The Peace Gardens came alive with singing, dancing, drumming and flag-waving as a motion tabled by Labour Coun Mohammad Maroof was passed by full council.
The historic move means Sheffield is the first local authority in the UK to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state.
Coun Mahmood’s motion stated: “This council believes recognition will help to bring about stability in Somaliland. This council calls upon the Government to recognise Somaliland as an independent state and to encourage other governments around the world to do the same.”
Many men from Somaliland came to Sheffield after WW2 to work in steelworks.
Somaliland is in northwestern Somalia. It voted for independence in 1991 and has had democratically elected government since.
Source: The Star
Celebrate brothers and sisters and dance as if you all won the lottery, I am happy for people celebrating and waving flags, but I am afraid you all celebrating for the wrong reasons and waving the flags of division. It may be the best brothers an sisters to encourage your loved ones back in Hargeisa and your president to keep negotiating with their counterparts in Mogadishu, This is a Somali problem and we can once and for all solve our problems, but never again will we accept a white man to divide us and tell us what to do. We passed those days in the 60,s and we cannot turn the clock back to 44 years. Somaliland is a peaceful enclave and we pray it stays the same and becomes prosperous, but remains part of Federal Somalia. a Somaliland that governs itself, has good court system, national army to help its citizens in times of natural disasters, police force and coast guard.
The faqash are starting to feel the heat. Were not coming back to the Somalia fold.. were different politically, socially, dialect, and culturally because we dont niiko. lol..and like it or not we just dont have anything in common. Your people have lived in 22 years of death and destruction, do you really think that were going to put our peace and prosperity in jeopardy for "unity" for the people that tried to commit genocide with a military against its civilians? I think not. Anyways when we get full fledged international recognition we'll try to help you guys out and help you clean up your home. But in the meantime have your priorities straight and dont focus on Somaliland which is light years ahead and not coming back, but to fix your capitol and your homes and chill with all the tribal stuff talking about "federal states" because thats something that will never thrive in Somali society.
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Saleebaan Xaaji and mr, truth are afraid of the real debate instead they calling people names, but let me first respond to hornid since he sounds more civilized, Brother hornid you right we welcomed our Djibouti brothers to our soil to help us defeat Shabaab and we are grateful for their sacrifice, Djibouti is an independent country and so we never claimed ownership of that land, we are brothers and we cooperate closely, yes they are Somali speaking but they were never part of Somalia, on the other hand Somaliland is part of Somalia. You guys had the chance to succeed in 1960, but you decided or your ancestors decided to stay with United Somalia. It's ironic that after 40 years some of you want to go back to the 60's. now let me come back and respond to mr, truth and Saleebaan Xaaji, brothers you both used the word Faqash wich is a word used to commit crimes during the civil war and the Hawiyas used it for battle cry and commited crimes on civilians so I suggest you avoid using that word. Its a word directed on the Daarood community which is a large community and I am sure a community that you want live with peacefully since they live part of the land you claiming. don't forget we are only debating not fighting.
Wadani Why walanweyn welcome somali soldier of Djibouti under Amison uniform in their own ground while they keep calling Somali of Somaliland to forget borders as we are all somali and white border must not divide us. Hypocrisy and pathetic.
Federal who? Don't blame the white man, please, if anyone is to blame it is the faqash mentality which you, Waddani, still carry. Somaliland gained its independence from the "white man" and joined a union with the hope of uniting all the Somali regions in the Horn of Africa, instead we got a faqash govt and nearly thirty years of dismay, neglect and finally destruction. No thanks, you can take your federalism and stick it where the sun don't shine.
Somaliland is here to stay and will always remain, and govern itself without your permission or from the permission of Mogadishu.
People of Somalia-Italia-federation are vulnerable to exploitation by anyone who waves the blue flag and claims unity. This has allowed the worse type of political predators to prey on their country and people since 1991, be it Clanists, warlords, clerics, Ngos or invading neighboring countries.
Kenya and Ethiopia have strangle hold on Muuqdisho so does Djibouti and every other AU-Member that is ready to play hardball with the federal-colony president. Any Au-Member that threatens Muuqdisho with the Recognition card will have the KEY to their colony-state.
Kenya is in a position to have Hassan Mahamoud sign his country's economic territorial waters over to kenya for fear that Kenya will promote the Rightful recognition of Somaliland-Republic. Ethiopia killed many Abgaals in Muuqdisho during abdullahi Yusuf term in office why on earth would an Abgaal colony-president permit the return of Ethiopian troops unless he was afraid that Ethiopia which is the seat of the AU would use it's influence or support Somaliland-republic quest.
Today it is mere threats for petty Amisom-fund shares tomorrow it will be far more taxing demands on any Somalia-Italia-Federal colony government and people. These people are creating the exact guillotine that will serve to execute them.
Perhaps we need to make all the AU-Members aware of the exploitation potential of Somalia-Italia-colony…
Chad just pulled it's troops out of Carr and needs New revenue sources, it is time they made a call to Hassan Mahamoud.
Number 1 Why do you want unity when we don't. 2 Why are you lot unionist barbaric destructive while we thrive and prosper 3. Stand on your own feet instead off wincing. 4 forget about Somaliland because we have divorcé you for good and concentrate on your country. 5 Somaliland our country is far gone about 24 years and you need to do a lot of catching up before we can even come to you for holidays. 6 Stop wasting your time as you have heard from all SomLanders we will rather die then join you wild life animals we been saying that for 23 years I would give up long time ago and start concentrating on other important stuff so how we join some people who are deaf and dump?