South Africa must also recognise Somaliland
(Image courtesy of ontheworldmap)
The Referendum Party (RP) and the Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) call upon the South African Government to follow Israel’s example and to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent state.
International law is unambiguous, ALL people have a right to self-determination. The International Law Commission (ILC) lists the right to self-determination as a peremptory norm (jus cogens) of international law - a right which no state may derogate. Self-determination shares this special legal status alongside (amongst others) the prohibition of genocide, the prohibition of slavery, and the prohibition of racial discrimination and apartheid.
Somaliland has operated as an independent state since 1991, and in 2001, 97% of its people voted in a referendum for a new Constitution which declared Somaliland independent of Somalia. Unlike many other African states, it has a functional democracy which has seen the losing party hand over power peacefully. In 2021, DA leader and GNU minister, John Steenhuisen acted as an independent election observer. It is unthinkable that Somalilanders should be forced to recognise the authority of war-torn and dysfunctional Somalia over them against their will.
South Africa cannot continue to be utterly hypocritical when it comes to self-determination. It cannot support the Palestinian and Western Saharan people’s right to self-determination, whilst denying it to the people of Taiwan and Somaliland, and whilst holding joint military exercises with a country sworn to the destruction of Israel.
Just as the law says, RP and the CIAG respect the right of all people to self-determination. Self-determination cannot continue to be subject to political expediency in flagrant violation of international law.
