Maakhir
Encyclopedia
Maakhir officially the Maakhir State of Somalia was an autonomous region in northern Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...

 in an area disputed by the Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...

 and Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....

 macro-regions. In January 2009, it was incorporated into Puntland.

Autonomy

Maakhir was a self-proclaimed state that formally represented the political will of ethnic Warsangali-Darod from the North and South in federal Somalia. It is the indigenous territory of the Warsangali
Warsangali
The Warsangeli , is a Somali clan, part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans...

, a member of the Harti
Harti
Harti , meaning "strong man", is a name used to denote a confederation of various Darod sub-clans of the Somali people.-Clan tree:There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted...

 confederation of clans (along with the Dhulbahante
Dhulbahante
The Dhulbahante is a Somali clan, and a part of the larger Harti Darod clan. Members of the clan primarily inhabit the Sool, Nugaal, Sanaag and Ayn regions, the Haud, the port city of Kismayo, as well as other areas in the Jubbada Hoose region of southern Somalia.-Tradition:Currently, there are...

 and Majeerteen
Majeerteen
The Majeerteen is a Somali clan. Its members form a part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans, and primarily inhabit the Puntland region in northeastern Somalia....

) of the Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...

. The Warsangali were originally one of the principal actors in the creation of the Puntland State as a successor to the Harti Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...

ates after the collapse of the central government in Somalia in 1991. However, since the proclamation of an autonomous Puntland in 1998, the Warsangali have been increasingly sidelined as the Majeerteen clan has assumed a hegemonic role in the state. Maakhir was brought back into the Puntland fold by General Abdullahi Ahmed Jama ‘Ilkajir’ , who contested the Puntland election. General Ilkajir became the de-facto leader of Maakhir following the dissolution of the Maakhir administration.

Maakhir State proclaimed autonomy at a 1 July 2007 ceremony in Badhan
Badhan, Sanaag
Badhan or Baran is a city and district in the Sanaag region, a territory in north Eastern Somalia. In July 2007, the district became the capital city of the autonomous Maakhir region of Somalia...

 in response to overlapping claims of both Somaliland and Puntland over the western Sanaag
Sanaag
Sanaag is an administrative region in northern Somalia. Its capital city is Erigavo.Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari....

 and western Bari, both of which have led to several gun battles over control of the territory between Somaliland and Puntland. Puntland and Somaliland have both signed oil concessions in this part of Sanaag, without the consent of the local leadership, which also contributed to the desire of the local Warsangali
Warsangali
The Warsangeli , is a Somali clan, part of the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans...

 to administer their own affairs, as well as resolve disputes with Mohamud Muse Hersi
Mohamud Muse Hersi
Mohamud "Adde" Muse Hersi is a Somali politician. He was the President of the Puntland region of Somalia from January 8, 2005 to January 8, 2009.-Biography:...

, the former President of Puntland. In addition to most of Sanaag.

Maakhir's form of self-governance like Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....

 rested on the building block model of Federal Somalia—endorsed by the International community, a bottom-up approach of reconstituting the Somali Republic. This self-governing model which mandates a decentralized local levelof government in Somalia is seen as a workable long-term political strategy in resolving inter-tribal conflicts and ending a general disorderliness.

Maakhir built institutions such as civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...

, law enforcement, xeer
Xeer
Xeer, pronounced , is the polycentric legal system of Somalia. Under this system, elders serve as judges and help mediate cases using precedents. It is a good example of how customary law works within a stateless society and is a fair approximation of what is thought of as natural law...

 (customary law), and Shariah-based district courts. It also established a local military and naval establishment that protects the region's marine and land resources and which provides safety and access to the flow and supply of humanitarian aid, the normal operation of international and local NGOs, as well as the implementation of UNDP programs. Maakhir's other stated aim was to provide much-needed public services by opening up a treasury office in Badhan, to ensure governance structures for the safety and maintenance of Laasqoray Port, and the protection of private local enterprises whose operational management and ownership fall under the guidance of the private sector of Maakhir state. A third objective was to manage the complex local conflicts by strengthening the already existing traditional mechanisms, which will be consolidated and run by the Department of Justice.

Maakhir sought to structure consensus around peace, internal security, market stability, cooperation and unity of purpose with its neighbors; and build bridges of trust and social harmony across dividing political lines and between opposing interests and groupings.

Neither Somaliland or Puntland ever recognised the state. Despite rumored talks with Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Ali Mohamed Ghedi was the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia from 2004 to 2007. He was relatively unknown in political circles upon his appointment as prime minister in November 2004. He is affiliated with the Abgaal subclan of Mogadishu's Hawiye clan, one of...

