Awdal region elder dismisses Somaliland’s 1 million signature petition

Traditional elders in Awdal region of northern Somalia have dismissed the breakaway Somaliland’s  secession petition which the region’s leaders said last week had hit the one million mark.

Last week Somaliland said it conducted an international petition which  gathered more than 1, 021,000 signatures aimed to draw global attention for a 25 year endevour to seek international recognition.

Ahmed Goboobe, a traditional elder said people of Awdal region which is administratively under Somaliland are not signatory to the petition.

“We did not take place take part in what Somaliland administration says it gathered more than 1, 021,000 signatures of people to seek international recognition,” said Gaboobe.

Somaliland, former colony of Britain declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 but no country has so far recognized it as an independent state.

International community several times tried to open talks between the Federal Somali government which insists Somaliland to be part of the Horn of Africa nation and leaders from northern breakaway region.

Turkey which is a close ally of Somalia has hosted latest two conferences which brought together both sides  but talks broke down.

The last one which took place in March last year collapsed after Somaliland delegates refused to sit with the delegation from Mogadishu, saying that some of the federal government delegation actually hailed from territory claimed by Somaliland in the north-western region.