call for tourism development from Somaliland ~ Puntland of Piracy !!!

There are  always two sides of a coin !

Syria is caught in a quagmire of political and social unrest; Egypt and Tunisia saw uprisings; trouble brewed in  Yemen, Bahrain, Libya; Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea are war-torn; so also is Afghan; there is trouble in Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.  In India there are different militant group, there have been bombings killing and maiming innocents…….. sad so much of blood spilling in the modern World !

The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. Somalia is  located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Ethiopia, Djibouti,  Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Kenya to the southwest.  A few years ago, the Horn of Africa was in news regularly as being  the hotbed of criminal activities. This  very important shipping route between the Mediterranean sea and the Arabian sea with tens of thousands of ship crossing the gulf annually literally became the ‘Pirate alley’.  The sea is the most difficult to fathom and holds out wealth and hazards to the seafarer.  Piracy is perhaps as old as seafaring but had never been so serious as of date.  The modern day pirates use state-of-the-art weapons instead of cutlasses and canons. Their crimes range from simple theft to stealing entire ships and murder.

Somalia has been badly in need of international assistance ~ nearly 260,000 people died during the famine that hit Somalia from 2010 to 2012, a report reveals.  Sadly, half of them were children under the age of five, says the report by the UN and the US-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network.  The crisis was caused by a severe drought, worsened by conflict between rival groups fighting for power. The number of deaths was higher than the estimated 220,000 people who died during the 1992 famine.  The African region has been attracting International attention owning to hunger deaths, food shortages, famines, conflicts, drought and war ~ all eventually killing poor people. Somalia was worst hit by the extreme drought in 2011 that affected more than 13 million people across the Horn of Africa. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in search of food. The UN declared the famine over in February 2012. During more than 20 years of civil war, Somalia has seen clan-based warlords, rival politicians and Islamist militants battle for control - a situation that has allowed lawlessness to flourish.

The above is what we have continuously fed as what we perceive the place which has  528 miles of beaches, historic relics dating back to 3000BC and a 0% tourist crime rate. Somaliland has been self-declared independent since 1991 but it is still not recognised internationally; the  Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland.  Now the country wants it to be visited more by foreign tourists and here is another interesting report from MailOnline.

With mile upon mile of untouched golden beaches, corals reefs ripe for divers, ancient artifacts and a population desperate to impress. Somaliland is a country with plenty to offer tourists and it is actively encouraging visitors.  For starters, the country doesn't exist at all according to the international community, which recognises it only as part of Somalia, the troubled nation where piracy is rife and terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab is based.

Although not officially recognised as a country, Somaliland neighbours Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia. This association with Somalia is the reason western governments such as the UK and Canada call the self-proclaimed independent entity and former British protectorate a no-go zone, claim locals, but this isn't stopping Somaliland pushing to bring in the tourist dollar. Official websites proudly proclaim they boast 850km (528 miles) of quiet beaches just waiting to be lazed upon by westerners, while historic landmarks await their long-overdue admiration.  They feel that due to lack of recognition, people have not been visiting the beautiful place. 

In Somaliland, an unspoiled stretch of sand in Somaliland which tourism bodies are keen for westerners to explore.  Tourists are welcome in the unrecognised country, but are asked to respect local customs and dress modestly.   Boats stationed off the coast of Berbera, the harbour city Somaliland has long relied on for its economy.  The Tourism promotion claims - 'We have something to offer for all kind of tourists';  'Somaliland have an 850 km coastline with lots of pristine beaches, beautiful coral reefs, unique archaeological sites, rare birds and mammals, fabulous mountain ranges, and a year-round sunny, warm climate, so we are offering a wide variety of tour opportunities that will allow everyone to experience Somaliland in ways that are unique.'  They further  emphatically claim  that any perception that Somaliland is dangerous is 'wrong'. - 'That’s actually the saddest part, Somaliland has a 0 per cent foreigners/tourists crime rate for the last 10 years,'

'Somaliland has been functioning for 24 years, and has got lots of places to visit, including 850 kilometers (528 miles) of beaches.' Somaliland's advocates are pushing its beaches, culture and history human artifacts such as the Laas Geel cave paintings, which are estimated to date back to between 900BC and 3000BC. Berbera, the port city the national economy hinges upon, is a major draw with its quiet - meaning largely deserted - beaches and chances to snorkel and scuba dive. While the tourism companies claim the place is safe, armed guards are sometimes mandatory for tourists or offered. Many suggest this is motivated more by the fear of what a negative incident could have on the burgeoning industry than the threat of terrorism the FCO [The Foreign and Commonwealth Office] and other western governments warn of in strongly worded advisories.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

12^th Mar 2015.