, the former Prime Minister of Somalia, the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia declined to comment on the status of Maakhir and regarded Puntland as the official authority of the region.

History

Maakhir State of Somalia was the descendant of the Sultanate of Mohamoud Ali Shire
Sultanate of Mohamoud Ali Shire
The Warsangali Sultanate or Gerad Dynasty was a Somali imperial ruling house centered in northeastern and in some parts of southeastern Somalia...

 (Warsangali Sultanate) which is the oldest sultanate in Somalia with a rich history and heritage. The old capital of the Warsangali sultanate was Las Khorey.

The Sultanate of Mohamoud Ali Shire was considered by colonial authorities as having largely hegemonic authority over the other Harti sultanates, and the Warsangali played a large role in 19th century administration of Italian
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...

 and British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...

. As the 20th century began however, the British and Italians ended the independence of the semi-independent Sultanates, and the Harti Confederation was dissolved in the midst of Italian and British rule, ending the traditional role of the Warsangali. Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shireh was exiled to the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....

 – "the islands to which many prominent anti-colonial leaders used to be exiled".

After independence, the Majeerteen emerged as the leaders of the Harti group following the USP's merger with SYL—active political parties on the eve of Somali independence. The Warsangali have however maintained their preeminent position as the traditional leaders of the Harti. This has challenged Puntland's attempts to assert its authority in Sanaag and western Bari.

Disputes with Puntland

The disputes between Maakhir and Puntland had centered around ex-Puntland president Adde Musa's exploration deals with Range Resources, a mining and oil corporation registered in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 and his refusal to recognize Maakhir's declaration of autonomy. Despite intensive gun battles at the border, Puntland state insisted that the territory was part of its sphere of influence. Moreover, Puntland continued to carry on business as usual, when such business was exactly what caused the Declaration of autonomy in the first place.

Conflicts with Puntland over charcoal

Maakhir banned charcoal production due to the desertification
Desertification
Desertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...

 it causes to the fragile Somali environment. Puntland had ignored the ban and sent several expeditions into Maakhir, with Puntland militia protecting the charcoal traders. Clashes between Puntland militias escorting charcoal traders and Maakhir militias attempting to stop charcoal production had occurred numerous times since the ban, in Mijayahan, Wa'iye and Sarmanyo
Sarmanyo
Hilmo is a town in the northern Sool region of Somalia. The town is predominantly inhabited by people from the Somali ethnic group, with the Dhulbahante sub-clan of the Harti Darod especially well-represented.-References:*...

.

Puntland maintained its public statement that it did not recognize Maakhir. The demand for charcoal from Arab states of the Persian Gulf
Arab states of the Persian Gulf
"Arab states of the Persian Gulf" or "Arab Persian Gulf states" or "Persian Gulf Arab states" or "Arabic Persian Gulf states" or "Arab States of The Gulf", are terms that refer to the six Arab states of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, bordering the Persian Gulf....

, sometimes referred to as the "Black Gem" due to its profitability, has fueled the clashes.

In order to contain the charcoal expeditions, most of which are heavily armed and backed by big business interests, the Maakhir authority created a volunteer patrol force, the "Environmental Protection Corps".

Blockade of Bosaso

A dispute with Puntland over the arrest of prominent Warsangeli businessmen from Bosaso prompted the Maakhir government to blockade the highway to Bosaso until the men were released.

Somaliland military incursions

On February 25–26, 2008, a Somaliland-aligned, well armed force laid siege to Hadaftimo, causing a brief state of emergency before the force withdrew back to western Erigavo. Maakhir authority responded with a military buildup in the Maakhir-controlled part of Erigavo.

Hostilities re-emerged on July 9, 2008, when Somaliland invaded and occupied Laas Qoray port for few hours, under the pretext of a rescue mission (German citizens were allegedly being held hostage in Laas Qoray by pirates).

Administrative divisions

Maakhir claimed the following administrative divisions currently regarded under its control:
  • Madar
    Madar
    Madar, Somalia is a new region split off from Sanaag by Maakhir State of Somalia on September 23, 2007. Its capital is Badhan, which is also the state capital.-Districts:* Badhan - Capital of Maakhir* Hadaaftimo* Hingalol* Las Khorey* Yubbe* Ceelbuh...

    • Badhan
      Badhan, Sanaag
      Badhan or Baran is a city and district in the Sanaag region, a territory in north Eastern Somalia. In July 2007, the district became the capital city of the autonomous Maakhir region of Somalia...

