Open letter to the People of Qatar & their Government

- I am a citizen of “Somaliland” and I wish to communicate with you all through your steamed media outlets to give you some background about the history of my country and what the people of Somaliland who share history and faith with Qatar are expecting from this blessed country. My citizens came to Qatar when no other expatriate [other than few] have been here, and contributed all they can to uplift this country’s name in different aspects.

Today, the State of Qatar became the richest country on earth, and prosperity of the natives and expatriates alike have improved much. My people from those days still remember how life was tough and they are proud of the contributions they have made to Qatar, standing shoulder to shoulder with their brothers and sisters of this great nation.

We Somalilanders believe that we still have a major role to play in this country, even though we are behind most of the other communities who came alter us, because of our confined attitude and culture of nomadic back ground, but we are considered good people by our brothers in Qatar, and by the will of Allah I trust we are.

Today is the day that your government and public at large should stand alongside my people who deserve to be helped politically and economically. As you all know, my country has withdrawn from the unity it has forged with Somalia 21 years ago through a popular referendum and since then we have built our country from the ruins and successfully conducted four [4] Presidential Elections and a parliamentary election.

These elections were witnessed by the international community and they were declared free and fare. During these 21 years our Arab brothers were absent to see what we have achieved and how we built our destroyed country. I don’t believe that our brothers in Arab World acknowledge what we had gone through and how the Siyaad Barre regime destroyed our land and eradicated 60,000 of our people.

Despite all the tribulations, we are forgiving people and history has shown this. In order, to continue in this peaceful path and develop our nation, we need the continued support of Qatar and other GCC countries and open doors for A my people by engaging Somaliland and its people.

My open letter to the people of Qatar and their government is a request for fresh start and approach in dealing with the present situation in Somaliland and Somalia. I believe in Qatar’s diplomatic ability to make a difference and that Is what my country and the people of Somaliland are looking forward?

In February, 23, 2012 the world has witnessed and grasped the capability of my people and what they did during the period between 1991 and 2012, and were impressed what they saw and learned, and that was the turning point of my Country.

H.E The Prime Minister of Qatar was sitting next to my President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Adam, and I believe during this brief encounter he has acquainted himself with my country’s achievements. Besides, following this initial encounter, I hope the Prime Minister and his government will eventually break their silence and engage Somaliland. We have achieved something unprecedented in the African Continent.

We have built our country hom the debris, alter the Siad Barre regime bombarded and leveled to the ground. We made peace among our people through negotiations even with those who were not with us during the struggle. Somaliland is proud of having produced a unique and workable democracy in Africa and the Arab world. It is unique because of its combination and modernity, in that, we have a House of Elders and a House of Representatives.

It’s workable and unique, because, we put it to test, it gave us tive tree elections, Municipal, Legislative and Presidential [3 times] of which the last one was in July, 2010. Somaliland has spent nearly two decades, trying to convince the international community, that it deserves recognition. Somaliland has overcome every internal and external political hurdle.

We have confirmed ourselves and\stayed within our colonial boundaries [recognized by 35 countries when we first got our independence from Britain in 1960]. Somaliland’s budget is minuscule [meager], yet my government manages to maintain peace, stability and progress. We have a Flag, Constitution, Currency, National Anthem, and Forces that are disciplined in every aspect, yet our brothers in Arab world are ignoring our achievements.

We have been subjected to wait for southern Somalia, where there was no hope of stability in the past decades, despite the efforts of the international community. Somaliland would like to live in peace with its neighbors in the region, including Somalia, but I hope that after the London Conference’s declaration, we shall finally be sitting with Somalia to discuss a peaceful way of charting a two state solution, just the same way as Eritrea and Ethiopia and Sudan and Southern Sudan.

As a citizen of Somaliland and in the name of my people, I would like to ask the great state of Qatar:

1) To help us make a rapprochement with the Arab countries and remove the artificial barriers that was put between my fledgling country and Arab nations.

2) To spearhead the talks between Somaliland and Somalia, paving the way for a mutual agreement of a peaceful two states solution outcome.

3) To help our nation develop by encourage Qatari companies to invest in the oil and gas, banking and insurance sectors.

Insha Allah, I pray that the wisdom of H.H the Emir of the State Qatar will prevail and help us unlock many potential that my people have been waiting for in the past 21 years.

By the will of Allah, I look forward to see and hear a positive gesture towards my country.

Sincerely

By Omer Hussein Dualeh ’

(Doha – Qatar)