OPEN MEMORANDUM TO THE AU & MEMBER STATES

 “”High priority Petition

Please Support Somaliland and Help it Gain

Representation in the African Union

Date: January 12, 2007

To:    His Excellency, President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, 

Republic of Congo

Chairman, African Union

To:    H.E. Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare

          Chairperson of the African Union Commission

To:    H.E. Mr. Patrick Mazimhaka

          Deputy Chairperson

To:    all World Leaders, Presidents, and Prime Ministers 

To:           IGAD, 

To:          Somalia Contact Group

Cc:    EU, ARAB LEAGUE  

SUBJECT:           PLEASE SUPPORT SOMALILAND AND HELP IT GAIN 

REPRESENTATION IN THE AFRICAN UNION.

We, the undersigned, the pro-democratic movement in Somaliland, comprising human rights and civil society organizations, operating under several non-governmental national level umbrellas and networks wish to request your support for an issue that is close to the hearts of many people in the Horn of Africa as well as around the Globe. This is the matter of African Union and United Nations membership and recognition for Somaliland.

Brief Description/History of Republic of Somaliland:

The Republic of Somaliland is a free and peace-loving state, and its democratically elected government is the only one that represents the interests and wishes of the people of Somaliland.

Somaliland is the only nation not represented in the global assembly. The African Union’s exclusion of Somaliland violates the principles and spirit of African Charters as well as the United Nation and, in particular the fundamental principal of universality, and of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Somaliland and its three and half million people are capable of making significant contributions to many African Union and UN efforts in and around the African continent particularly in the Horn of African region. Somaliland is also eager to do its part to combat such international problems as poverty, regional conflict, terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, and environmental degradation. However, Somaliland is denied an important means of collaborating with international partners. This unnecessarily complicates the task at hand and hampers efforts to deal with such critical issues. 

The recognition of Somaliland enhances the security of the African continent, United States of America, Europe, Asia including Middle East and that of the Horn of Africa. Non-recognition, however, will have disastrous consequences and will renew civil strife and induce terrorism to thrive and spread beyond the Horn of Africa region and world as well. The Somaliland people can not be denied their freedom – A freedom that was restored by a bloody rebellion that brought down the Siad Barre military might of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest armored and mechanized force. 

It is time the world realizes that stability in the Horn of Africa can only be achieved by recognizing Somaliland’s reclamation of its sovereignty. 

The nascent democracy in Somaliland needs support against those who hate freedom, democracy and universal human rights. It is time the United Nation and African Union as well as world leaders support and grant international recognition to Republic of Somaliland  before the fundamentalists Islamic groups linked international terrorists such as Al Qaida come to ruin the peace, democracy institution, human rights culture and stability Somaliland has achieved

Somaliland meets all the requirements of UN and AU membership. It makes little sense that Somaliland is ignored when considering the fact that Somaliland serves as a model for freedom and democracy in the African continent and Muslim world and a beacon of hope for those living under dictatorial rule. To safeguard peace and democratic institutions in Somaliland from the combined assault of fundamentalist Islamists and destruction the African Union and United Nations has to facilitate the necessary steps towards granting recognition to Somaliland and its full membership in the family of African Union and the United Nations as well.

Petition:

Somaliland stands ready to take its rightful place among the member states of the African Union. And United Nations, including Somaliland in the United Nations and AU would make the world body more representative, comprehensive and effective.

We, the undersigned, request the African Union members and leaders to support the Somaliland's full membership in African Union and United Nations as well.

Thank you for your assistance. 

Sincerely yours, 

SIGNATORIES LIST

 I.         MEMBER ORGANISATIONS OF NAGAAD WOMEN UMBRELLA 

1)            Agriculture Development Organization (ADO)

2)            Alkownin Women Voluntary Organization (ALKOWNIN)

3)            Agriculture Rehabilitation and Women in Development Org. (ARWO)

4)            Association for the Somaliland Women's Advancement (ASWA)

5)            Aw Barkhadle Women Development Organization (AWDO)

6)            Ayaan Women's Development Association (AYAAN)

7)            Barwaaqo Lakulan Women Association (BAKWA)

8)            Barwaqo Voluntary Organization (BVO)

9)            Candlelight for Health and Education (CLHE)

10)        Committee for Concerned Somalis (CCS)

11)        Dareen Rural Relief & Development (DAREEN)

12)        Dulmar for Women's Development Advocacy and Peace (DULMAR)

13)        Female-Headed Households Association (FEDHA)