       - capital of Maakhir
    • Hadaaftimo
      Hadaaftimo
      Hadaftimo is an historic town in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. It is home to many archaeological sites and ancient buildings.-General:Hadaftimo was previously a part of Maakhir state...

    • mindi-gale
      Mindi-gale
      Mindi-gale is one of the oldest and most strategic cities in the Sanaag region of Somalia.The city is known for its strategic position and its history as the mother of Sanaag. Its inhabitants were the breadwinner of the region....

    • Habar-shiro
      Habar-shiro
      Habarshiro is one of the largest towns in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. It is a relatively new settlement in comparison to other cities in the province.-References:*...

    • Hingalol
      Hingalol
      Hingalol or Hingalool is a town in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. It is the center of the Hingalol District.Local control is disputed between the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia, and Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as...

    • Las Khorey
      Las Khorey
      Las Khorey is an ancient coastal city in the Sanaag region, a territory disputed by the Puntland and Somaliland administrative regions of Somalia. In July 2007, the district became part of the Maakhir autonomous region of Somalia...

    • Yube
    • Ceelbuh
      Ceelbuh
      -Overview:El Buh is located in the El Buh District.In the late 2000s, the town was a part of the briefly-extant Maakhir state, before being officially incorporated into the autonomous Puntland region in 2009....

    • Laako
      Laako
      -Overview:The city lies between Badhan and Elaayo.Local control is disputed between Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia and the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia....

  • Sanaag
    Sanaag
    Sanaag is an administrative region in northern Somalia. Its capital city is Erigavo.Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari....

    • Ceerigaabo
      Ceerigaabo
      Erigavo or Erigabo is the administrative capital of the Sanaag region in northern Somalia.Local control is disputed between Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia, the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern...

       - regional capital
    • Damala Xagare
      Damala Xagare
      Damala Xagare is a district in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia.-Overview:The district's name is derived from the root word "Damal", which means acacia woodland in the Somali language....

    • Carmale
      Carmale
      -History:In July 2007, the district became part of the Maakhir province of Somalia, which was later incorporated into the autonomous Puntland region in January 2009....

    • Geilwiete
    • Darasalaam
    • Shimbiraale
    • Ceelaqoday

  • Boharo
    Boharo
    Boharo is a region in the semi-autonomous state of Maakhir.The capital of Boharo is Dhahar, the second largest town in Maakhir and the "second city" after the state capital Badhan....

    • Dhahar
      Dhahar, Sanaag
      Dhahar is a district in the Sanaag region, a territory disputed by the Puntland and Somaliland administrative regions of Somalia. In July 2007, the district became part of the Maakhir autonomous region of Somalia....

       - regional capital
    • Ceelaayo
    • Bali-Busle
    • Baragaha Qol

    • Buraan
      Buraan
      Buraan, also known as Hiil Buran, is one of the largest towns in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. Along with Las Khorey and Hadaftimo, it is considered to be one of the oldest settlements in the province.-References:*...

       - Maakhir Authority is planning to open a University in this city.


Cities and towns

The biggest cities in the area claimed by Maakhir Authority are Badhan
Badhan, Sanaag
Badhan or Baran is a city and district in the Sanaag region, a territory in north Eastern Somalia. In July 2007, the district became the capital city of the autonomous Maakhir region of Somalia...

, Las Khorey
Las Khorey
Las Khorey is an ancient coastal city in the Sanaag region, a territory disputed by the Puntland and Somaliland administrative regions of Somalia. In July 2007, the district became part of the Maakhir autonomous region of Somalia...

, Dhahar
Dhahar, Sanaag
Dhahar is a district in the Sanaag region, a territory disputed by the Puntland and Somaliland administrative regions of Somalia. In July 2007, the district became part of the Maakhir autonomous region of Somalia....

, Buraan
Buraan
Buraan, also known as Hiil Buran, is one of the largest towns in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. Along with Las Khorey and Hadaftimo, it is considered to be one of the oldest settlements in the province.-References:*...

, Hadaftimo, Yubbe
Yubbe
Yubbe is a town in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. It is situated in the Yubbe District.-History:...

, Hingalol
Hingalol
Hingalol or Hingalool is a town in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia. It is the center of the Hingalol District.Local control is disputed between the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia, and Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as...

, Damalla-Hagare, Eilbuh and Erigavo.


