State of Somaliland
State of Somaliland | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | |||||||||
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| Anthem: National anthem | |||||||||
.svg) Location of Somaliland | |||||||||
| Status | Independent state | ||||||||
| Capital | Hargeisa | ||||||||
| Common languages | Somali English Arabic | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
• Prime Minister | Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal[1] | ||||||||
| Legislature | Legislative Assembly | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Independence from the United Kingdom | 26 June 1960 | ||||||||
• Unification with the Trust Territory of Somaliland to form the Somali Republic | 1 July 1960 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 176,120[2] km2 (68,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1960 estimate | 650,000[3] | ||||||||
| Currency | East African shilling | ||||||||
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| Today part of |
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| History of Somaliland |
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 Somaliland portal |
Somaliland, officially the State of Somaliland,[4][5] (Somali: Qaranka Soomaaliland, Arabic: دولة صوماليلاند, romanized: Dawlat Ṣūmālīlānd) was a short-lived independent country in the territory of the present-day unilaterally declared Republic of Somaliland, which regards itself as its legal successor.[1] It existed on the territory of former British Somaliland for five days between 26 June 1960 and 1 July 1960, when it merged with the formerly Italian administered Trust Territory of Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.[6][7]
History
Initially the British government planned to delay protectorate of British Somaliland independence in favour of a gradual transfer of power. The arrangement would allow local politicians to gain more political experience in running the protectorate before official independence. However, strong pan-Somali nationalism and a landslide victory in the earlier elections encouraged them to demand independence and unification with the Trust Territory of Somaliland under Italian Administration (the former Italian Somaliland).[9]
The British stated that it would be prepared to grant independence to the then protectorate of British Somaliland, with the intention that the territory would unite with the Trust Territory of Somaliland. The Legislative Council of British Somaliland passed a resolution in April 1960 requesting independence and union with the Trust Territory of Somaliland, which was scheduled to gain independence on 1 July that year. The legislative councils of both territories agreed to this proposal following a joint conference in Mogadishu.[10]
Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, who had previously served as an unofficial member of the former British Somaliland protectorate's Executive Council and the leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council, became the prime minister of Somaliland.[11]
On 26 June 1960, the former British Somaliland protectorate obtained independence as Somaliland, with the Trust Territory of Somaliland due to follow suit five days later.[1][7] The following day, on 27 June 1960, the newly convened Somaliland Legislative Assembly approved a bill that would formally allow for the union of Somaliland with the Trust Territory of Somaliland on 1 July 1960.[10]
There were also fears of clashes with populations in Ethiopia.[12]
Following unification on 1 July 1960, a government was formed by Abdullahi Issa, with Abdulcadir Muhammed Aden as President of the Somali National Assembly, Aden Abdullah Osman Daar as President and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as Prime Minister, later to become President (from 1967 to 1969). On 20 July 1961, and through a popular referendum, the Somali people ratified a new constitution, which was first drafted in 1960.[13] The constitution was widely regarded as unfair in the former Somaliland, however, and over 60% of the northern voters were against it in the referendum. Regardless, it was signed into law. Widespread dissatisfaction spread among the north's population,[14] and British-trained officers attempted a revolt to end the union in December 1961. Their uprising failed, and Somaliland continued to be marginalized by the south during the next decades.[15]
Diplomatic recognition
During its existence, Somaliland received international recognition from 35 countries,[16] that included China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Israel, Libya and the Soviet Union.
Queen Elizabeth II sent the following message to the people of Somaliland to mark independence day:
“I, my Government and my people in the United Kingdom, wish you well on this day of independence. The connection between our people goes back some 130 years and British administration of the Protectorate for 60 years. I look forward to a continuing and enduring friendship between our two countries.”[17]
The United States Secretary of State Christian Herter sent a congratulatory message,[16][18][19] and the United Kingdom signed several bilateral agreements with Somaliland in Hargeisa on June 26, 1960.[16][20][4]
United States Secretary of State Christian Herter sent the following letter:
- June 26, 1960
- Their Excellencies,
- Council of Ministers of Somaliland, Hargeisa.
- Your Excellencies: I extend my best wishes and congratulations on the achievement of your independence. This is a noteworthy milestone in your history, and it is with pleasure that I send
- my warmest regards on this happy occasion.
- Christian a. Herter
- Secretary of State, United States of America.
Governance
The system of governance for Somaliland was established by the Constitution of Somaliland which was enacted by the Somaliland Order in Council 1960 (SI 1960/1060) made by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on 23 June 1960.[5][22][23][24]
The Order in Council explicitly stated that "Somaliland shall become an independent country on the 26 day of June, 1960" and that British protection over Somaliland would lapse on the same date. The introduction to the constitution defined Somaliland's territory as being all the territory of the British Somaliland Protectorate.[5]
The constitution established three branches of government following the Westminster system:[25]
- The Council of Ministers which was led by the Prime Minister and included four other ministers.
- The Legislative Assembly which had 34 members and was presided over by a Speaker.
