Somalia must remain two [Archives:2004/799/Letters to the Editor]

Jamal Yussuf
[email protected]
There have always been two Somalias, one colonized by the British and the other by the Italians. British Somaliland actually got its independence 4 days before the Italian south Somalia. Therefore for any claims that we do not have the right to have independence state is wrong. The only way where there could be a single state is if we live by the Islam law where everyone respect one another. Las-Anod is indeed part of Somaliland like it has always been. Most of the people who live in that part might be from Puntland tribe, however they weren't there during the colonial era but where moved there by the late president Siyad Barre.
No country can claim to have land based on ethnicity and if that was the case then I believe Ogaden and northern Kenya should be part of Puntland since there are Darood people there too. We want independence based on the 1961 border which makes Las-And part of Somaliland. It's a shame that some actually call for war, forgetting that the best man is not the one who can fight but the one who can avoid fighting. Nevertheless when it comes to fighting, Puntland should remember that Somaliland is much more superior to them and the only thing stopping them is there need to be recognized and that will be jeopardize by fighting Puntland.
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