Politics and government

Parliamentary Seats

As Somalis are a largely nomadic people, parliamentary seats are designated by lineage and clan, this being their constituency.
Warsangeli Seats
EWLINE
Subclan Seats Location
Adan Sa'iid 4 Hadaaftimo,Badhan, Laasqoray,mashaxaleed. central and Coastal sanag
Bah-Majeerteen 3 Badhan,Laasqoray, Eilbuh, Hadaaftimo, Central Sanaag
Gashanbur 2 Buraan, East Sanaag
Warlabe 1 Badhan,Eilbuh,Laasqoray,Rad,Laako,Durduri, CentralAnd Coastal Sanaag
Ogayslabe 2 Badhan, Hadaaftimo, ceerigaabo,Lasqoray,Coastal Sanaag
Reer Saalah 1 Midigale,Xingalool,Badhan, Buraan, Habar-shiro, Central Sanaag
Muhumud 1 Shinbirale, Western Sanaag
Rer Faatah 1 Laasqoray,Badhan, Central Sanag respectively)
Nouh Omar 2 Erigavo,Yubbe,Gelweyte, near Mait, North Sanaag
Bahogayslabe 1 Erigavo, Carmaale, Damale Haggare, Western Sanaag
Bahidoor 1 Hingalool, South Sanaag
Jibrel Sa'iid 1 Erigavo,Darasalaam, Western Sanaag
Adan Yakub 1 Hingalool, South Sanaag
Dubays 9 Dhahar, Elayo, Bosaso, Galgala in Eastern Sanaag
Awramale 5 Kismayo, Bulo Haji
Other Seats
EWLINE
Minority Group Seats Location
Women 5 Not specified
Dir clans 2 Laasqoray, Erigavo


The disputed status between Puntland and Somaliland has also meant that Sanaag as a whole may not have received all the available and apportioned aid from UN non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

s (NGO)s and aid agencies
Aid agency
An aid agency is an organisation dedicated to distributing aid. Many professional aid organisations exist, both within government , between governments as multilateral donors and as private voluntary organizations...

. The newly established Maakhir government has made this issue one of their first priorities, and appealed to the Warsangali Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...

for assistance.

Government

Due to drought conditions, administrative problems and threats of invasion from Somaliland, the government of Maakhir was dissolved on the 6th of April 2008 by governmental and presidential decree. President Jibril promised a new government by June 2008, but Warsangelis decided instead to rally behind the campaign to elect General Ilkajir as President of Puntland. By the swearing in of the new president of Puntland, Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, Maakhir had fully rejoined Puntland.

The two branches of government in Maakhir (the Parliament and the Executive) were led by:
  • President Jibril Ali Salad - President of Maakhir
  • Eng. Ahmed Guure Aadan - The House of Representative Speaker

State secretaries

Maakhir State of Somalia had 17 State secretaries.

Former President Salad has appointed seven people to his cabinet on the 4 August 2007, Mr. Ahmed Sheikh Salah resigned from cabinet due to health reasons, and four more secretaries were added on September 8, 2007, then another seven on September 8, 2007 establishing the following State Secretaries (called Xoghayaashan in Somali):
  • Mr. Ahmed Hussein Yuusuf - Secretary of State for Interior and Security Department
  • ENG Saeed Adan Saeed - Secretary of State for Housing.
  • Mr. Ahmed Faarah Ali - Secretary State for Finance and Commerce.
  • Mr. Iimaan Haji Warsame Faarah - Secretary of State for Environment.
  • Mr. Mohamud Mohamed Iise - Secretary of State for Social and Labor & Employers affairs.
  • Mr. Sa'iid Du'aale Mohamed - Secretary of State for Transports.
  • Mr. Sadik Abdi Misan - Secretary of State for Natural Resources

  • Mr. Ali Sa'iid Osmaan Qodah - Secretary of State for Trade and Manufacturing
  • Mr. Abdurrahman Sa'iid Ahmed - Secretary of State for International Relations
  • Prof. Ali Abdurrahman Hirsi - Secretary of State for Federal relations
  • Prof. Mohamed Ali Mohamed - Secretary of State for reconciliation and peace affairs.

  • Mr. Omar Liibaan Arab - Secretary of State for justice and Religious affairs.
  • Ms. Zainab Ismaa'iil Mohamed - Secretary of State for Family welfare.
  • Dr. Ahmed Ali Mire - Secretary of State for Agricultures and Livestock
  • Mr. Abdulkadir Mohamed Sa'iid - Secretary of State for Fishing and marine resources.
  • Eng. Abdirizak Ali Mohamed (Black) - Secretary of State for Media and Culture.
  • Mr. Ali Mohamud Nuur (Ali Sanaag) - Commander of Maakhir Police Forces.


The Parliament of Maakhir had 38 members.

Recognition

Maakhir had received legitimate political support from Asha Abdalla, who represented Sanaag in the Transitional Federal Parliament. The state was never formally recognized by the TFG as a whole.
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