Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
took Mogadishu. At the same time the Somali National Movement (SNM) moved quickly
and declared independence for Somaliland. Puntland also broke away.
While fierce battles between warring factions plagued southern Somalia throughout the
1990s, Somaliland has remained largely peaceful and stable since 1991, thanks mainly to
the predominance of a single clan (the Isaq). It has great oil and gas potential and voted
for complete independence in 1997 before holding free presidential elections in 2003.
However, Somaliland is not officially recognised as a separate state by the international
community. The main reason why the world is reluctant to accept Somaliland's independ-
ence is that the UN still hopes for a peace agreement covering all of Somalia, and its other
neighbours are wary of an independent Somaliland, fearing a potential 'Balkanisation' of
the Horn. For Somalilanders, this seems profoundly unfair. Unlike the rest of Somalia,
they have managed to establish law and order in their own country.
In 2003, terrorists from Mogadishu illegally entered Somaliland and shot dead several
aid workers with the aim of destabilising the fledgling country and causing it to lose its
credibility on the international scene. This explains why the local authorities tend to be
overprotective of foreigners once they venture outside the capital. In October 2008, anoth-
er group of terrorists from Mogadishu carried out suicide bombings in Hargeisa. The tar-
gets included the presidency, the Ethiopian Liaison Office and one UN office.
The second presidential elections took place in 2010, after having been delayed a few
times. Municipal elections were held in late 2012 without trouble.
The Culture
The clan structure is the main pillar of Somali culture. Somalis all hail from the same
tribe, which is divided into six main clans and loads of subclans. The nomadic lifestyle
also exerts a major influence on Somali culture.
Somalis can be quiet and dignified, with a tendency to ignore strangers, but have a tre-
mendous oral (often poetic) tradition. Written Somali is a very young language (the
Somali Latin script was established in 1973), and spelling variation, especially of place
names, is very common. English is widely used in Somaliland.
All Somalis are Sunni Muslims and Islam is extremely important to the Somali sense of
national identity. Most women wear headscarves, and arranged marriage is still the norm
in rural areas.
