In Somaliland: Human rights for all human being

On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights putting human dignity and safety on top of the declaration. In Somaliland, thousands of innocent civilians was saved and returned back to their homes safely after so-called Somali National Army Forces bombed them out to refuge camps in Eastern Ethiopia under supervision of United Nation (UN), which labels Somaliland as unofficial Noble Peace Prize winner.

Government of Somaliland established normal living standard to there citizens, availing entire basic human right services including security, education and free health services besides liberty and dignity to every Somalilander equally. Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family in Somaliland is foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Home made democracy of Somaliland pushed forward human rights respect in Somaliland unlike many UN Member states in Africa. Such unique model of democracy in Somaliland, with no Western experts at their elbow, [Somalilanders] has devised a political system that eliminates clan rivalries while carving out a special role for clan elders, the traditional pillars of Somali society. They have demobilized thousands of the young gunmen who still plague Somalia and melded them into a national army. Somaliland, even held three rounds of multiparty elections, no small feat in a region, the Horn of Africa, where multiparty democracy is mostly a rumor. Oppositely, In Somalia whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. Somaliland promoted friendly relations with neighboring nations, implementing its homemade peace analysis techniques in Ethiopia, after clan based fighting broke out in eastern regions of Ethiopia resulting death of many innocent people. Somaliland reacted on such human rights violations and rebellion and enforced major principles of Human Rights Geneva Convention. Somaliland ended such kind of interclan fighting several times in Ethiopian and other parts in East Africa. Unfortunately international community and UN overlook such development in Somaliland. Whereas the people and government of Somaliland reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. United Nations (UN) Member States including African Union (AU), European Union (EU) United States of America (USA), Arab League Members, International Human Rights Watchdogs and Human Rights Societies should co-operate with Somaliland Authorities and even people of Somaliland on promoting universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In Somaliland, discrimination has no place and everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in Human Rights Declaration in Geneva, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, Somaliland applies “No distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it is independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.” According to me, Somaliland is save heaven to every peace loving, human rights respecting human being. Some of Human Rights paragraphs in Somaliland Constitution teach the following aspects: 1. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person 2. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. 3. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 4. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. 5. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination. 6. Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution 7. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of Somaliland, shall enjoy the same social protection. These are some of my selected articles from Somaliland Constitution – Human Rights Paragraphs. In Somaliland, no body is above the law including government officials, where elected parliament is major monitoring body in the country against any human rights violations and corruption. Somaliland citizens and expatriate residents in Somaliland both have got equal access to Somaliland Courts and other Judiciary System. Somaliland Education syllabus is fully directed to the development of human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedom. It promotes understanding, tolerance and friendship among all its inhabitants regardless of religion or ethic. Parents or guardians have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children. Somaliland completely implements UN Human Rights Declaration articles and maintains peace in the region, establishing it self as most peaceful nation worldwide. Minorities and Women get full rights just like their counterparts in community, constitution of Somaliland grants extra protection to women, and as per Islamic Sharia. Recently, Somaliland human rights record suffered fallback due to fresh arrests of major journalists after they unveiled corruption scandal in Somaliland Presidential Palace, but Somaliland human rights, freedom of expression and press freedom remains strong and solid against such unlawful arrests against leading Newspaper in Somaliland. Somaliland Opposition Parties with majority in Somaliland Parliament demanded immediate release of journalists without preconditions and Journalists hired lawyer in the court. Major Somaliland journalists print the scandal with bold headlines. We (Somalilanders) call modern and democratic international community to look into such growing human rights respect and democracy in this small part of the world, which middles between nations ruled by dictators. Somalilanders are people who worked hard to establish developed nation not like many UN Members including Somalia. Somaliland deserves respect and recognition for its efforts in promoting human rights and democracy. Allah Bless Somaliland …………………………………… we all stand united

The Author: Abdirahman Ahmed Ali. Authors Location: undefined Authors Email: an.ahmed@somaliland.net