A note on Somalia [Archives:2006/959/Letters to the Editor]

Muqtar Mohamed Usuf
Leeds, U.K.

In regard to an outrageous letter (“About so called Somaliland”), I was disturbed by the ridiculous remarks attributed to the most noble of Somali speaking ethnic groups, the Isaaq, as Jewish by the writer. Unfortunately, this remark has been left unchallenged by you and your readership.

In fact, the Isaaq is an ethnic group that predominates in the northern part of Somalia, formerly known as the British Somaliland Protectorate. Although their history is an ancient as other Semitic peoples, the Isaaq's contact with Judaism is similar to that of other ethnic groups in the region: a passing phenomenon.

Those making outlandish claims in attempt to balkanize the already defunct former Somali Republic known as Somalia are intriguingly the very same people who continue to destroy the country through the mechanism of tribal federalism that respects no borders.

It would be just to point out to your readers that Somalia was cobbled together out of two countries: the British Somaliland protectorate and Italian Somaliland protectorate. That some ethnic groups in Somalia have been allowed to deny the existence of the Somaliland Republic is the real force of disintegration tearing the country apart. If these groups refuse to accept Somaliland, who can stop the Isaaqis or others from denying that the Somalia state is based on ethnicity?

I hope that in the future, when the Yemen Times is confronted with such slanderous and stereotypical statements, you would immediately challenge the statement and make clear to your audience that this is anti-semitic and anti-Islamic.
——
[archive-e:959-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-06-29-p:letters]