Jason McCue

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐱𝐰𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐡𝐚 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐡𝐮𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐢 𝐦𝐚𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐡 𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐢 𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐲𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐮𝐟𝐮𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐢 𝐂𝐚𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐚 𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐝 𝐞𝐞 𝐤𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐨 𝐐𝐚𝐲𝐛-𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐲 𝐗𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐚 𝟏𝟖-𝐤𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔-𝐤𝐚. Madaxweynaha Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland, Mudane Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Cabdillaahi (Cirro) ayaa maanta si sharaf iyo maamuus leh u sii sagootiyey Wufuuddii heerka Caalami ahaa ee ka soo qayb-galay munaasibadda Xuska sannad-guurada 35-aad ee dib-ula-soo-noqoshada madaxbannaanida Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland ee 18-ka May. Madaxweynuhu waxa uu si qoto dheer ugu mahad naqay saaxiibadii, diblomaasiyiintii, marti-sharaftii iyo wufuuddii Caalamiga ahayd ee safarka dheer u soo maray si ay Shacabka JSL ula wadaagaan farxadda iyo dabaaldegga maalinta Qaran taasi oo astaan u ah xorriyadda, adkaysiga iyo go’aanka shacabka Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland. Waxa xusid mudan in Xuska 18-ka May ee sannadka 2026-ka ay ka soo qayb galeen in ka badan 25 dal oo kala yimid daafaha Caalamka. Madaxweynuhu waxa uu xusay in ka qayb galka Wufuuddani ay muujinayso sii xoogaysiga xidhiidhka Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland ay la leedahay saaxiibbadeeda Beesha Caalamka iyo korodhka fahamka ay bulshada Caalamku ka qaadanayso xaqiiqada Dawladnimada, Nabadda iyo D0imuqraadiyadda ka hanaqaadday Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland. Madaxweynaha Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland waxa uu hoosta ka xarriiqay in 18-ka May ay tahay maalin ku suntan halgan, dib-u-dhis iyo himilo Qaran oo Shacabka Somaliland ay ku xaqiijiyeen jiritaankooda qarannimadooda, isaga oo hoosta ka xarriiqay in Somaliland ay si dhab ah u sii xoojin doonto iskaashiga, wada-shaqaynta iyo xidhiidhka diblomaasiyadeed ee ay Somaliland la leedahay dalalka iyo Hay’adaha Caalamiga ah. Dhankooda, wufuuddii ka socotay Beesha Caalamka ayaa Madaxweynaha Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland, Xukuumaddiisa iyo Shacabka Somaliland ku bogaadiyey adkaysiga, amniga, dimuqraadiyadda iyo horumarka ka hana-qaaday Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland, iyaga oo si gaar ah u xusay kaalinta muuqata ee Somaliland kaga jirto ilaalinta nabadda iyo xasilloonida Geeska Afrika. Gebogebadii, Madaxweynaha Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland ayaa mar kale uga mahad naqay dhammaan martidii iyo wufuuddii caalamiga ahayd taageerada, ixtiraamka iyo garab-istaagga ay u muujiyeen shacabka iyo Qaranka Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland, isaga oo u rajeeyey safar nabad qaba iyo sii xoojinta mustaqbalka xidhiidhka ka dhexeeya Somaliland iyo Beesha Caalamka. 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐋𝐄𝐇 𝐗𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐠𝐞 (𝐃𝐞𝐲𝐫), 𝐀𝐟𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐱𝐰𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐡𝐚 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐡𝐮𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

According to documents from the United Nations-funded Consultative Commission for Integration, no law enacted by the Italian authorities in the so-called unitary state of Somalia was ever translated into English during the period from 1960 to 1962—leaving the population of Somaliland completely unaware of the laws imposed upon them. This is not merely an oversight, but an intentional and systematic denial of basic legal rights. A population that was never properly informed of its legal responsibilities or rights was subjected to the whims of an unelected and unrepresentative administration. What makes this action particularly egregious is the complete disregard for the principles of international law and self-determination. The attempt by the de facto administration in Mogadishu to impose a forced annexation of Somaliland, without any legal foundation or the consent of its people, represents a clear violation of the right to self-governance. This was not a case of a simple merger of territories but the illegal retroactive creation of a unitary state without any legal consultation or democratic process. The act of retroactively forcing laws upon a population without translation and without understanding of the legal implications is a blatant violation of both international legal norms and fundamental human rights. Under the principle of legality, no individual or community can be bound by laws they have no access to, especially when these laws are not published in a language understood by the people they govern. This creates a situation where the population is rendered powerless to challenge, comply with, or even understand the very laws that dictate their daily lives. Furthermore, the United Nations, which was tasked with overseeing the decolonization process and ensuring the fair treatment of all peoples, allowed this unlawful annexation to occur. They not only failed to prevent this clear violation of Somaliland’s legal and political autonomy, but they also actively supported the process by endorsing the integration of Somaliland into the larger republic of Somalia, while turning a blind eye to the absence of fundamental legal rights for Somalilanders. The United Kingdom, which had historical responsibility for Somaliland, also did little to prevent or intervene in this injustice. This unprecedented denial of legal rights, compounded by the refusal to translate laws into a language the population could understand, is an unpardonable crime against both the people of Somaliland and the international legal framework designed to protect them. When Somaliland eventually regains its rightful re-recognition as an independent state, historians, legal scholars, and human rights advocates will undoubtedly examine this dark chapter as one of the most blatant violations of international law and human dignity. It is an act that stands as a testament to the failure of both international institutions and colonial powers to safeguard the rights of vulnerable populations.