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Basic Facts about Somaliland:

• Somaliland was a British Protectorate under the British rule from 1884 until 26th June 1960. 

•  The Republic of Somaliland got its independence form Britian on 26th June 1960. 

• When Somaliland  got its independence on 26th June 1960  from Britain immediately  35 countries have recognised Somaliland.

• Italian Somalia was still under UN Trustee Ship which was technically to gain independence by the end of December 1960

• Pan African ideology has reached the hearts of all Somalis and the quest to create a "Somali State" (not a Somalia State ) became a dream to be fulfilled 

• The "Somali Republic State" was to consist of five territories : British Somaliland, French Somaliland (Djibouti), Italy Somalia, the Northern Frontier District (NFD) of Kenya and the "Ogaden" region of Ethiopia

• Suddenly Italian Somalia saw this as an opportunity and tried to take advantage of this opportunity by seeking to its independence from the  Italian-administered UN trusteeship

• On 1st July some deal was made pushed by Italy under the UN umbrella and Italy Somalia was granted an independent status (technically not legal though as the trustee ship ends by end of December)

• To make the matters worse Italy Somalia pushed for  renaming the new state as "The Republic of Somalia'  instead of the original intended name which was "The Somali Republic State"

• On 1st July a  union was agreed to form a " Somali State " not a "Somalia State"  (let's keep this clear for the record)

• This union was not only to be between Italian Somalia and British Independent Somaliland but also  the other 4 Somali territories namely  the French Somaliland (Djibouti), the Northern Frontier District (NFD) of Kenya and the "Ogaden" region of Ethiopia

• The flag of  the new Somali State (to be) had a unique five pointed star whose points symbolised the union of the five Somali areas, technically though only British Somaliland was independent at that time.

• On July 1, the two legislatures met to elect a provisional President of the Somali republic, though no act of union had been signed. The president immediately signed a decree entitled the "Law of Union of State of Somaliland and Somalia". It was not promulgated since it had not been passed by the National Assembly. A consultative Commission for Integration was than appointed and its findings were subject to a referendum held in July 19961.[2]

• The Somali National League, the principal party of the North, campaigned against the ratification of the constitution. Percentage votes against were: Hargeisa (72), Berbera (69%), Burao (66), and Erigavo (69%). The total number of votes cast in Somalia as a whole said to be 1,952,660, out of which only 100,000 votes were said to have been recorded in the North.[2]