@HalyeeyQaran @Grant @King Dir @Rooble
Djibouti Obsolete Borders
The Geographical Reality:
The borders have no bearing on the population distribution. Djibouti is populated by the Issa clan who lives also Awdal in Somalia as well as the
Shinile Zone located in the
Somali Region of
Ethiopia. Entire families live on equal sides of the colonial carved out borders and going back and forth between these places.
Which shows that the population living in Djibouti do not solely identify with that one single area but with two other regions (Somalia,Galbeed) which they are physically, culturally and ecomomically tied to.
The Economic reality:
Issa clan as stated share nummeral economical links with their family on opposite sides of the borders. Some through hagbad/ayuuto are heavily interdependent on eachother. Other methods are clan sholarship, inter clan financial schemes etc. By using the Somali remittance systems by sending eachother financial support through Hawalaad.
You can even mention how Djibouti is heavily trade-dependent on their Somali counterpart in the different regions of the Horn.
Read------->
https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/public/Research/Africa/0910majid.pdf
The Historical reality:
Reffendrums were held in djibouti wether it was to remain with France or to join the Somali Republic. Despite 100% of Somalis voted for the Union with Somali Republic, the refendrum was found to be rigged by the French authority, with the French expelling thousands of Somalis before the refrendrum reached the polls. The majority of those voted No was Somalis who were strongly in favor of joining their fellow Somali brothers and sisters lead by Maxamuud Xarbi the Vice President of the Government Council. The refrendum turned out in favor of the Europeans and the sizeable Afar community to stay with France.
Once the refrendrum reach the polls in face of all the tension, the Vice President gave the famous historical speech
“We must achieve independence; we prefer death to life under the aegis of imperialism”.
This is telling because it shows that the existence of Djibouti is not a reflection of Somali self determination or the right by a Sovereign people decide their destiny. Rather it is an imposition by the french authorities.
By accepting Djibouti as infinite entity we are accepting a destiny layed out by outsiders.
Conclusion:
Djibouti is a linguistic vestige of colonialism, nested in the notion of divide and rule, which articulates a perception based on European terms of homogeneity. The notion of some invisible borders, which divides The North from the South, is rooted in imperialist designs, which in part assumes that artificial borders is an obstacle for Somali language, culture and Self determination. This imposed artificially created border hence confines Somali to the bottom of a European imposed location, which exists neither Historically,Economically nor Physically.
Ethnically (Somali), Religiously (
Islam), Politically (African Union, Arab league, UNESCO), Economically (IGAD) or physically (Somalia and Galbeed).The over emphasis on colonial borders which have no bearing on reality as a defining feature in Somali history is grossly misleading as cultures, trade, kinship and languages do not stop when they meet geographic hand drawn lines . Thus Djibouti is another divisive vestige of colonial domination which balkanized the Somali Nation.