You know Puntland is a strange beast. One day you think it's one thing, the next day you realise it is something else.
The power of Puntland is not knowing what it is because Puntland is conditional. It can replace Somalia if it grows, it can secede if it doesn't fulfil its federal aims, or it can be a federal member state of a Somalia if it deems Somalia suitably federal enough.
But now it looks as though people have had enough of Puntland.
Puntland as a project seeks to create dual identity in Somalis, it snuck its federal state flags and symbols into the national constitution but most somalis didn't adopt the dual identity so the political project failed its biggest aims. What it did succeed in doing is damaging the nationalist spirit needed to revive Somalia by creating regionalism. It birthed a constant tension between periphery and centre. You must never forget that a nation state is nationalism and sovereignty. Nothing should stand in the way of nationalism and dual identities do exactly that.
I suggest Somalia or what remains after Puntland inevitably leaves should burn all federal state flags and symbols. Only the Somali flag should be accepted.
The Puntland regionalism virus also affects Somaliland which is a different country. Dual identities don't exist in Somaliland. Somalilander's don't claim to be from Somalia while holding a region first philosophy. I hear people saying this region or that region that first in Somaliland and it's dangerous. It's a virus and it must be identified as such.
Somalia will end up being a highly centralised state with one man rule but that's the only way it really works. Somalia can never again exist within the borders of Somaliland because there is no nationalism for it, rather profound hatred and enmity. It's just time to accept things as they are and make the necessary arrangements.
The power of Puntland is not knowing what it is because Puntland is conditional. It can replace Somalia if it grows, it can secede if it doesn't fulfil its federal aims, or it can be a federal member state of a Somalia if it deems Somalia suitably federal enough.
But now it looks as though people have had enough of Puntland.
Puntland as a project seeks to create dual identity in Somalis, it snuck its federal state flags and symbols into the national constitution but most somalis didn't adopt the dual identity so the political project failed its biggest aims. What it did succeed in doing is damaging the nationalist spirit needed to revive Somalia by creating regionalism. It birthed a constant tension between periphery and centre. You must never forget that a nation state is nationalism and sovereignty. Nothing should stand in the way of nationalism and dual identities do exactly that.
I suggest Somalia or what remains after Puntland inevitably leaves should burn all federal state flags and symbols. Only the Somali flag should be accepted.
The Puntland regionalism virus also affects Somaliland which is a different country. Dual identities don't exist in Somaliland. Somalilander's don't claim to be from Somalia while holding a region first philosophy. I hear people saying this region or that region that first in Somaliland and it's dangerous. It's a virus and it must be identified as such.
Somalia will end up being a highly centralised state with one man rule but that's the only way it really works. Somalia can never again exist within the borders of Somaliland because there is no nationalism for it, rather profound hatred and enmity. It's just time to accept things as they are and make the necessary arrangements.
