US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1163

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 001163 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, DJ, SO 
SUBJECT:  THE MOOD IN SOMALILAND IS DEFIANT, YET 
APPREHENSIVE 
 
1. Summary. An embassy Djibouti FSN recently returned from 
several weeks leave in Hargeisa, Somaliland. He reported an 
active interest there in the Somalia National Reconciliation 
Conference that is taking place in Nairobi, but rejection of 
any effort by the conference or subsequently by the 
international community to subsume the sovereignty of 
Somaliland. Yet Hargeisa's mood was also one of apprehension, 
of not knowing what may happen. Additionally, the government 
of Somaliland left the door open a crack stating that it 
would consider dialogue with any new Mogadishu based regime. 
End summary. 
 
2.  Background. British Somaliland became independent on June 
26, 1960 and was acknowledged  by 34 nations, including the 
U.S. Five days later on July 1, it voluntarily joined with 
Italian Somalia to form the Republic of Somalia. The union 
worked satisfactorily until the Siad Barre regime in the 
seventies and eighties cracked down harshly on northerners 
using the full police and military might of the capital. In 
the anarchy that followed Siad's demise in 1991, Somaliland 
reclaimed its independence, affirmed by a national 
referendum. A functioning government that controls national 
territory has existed since that time, but the Somaliland 
state has not been recognized by any government. 
 
3. The IGAD led effort to reconstitute a viable government in 
Mogadishu culminated in the Somalia National Reconciliation 
Conference in Nairobi that is just winding up with the 
swearing-in of a Parliament. Selection of a president is 
still to come. On July 17, 2003 when the SNRC was being 
contemplated, the Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
endorsed the event and exhorted all factions and groups in 
"Somalia" (meaning the former Italian colony) to participate. 
The Ministry added that "Any claims or declarations of 
sovereignty over Somaliland by a future Somalia authority 
will be viewed by the Government of Somaliland as an 
indication of hostile intent." However, it added that 
officials in Somaliland "do not eliminate the possibility of 
dialogue with Somalia as equal partners." 
 
4. Somaliland officials gave our FSN a copy of the July 
17,2003 declaration last week and told him that it remained 
the policy of the government. He was asked to communicate 
this information to embassy Djibouti. A copy of the document 
was faxed to AF/E. 
 
5. Our source reported that the Nairobi Reconciliation 
Conference was the hottest topic in the streets of Hargeisa. 
Youth are ready to take arms to defend their nation whereas 
wiser citizens seek other means to preserve the peace that 
has come in last ten years. Folks displayed sadness over 
non-recognition of Somaliland by the world at large and 
especially efforts by Djibouti to prevent that from 
happening. Most agreed that any undertakings to compel 
Somaliland to unite with Somalia would be unfair and 
rebuffed. 
 
6. Despite this bravado, our source concluded that 
Somalilanders are uncertain about the future and fear that in 
the existing limbo Somaliland's territorial integrity and 
sovereignty risk being chipped away. Apparently two of 
Somaliland's six regions, Sanag and Sool, are showing signs 
of disunity. Sanag is discontent with Hargeisa's rule while 
Sool appears to be shifting its allegiance to Puntland. 
 
7. Comment: Embassy notes that this is second hand reporting. 
Nonetheless, we judge it helps fill the void of information 
about what is going on in Somaliland, so we convey it in that 
spirit. 
GRIBBIN