State of Somaliland

State of Somaliland
Independent state
←
 1960 →
State of Somaliland
Capital Hargeisa
Language(s) Somali
Religion Islam
Political structure Independent state
Prime Minister Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal[1]
History
 - Independence from the United Kingdom June 26, 1960
 - Unification with the Trust Territory of Somalia to form the Somali Republic July 1, 1960
Currency Somali shilling

The State of Somaliland was a short-lived independent state in the territory of modern-day Somalia.[1]

Contents

History

In May 1960, the British government 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 Italian-administered Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland). The Legislative Council of British Somaliland passed a resolution in April 1960 requesting independence and union with the Trust Territory of Somalia, 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.[2]

On June 26, 1960, the former British Somaliland protectorate briefly obtained independence as the State of Somaliland, with the Trust Territory of Somalia following suit five days later.[3][4] The following day, on June 27, 1960, the newly-convened Somaliland Legislative Assembly approved a bill that would formally allow for the union of the State of Somaliland with the Trust Territory of Somalia on 1 July 1960.[2]

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 the State of Somaliland during its planned transition to union with the Trust Territory of Somalia, the former Italian Somaliland.[5]

During the State of Somaliland's short life, there were fears of clashes with Ethiopian tribes.[6]

On July 1, 1960, five days after the former British Somaliland protectorate obtained independence as the State of Somaliland, the territory united as scheduled with the Trust Territory of Somalia to form the Somali Republic.[3][4]

A government was formed by Abdullahi Issa, with Aden Abdullah Osman Daar as President and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as Prime Minister, later to become President (from 1967–1969). On July 20, 1961 and through a popular referendum, the Somali people ratified a new constitution, which was first drafted in 1960.[7]

Somaliland

Somaliland is a self-declared sovereign state that is recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia by the international community.[8][9] Its government regards the territory as the successor state to the State of Somaliland,[10][11] and seeks self-determination as the Republic of Somaliland.[12][13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b Somalia - British Somaliland and Somaliland
  2. ^ a b http://wardheernews.com/Articles_09/June/Roobdoon_Forum/29_Independence_week_series.html
  3. ^ a b Somalia
  4. ^ a b Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica, (Encyclopædia Britannica: 2002), p.835
  5. ^ Paolo Contini, The Somali Republic: an experiment in legal integration, (Routledge, 1969), p.6.
  6. ^ "Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule" (fee required). The New York Times. 1960-06-26. p. 6. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A10FB395A1A7A93C4AB178DD85F448685F9. Retrieved 2008-06-20. 
  7. ^ Greystone Press Staff, The Illustrated Library of The World and Its Peoples: Africa, North and East, (Greystone Press: 1967), p.338
  8. ^ Lacey, Marc (2006-06-05). "The Signs Say Somaliland, but the World Says Somalia". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/world/africa/05somaliland.html. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 
  9. ^ "The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic". University of Pretoria. 2004-02-01. http://www.chr.up.ac.za/hr_docs/countries/docs/charterfeb04.pdf. 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."
  10. ^ "Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule" (fee required). The New York Times. 1960-06-26. p. 6. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A10FB395A1A7A93C4AB178DD85F448685F9. Retrieved 2008-06-20. 
  11. ^ "How Britain said farewell to its Empire". BBC News. 2010-07-23. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10740852. 
  12. ^ "Country Profile". Government of Somaliland. http://www.somalilandgov.com/cprofile.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 
  13. ^ Schoiswohl, Michael (2004). Status and (Human Rights) Obligations of Non-Recognized De Facto Regimes in International Law. University of Michigan: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 351. ISBN 9789004136557. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=GOSbAAAAMAAJ&q=Status+and+(Human+Rights)+Obligations+of+Non-Recognized+De+Facto+Regimes+in+International+Law&dq=Status+and+(Human+Rights)+Obligations+of+Non-Recognized+De+Facto+Regimes+in+International+Law&cd=1. 
  14. ^ "Regions and Territories: Somaliland". BBC News. 2009-09-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/3794847.stm. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 

External links