To: IGAD Secretariat
To: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
To: African Union
To: European Agency for Reconstruction
To: Somali Support Secretariat,
To: USAID
To: European Commission
To: World Bank
Statement by the Maakhir Diaspora Forum
We the concerned citizens of Somalia's State of Maakhir, in order to create a more knowledgeable audience, we appeal for your deepest consideration and most honest dedication to pacifying the Somalia's State of Maakhir Needs. We draw your attention to the creation of the new State of
We, being of sound mind and with sincere peaceful intentions, do again appeal to all the pertaining bodies to hear us out.
There has been a new regional state in the former disputed area of Sanaag and Western Bari regions, named as
Although Somalia have not had central government however there have been two Separate states since the civil war broke out in the late 1980s and both states claimed Maakhir regions as theirs without any help or passing aids and other development proposals to Maakhir regions.
While Maakhir regions lacked international aid and all the other humanitarian activity, Maakhir regions have never lacked stability and peace and these regions are totally safe. We the Maakhirian Diaspora understand the challenges we are currently facing and are very optimistic by starting everything from scratch, from zero, from basic, while our country folk have the will to progress but they do not have the means and financial ability to actualize the underlying objectives that tend to sustainable economic development. In the mid years of the civil war, the regions of Maakhir were devastated until a peace deal was concluded between the Isaaq and Warsangeli. The Health Unlimited, which is a relief organization that supports indigenous people and communities affected by conflict had written extensively about this lengthy conflict on December 1996 and branded the region as “Neglected Part of Africa.” It stated, “The civil war devastated Sanaag and the inter-clan war continues. All and I mean all, the hospitals, clinics and health posts were destroyed. The work of Health Unlimited itself has been suspended until the charity can negotiate guarantees of safety.”(1)
Since toppling the late President of Somalia, Mohammed Said Bare, the Somali conflict escalated and some northern regions created a new political argument in which Former British colony of
We are aware that many may not know of the complicated geo-political history of
When the "Scramble for Africa” started and foreign powers came to Eastern Africa , Britain was the main coloniser in some of the Northern Somalia ’s regions and Maakhir Regions were left alone as Britain saw them as an independent and fully functioning State in which the Sultan had full authority.
Maakhir is the only Somali territory a foreign flag had never been hoisted while the rest of
The south and Eastern sections was known as Italian Somaliland while far south and south west known as the Northern Frontier District was given to
We are informing all International Communities that Maakhir is self-governing Region like any other regional Government and rests on the building block system endorsed by the International community as a way of reconstituting the collapsed state of Somalia
Another reason for the establishment of
Once again the Authority is aiming to improve the co-operation and collaboration with the federal government, local organizations and international community as the inhabitant of Sanaag and
Indeed,
As we mentioned earlier Maakhir territory did not receive any direct international help and aid since the collapse of the Central Government in early 1990s. There are no paved roads; there are no banks, no office buildings, no functioning police stations, no health authority, no airports, and not even functioning ports.
The Maakhirians and the new authority are both aware of the challenges they are currently facing and are very optimistic by starting everything from scratch, from zero, from basic. The Maakhirians and the new Authority do have the will to progress but they do not have the means and financial wherewithal to make possible the realization of them having their own regional State.
Maakhir regions are in need of any kind of assistance and the most needed ones are health projects, Educational projects, women's empowerment, and good governance project.
In considering the current situation we strongly emphasise these measures:
· The support of
· We are urging all the International and National bodies to support the new state of Maakhir.
· Following this, the immediate delivery on the promise of aid and development that have been deprived of Maakhirians during the course of Somali’s civil war.
· We are urging the neighbouring states of
· We support of a new conference between the states of
Abdirizak Haji-Ali
Chairman of Maakhir Diaspora Forum
Tel-+4479-4737-1438
References
1. Darcus Howe. “Official Africa Rejoiced at the Elevation of Kofi Annan; but in the Cathedral We Paid Homage to the People of Sanaag, the Neglected Africa” New statesman.
2. Asha Abdalla. “Constitutional Blunder by the Speaker of Somali Parliament.” May 2007. /op/2006/jun/Asha-Abdalla.aspx