Somaliweyn and The Somalideed who opposed it.
The year was 1948 in New York and during a United Nations meeting the idea of Somaliweyn was proposed officially for the first time by Ernest Bevin who at the time was Britain’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Keep in mind the United Nations was created only 3 years prior to this meeting and behind smoke and mirrors it was an organization of super powers who were playing a chess game dividing the world world up economically and politically. The 5 stakeholders in this chess game were the US, the UK, France, the Soviet Union and the Republic of China. When Ernest Bevin proposed the idea of Somaliweyn the Soviet’s opposed this and accused Britain of trying to expand the territories they colonized under the pre-text of “selflessness.” The United Nations reached a compromise between the Soviets and the British which was to send a commission of 4 UN countries to Mogadishu to find out what the Somali people actually wanted and abide by that.
For those of you who have wet dreams about Somaliweyn this was the perfect opportunity to achieve that fleeting and long gone dream. Prior to this the only real major issues Somalis really had with other Somalis was neighboring tribes fighting over grazing land and territory. There wasn’t any real tribal coalitions it was sub clan on sub clan violence for the most part .Which could be easily resolved.
The objective of the United Nations commission consisting of 4 countries to Mogadishu was for a meeting between Somali representatives from Italian Somalia, British NFD(Northern Frontier District), British Somaliland, and the British military Administration that controlled Somali Galbeed in Ethiopia. The idea and inception of Somaliweyn was proposed by Somalilanders originally to the British and the British agreed with them and proposed it at the 1948 UN summit but the British had ulterior motives for promoting Somaliweyn. Unlike the naive Somalilanders who were thinking through emotional sentiment and not logic. The thought process of the Somalilanders was we share the same religion,language, and culture as these people so it’s only right if we unite as one. The British on the other hand saw Somaliweyn as a strategic win for them. Throughout the 19th and 20th century European powers fought for control over east Africa namely France,Italy,and Britain. Djibouti was already under French control. NFD, Somali Galbeed, and Somaliland were under British control while Italy controlled Somalia. Britain wanted Somalia as they already possessed 3/4 Somali regions and this would complete their goal of controlling all Somali regions if Somaliweyn united. Which gives them access to one of the most strategic and resource rich locations in the world. The Soviets saw through what the British were plotting and how their own interests in the Somali peninsula would be affected by the British controlling all Somali regions(minus Djibouti). So naturally they were opposed to Somaliweyn.
The Somaliland representatives for the meeting in Moqadishu had several notable members from the Ishaaq tribe such as Ismaaciil Naxar, Dubbe Cali-Yare, Suldaan Cabdillaahi Suldaan Diriye, Suldaan Cabdiraxmaan Suldaan Diriye, Suldaan Maxamed Suldaan Faarax. When they arrived in Xamar they met up with Michael Mariano and Anthony Salole who were 2 men originally from Burco,Somaliland but were Somali Youth League members and the legal advisors/lawyers for the Somali Youth League. The Somaliland representatives were those who were pushing to lobby the representatives of the other Somali regions to accept Somaliweyn and show them why it would be mutually beneficial. That was their ultimate goal before they headed back to Somaliland.
The United Nations commission approached The SYL(Somali Youth League) and their leader Abdullahi Ciise he told them they wanted Somalia to be a self governing country and to have a government free of colonial rule lead by Somalis. Ultimately, he didn’t see Somaliweyn as necessary nor practical. The United Nations commission then approached the representatives from Somali Galbeed(Ogaden region) led by Maqtal Aw Daahir and he told them “his people wished to stay under the rule of King Haile Selassie.” The United Nations commission then approached Digle-Mirifle (Raxanweyn) representatives led by Cabdulkaqaair Soobe who told them they wanted their own government and want nothing to do with the Somali people. The United Nations commission then met with representatives of NFD and they were told they want to unite with Somalis whether it be with Somalia, Somaliland, or Somali Galbeed and they didn’t want to be under Kenyan nor colonial rule.
After they were done meeting all the necessary stakeholders the United Nations commission headed back to New York and disclosed that Somali Galbeed and Southern Somalia didn’t care about Somaliweyn or Somali unity at all therefore Britain’s ambitious plan was laid to rest along with Somaliweyn. Ernest Bevin was bewildered as to the disinterest Somalis had to Somaliweyn. It seemed the only people interested in Somaliweyn were Somaliland and NFD. Britain gave Hawd and Reserve area to Ethiopia and NFD to Kenya not too long after…