- The High Court which was made up of a number of Judges determined by the Council of Ministers.
Prime Minister of Somaliland
Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal was the first and only holder of the office.[26]
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 |  | Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal (1928 – 2002) | 1960 | 26 June 1960 | 1 July 1960 | 5 days |
Somaliland Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers had five members:[27]
| Name | Designation |
|---|---|
| Mohamed Ibrahim Egal | Prime Minister |
| Garad Ali Garad Jama | Minister |
| Ahmed Hajji Duale | Minister |
| Hajji Yusuf Iman | Minister |
| Hajji Ibrahim Nur | Minister |
Somaliland Legislative Assembly
The Somaliland Legislative Assembly had 33 members (MLAs), including an ex-officio Speaker. Members of the legislative assembly were elected in February 1960 from 33 single-member constituencies.[28][29]
| Party | MLAs |
|---|---|
| Somali National League | 20 |
| National United Front | 1 |
| United Somali Party | 12 |
| Speaker | 1 |
| Total | 34 |
Use as a legal precedent for the Republic of Somaliland
Today's re-established Republic of Somaliland functions as a de facto independent state and regards itself as the legal successor to the State of Somaliland.[30][31] However, unlike the former State of Somaliland, it has not gained widespread diplomatic recognition as a country, instead being treated as an autonomous region within Somalia.[32][33]
References
- ^ a b c "Somalia". www.worldstatesmen.org.
- ^ a b Lansford, Tom (2015-03-24). Political Handbook of the World 2015. CQ Press. ISBN 978-1-4833-7155-9.
- ^ "SOMALILAND: DEMOCRATISATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS 28 July 2003" (PDF). International Crisis Group: 2. 2003. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
- ^ a b http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Treaties_between_the_UK_and_the_State_of_Somaliland_1960.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b c Statutory Instruments. H.M. Stationery Office. 1960.
- ^ Somalia
- ^ a b Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica, (Encyclopædia Britannica: 2002), p.835
- ^ http://foto.archivalware.co.uk/data/Library2/pdf/1960-TS0044.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Central Intelligence Bulletin 26th Feb 1960" (PDF). CIA. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Somali Independence Week". Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
- ^ Paolo Contini, The Somali Republic: an experiment in legal integration, (Routledge, 1969), p.6.
- ^ "Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule" (fee required). The New York Times. 1960-06-26. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ Greystone Press Staff, The Illustrated Library of The World and Its Peoples: Africa, North and East, (Greystone Press: 1967), p.338
- ^ Richards (2014), p. 84.
- ^ Richards (2014), p. 85.
- ^ a b c "Somaliland: The Little Country that Could" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
- ^ "Biyokulule Online". www.biyokulule.com.
- ^ "Read the eBook Department of State bulletin (Volume v. 43, Jul- Sep1960) by United States. Dept. of State. Office of Public Co online for free (page 25 of 100)". www.ebooksread.com.
- ^ "Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Africa, Volume XIV - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov.
- ^ "THE BRENTHURST FOUNDATION Strengthening Africa's economic performance AFRICAN GAme ChANGeR? The Consequences of Somaliland's International (Non) Recognition
" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2015-03-15.This list includes China (Republic of ), Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Israel, Libya, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, and the United States.
- ^ "The Department of State Bulletin". 1960.
- ^ Hagoog, Adnan. "Brief history about somaliland constitutions".
- ^ "Statutory Instruments". 1960.
- ^ https://saxafimedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Somaliland_constitutional_conference_may1960.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Somaliland Constitution 1960".
- ^ "Somaliland's 26th June 1960, 86 years of protectorate comes to end". 26 June 2019.
- ^ "Somaliland's 26th June 1960, 86 years of protectorate comes to end". 26 June 2019.
- ^ Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1926
- ^ "Somaliland's 26th June 1960, 86 years of protectorate comes to end". 26 June 2019.
- ^ "Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule" (fee required). The New York Times. 1960-06-26. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ "How Britain said farewell to its Empire". BBC News. 2010-07-23.
- ^ Lacey, Marc (2006-06-05). "The Signs Say Somaliland, but the World Says Somalia". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
- ^ "The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic" (PDF). University of Pretoria. 2004-02-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-02-02. "The Somali Republic shall have the following boundaries. (a) North; Gulf of Aden. (b) North West; Djibouti. (c) West; Ethiopia. (d) South south-west; Kenya. (e) East; Indian Ocean."
Works cited
- Richards, Rebecca (2014). Understanding Statebuilding: Traditional Governance and the Modern State in Somaliland. Surrey: Ashgate. ISBN 9781472425898.
External links
- Somaliland Order in Council (S.I. No. 1060 of 1960)
- 1960 Constitution of Somaliland
- Agreements made between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Somaliland on 26 June 1960
- The Somali Republic: an experiment in legal integration by Paolo Contini—leader of the UN Consultative Commission for Integration, which oversaw the union of the former State of Somaliland and the Trust Territory of Somaliland.