14)        Hanad Women's Welfare Association (HWWA)

15)        Hargeisa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVAYOCO)

16)        Hargeisa Women's Group (HAWO-GROUP)

17)        Hargeisa Women on Focus Organization (HAWFO)

18)        Mother Land Rescue Group (MRG)

19)        Lama-Huraan Women's Association (LMWA)

20)        Somaliland Women's organization (SOLWO)

21)        Somaliland War Widow Organization (SWWO)

22)        Somaliland Women's Development Association (SOWDA)

23)        Somaliland Women's Research and Action Group (SOWRAG)

24)        Somaliland for Progress, Advocacy and Peace (SOWPO)          

25)        Somaliland Young Women's Association (SOYWA)

26)        Tawakal Women & Children's Organization (TAWAKAL)

27)        Voluntary National Youth Organization (VONYO)

28)        Women's Action for Advocacy and Development Association (WADA)

29)        Women's Rehabilitation and Development Association (WORDA)

30)        Women Inter-Action Group (WIAG)

31)        Women's Action Advocacy and Progress Organization (WAAPO)

III.                   MEMBER ORGANISATIONS OF SOMALILAND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS NETWORK

II.              MEMBER ORGANISATIONS OF 

SOMALILAND NATIONAL YOUTH ORGANIZATION 

(SONYO-UMBRELLA)

1.                 Aids Control and Awareness Raising Organization - (ACARO)

2.                 Amoud University Student Union - 

3.                 All-Somaliland Society Awareness League -  (Assal)

4.                 Community  Rehabilitation Association (CRA)

5.                 Dallo Youth Development Organization  - DAYDO

6.                 Disability Children Association - DCA

7.                 Hargeisa Youth Development Association - HYDA

8.                 Horseed Youth Association - Horseed

9.                 Laas-anod Youth Voluntary Organization  - LAYVO

10.             Moonlight girls Association - Moonlight

11.             SAYS Youth Association - SAYS

12.             Somaliland Association for Youth Salvation - SCYVO

13.             Somaliland Culture and Sport Association - SOCSA

14.             Somaliland Progress Youth Association - SOPYA

15.             Somaliland Youth Development Association - SOYDA

16.             Somaliland Youth Salvation and Training Organization - SYSTO

17.             Somaliland Youth Society  - SYS Hargeisa

18.             Somaliland Youth Society - SYS Burao

19.             Somaliland Youth Voluntary Association - SOYVO

20.             Teacher Training College Student - TTCSC

21.             University of Hargeisa Student Union

22.             UoH-Student Union

23.             Vitinary  Agre-culture Development Committee- VADCO

24.             Voluntary Of National Youth Organization - VONYO

25.             Youth Coalition Development - YCD

26.             Youth Volunteers of Development and Environmental Care 

27.             Organization - YOVENCO

28.             Somaliland Education  Development Organziation - SEDO

29.             Youth Edcuation Saftey Development Organizaiton - YESDO

30.             UBAH Social Development Youth Organization - USWO

31.             Somaliland Environment Youth Organization – SEYO

SOMALILAND NATIONAL DISABILITY FORUM

Membership organization signed the above mention petition 

1.             Somaliland Handicap Association SHA 

2.             Comprehensive CBR in Somaliland CCBRS 

3.             Nasa-Hablod Handicap AssociationNAHA 

4.             Hargeisa Youth Development Association HADYA 

5.             Hargeisa Deaf SchoolHDS 

6.             Activist Network for Disabled Persons ANDP 

7.             Orthohope Rehabilitation Center ORC

8.             Disability Action Network DAN 

9.             Hargeisa School For Special Needs HSSN 

10.        Disabled Women Organization and childrenHAN

11.        Horn Afrique Youth Voluntary Committee HAVOYOCO 

12.        Disabled Children Association DCA 

13.        Hargeisa Handicap Association HHA

14.        Tawakal Women’s Association TWO

15.        Albustan Handicap AssociationAHA 

16.        Hargeisa Handicap Women HHW

17.        Somaliland Blind SocietyHABS

18.        Youth Development Disability Organization YODDO 

19.        Somaliland Red Crescent Society SRCS

20.        Negaad Women Umbrella Negaad

21.        Somaliland Youth Umbrella SONYO 

22.        Borama Deaf and Blind School BD&BS 

23.        Sahil Handicap Organization SHO 24Tawakal Lifeline OrganizationTLO 

24.        Erigavo Handicap Organization EHO 

25.      Las-anod Handicap Association LHA

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