland Republic is still
awaiting international diplomatic recognition.
Unions or federations between two or more countries are not eternal. A union or federation
could be simply dissolved anytime if the sides disagree, each country restoring and retaining its
original independence, recognition and colonial borders. Senegal and Gambia shared federation
called Senegambia Federation in 1982 but dissolved it in 1989. Egypt and Syria shared union
called United Arab Republic in 1958 and dissolved it in 1961. Each country regained its
independence and recognition it had before the federation or union. Neither Africa nor Arab
world objected the dissolution of those union and federation or even refused to re-recognize
those countries. Why not re-recognizing Somaliland after dissolving the union with Somalia in
1991? South Sudan is recognized in 2011 without having colonial borders of its own. Why not
recognizing Somaliland which has its own colonial borders like any other African country ?
Some African Union officials and African presidents claim that if Somaliland is recognized, it will
shift or change the borders of current African independent states inherited from colonial
powers leading to instability and political unrest in Africa. If that claim were true, why did not
the recognition of South Sudan and Eritrea change the borders of Africa and cause instability
and political unrest in African continent? Unlike Somaliland, South Sudan did share history and
colonial borders with Sudan but, at the same time, was recognized. Somaliland recognition is
much more legitimate and legal than that of South Sudan because it would be based on its own
colonial borders like the rest of Africa.
Some leaders of African countries believe in what they call “disputed land” in Somaliland. There
is no disputed land in Somaliland as Sool Region and Eastern Sanaag are located within the
colonial borders of former Somaliland British Protectorate that can not be altered. The
sovereignty and recognition of every African country depend on European colonial borders and
Somaliland is not an exception. No African country or African leader would accept that part of
their country, which is within its colonial borders, is called “disputed land.” If some of African
leaders do not stop calling part of Somaliland “disputed land” then it is fair game to call part of
their country “disputed land” in future. The territory of every African country is defined by its
colonial borders. If these colonial borders are not respected and protected, then every African
country will have disputed land in its country and the whole continent would be plunged into
chaos, anarchy and tribal wars.
Also, there is no African country that needed approval for its independence and recognition
from another African country or even referendum. Likewise, Somaliland does not need
approval for independence and recognition from Somalia or even referendum as Somaliland
became independent nation before Somalia on June 26, 1960 while Somalia became
independent on July 1, 1960. There should be no condition at all for Somaliland recognition.
If OAU does not recognize Somaliland Republic on its own colonial borders like any other
African country, then OAU conference in 1964 for reaffirming African colonial borders will be
obsolete and internal conflicts may dismantle Africa to create small tribal states. The
declaration of Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) in 1964 in Cairo on African Borders was the
formal acceptance of the existing colonial borders inherited from colonial powers on which
independence and recognition of each African country were based including Somaliland. That
declaration had nothing to do with unifications, federations, and unions between two or more
African countries. That declaration reinforces the rightful claim of Somaliland to be recognized
as independent nation based on its colonial borders. That declaration does not prevent
Somaliland from withdrawing from the union with Somalia and restoring its independence and
diplomatic recognition achieved on June 26, 1960.
If Uganda and Kenya share union today and after some time they disagree and dissolve that
union, each would still be independent, recognized nation on its own colonial borders. Denying
Somaliland to be recognized on the basis of its original British Protectorate colonial borders is
absolutely wrong and may put the whole African continent in crises. The diplomatic recognition
and independence of all African countries depend on their colonial borders and Somaliland
have equally the same status and not an exception.
This continuous denial of Somaliland recognition will encourage the rise of internal insurgents
seeking independence, like South Sudan, in any African country or separatist forces rejecting
colonial borders seeing it as wrong borders or demarcations drawn by divisive colonialism that
should not exist any more in order to reunite tribes divided and separated by colonial powers.
This is stern warning to OAU and to every African country which wants to keep its territorial
integrity and national unity in future. OAU must recognize Somaliland Republic for its statehood
of 1960 to preempt continental tribal disaster.
Peace and stability of African countries depend on respecting and protecting colonial borders of
Africa. The colonial borders of Africa are not different from those of Asia, South America and
Arab World. Independence and recognition of each African country are based on colonial
borders. If OAU continue ignoring the legitimate colonial borders of Somaliland and deny it of
recognition, then colonial borders of all African countries may be disregarded and African tribes
in any country may ignore it and advocate for secession. OAU will be solely responsible for the
consequences if crises of African colonial borders arise if not respected and recognized as they
were drawn by colonial powers.
Ibrahim Hassan Gagale
January 15. 2021