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OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #2305/01 3081618
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O 041618Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1473
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA  IMMEDIATE
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RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 002305 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S CARSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: DJ EAID KDEM PGOV PREL PTER SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - DISPUTED NORTHERN REGION'S CLANSMEN 
DECLARE SELF-ADMINISTRATION 
 
¶1. Summary.  Leaders of a newly-declared Sol/Sanaag/Ayn 
(S/S/A) regional administration, including an American 
citizen, have called on us to explain their Dhulbahante 
clan's grievances against the Somaliland administration, and 
their political vision for extricating themselves from 
Somaliland's authority.  They will travel to S/S/A from 
Nairobi in mid-November, against the backdrop of a November 1 
roadside bomb that killed a Somaliland official in the 
region.  The Dhulbahante leaders condemned the attack, and 
denied knowledge of the group that carried it out.  A 
Somaliland government contact called us to discredit the 
self-declared leaders. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Leaders of a newly-declared Sol/Sanaag/Ayn (S/S/A) 
regional administration have called on us to explain their 
grievances against the Somaliland administration, and their 
political vision for extricating themselves from Somaliland's 
authority.  The movement is made up of Darood/Dhulbahante and 
many of its senior leaders are from the North American-based 
Somali diaspora.  The S/S/A administration announced itself 
after a large conference in Nairobi, and claims to represent 
a large majority of Dhulbahante in the region.  It is unclear 
to us what support these self-proclaimed officials have in 
the S/S/A region, but we believe their views likely represent 
those of many Dhulbahante citizens in S/S/A that resent 
Somaliland's presence in the region. The senior leaders, 
including an American citizen, Soulieman Ahmed, and two 
Canadians, plan to go to S/S/A on/about November 11. 
 
¶3.  A faction of the Darod/Dhulbahante clan in Sol/Sanaag/Ayn 
have long chafed under Isaaq-clan dominated Somaliland's 
claims of authority over their homeland. (Note: Ayn is a 
district of the Togdheer region. End Note). When Somaliland 
declared independence in 1991, it based its borders on the 
colonial boundaries of British Somaliland, which included 
S/S/A. Multiple Hargeisa administrations have, therefore, 
insisted that S/S/A remain part of Somaliland and have 
struggled to retain control of the regions. Complicating this 
picture was the 1998 formation of the semi-autonomous 
Puntland administration and the subsequent conflict between 
Somaliland and Puntland over parts of Sol and Sanaag.  Over 
the years the contested areas of Sol and Sanaag have many 
times changed hands between Somaliland and Puntland, 
including most recently in 2007 when Somaliland captured the 
strategic town of Las Aanod. There are Dhulbahante on both 
sides of the Somaliland-Puntland border.  Dhulbahante loyalty 
is, therefore, split among Somaliland, Puntland, and the new 
administration pledging loyalty to the TFG. 
 
¶4.  The Sol/Sanaag/Ayn leadership detailed their grievances 
against the Somaliland government.  They blame Somaliland for 
militarizing the region by capturing the area from Puntland 
in 2007.  Since the region is now disputed, S/S/A leaders 
claim humanitarian organizations no longer feel safe 
operating there, compounding the suffering of their 
Dhulbahante clansmen.  The Somaliland administration, they 
claim, uses rival Isaaq clan militia to represent them 
militarily, inflaming local clan sensitivities.  The Isaaq 
clan proxies have forcibly disarmed the Dhulbahante causing 
concerns about the clan's security. 
 
¶5.  The new S/S/A leadership explained their political 
vision.  They are hopeful the formation of a new 
administration will change the political dialogue with the 
Somaliland and Puntland governments.  By forming an 
independent administration, they hope to de-link their 
population from the Somaliland-Puntland conflict and 
strengthen the hand of their independence-minded elders and 
clan leaders.  As expected, given their animosity toward 
secessionist Somaliland, the S/S/A leaders emphasized their 
support for a unified Somalia, under a federal government 
based in Mogadishu.   They claimed to have met Somali Prime 
Minister Omar Sharmarke and received his blessing.  They 
conceded that there are some Dhulbahante that are loyal to 
Somaliland or Puntland, but they claimed to represent the 
will of Dhulbahante majority. 
 
¶6.  Comment:  Throughout our discussions with the new 
Dhulbahante leaders, we emphasized the need for peaceful 
dialogue with Somaliland authorities.  On November 1 a 
Somaliland official was murdered by a roadside bomb in Sanaag 
 
NAIROBI 00002305  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
province.  On November 3 Somaliland troops attempted but 
failed to arrest the man claiming responsibility for the 
attack, prompting a gun battle and spontaneous 
anti-Somaliland demonstrations by citizens in Buuhoodle, 
Togdheer region, according to media reports.  The Dhulbahante 
leaders have publicly condemned the attack and the assassin, 
a former Puntland minister who is rumored to be mentally ill. 
 
 
¶7.  Comment, cont.:  The Dhulbahante leaders are concerned 
about Somaliland's reaction when they travel to S/S/A 
on/about November 11.  In fact, a senior Somaliland 
government contact in the Information Ministry has contacted 
us to discredit the group.  We again urged Somaliland react 
with peaceful dialogue.  We have advised the American 
Dhulbahante leader not to travel to S/S/A if he believes he 
will be in danger.  We've also advised him we cannot reliably 
render consular services in Somaliland.  Somaliland will 
almost certainly refuse to let the regions go because 
Hargeisa views its territorial claims as justification for 
independence.  A second Somaliland contact told us Somaliland 
is amassing troops in the area in response to perceived 
threats from Puntland.  We will continue to monitor the 
situation.  End comment. 
RANNEBERGER