By Eng. Adam Sheikh Ibrahim Suldan

There are many ways to take hostages. Individual or group hostage taking is probably the most commonly known aspect where victims are (individuals or groups) held against their wills and threatened with injuries or death, or prevented to do what they want to do unless certain demands from the hostage takers are met. There is another kind of a hostage taking that might be new to the most people: Country Hostage Taking. Country hostage taking is rare in the modern world. Bust it exists. Unlike individual or group hostage taking, country hostage taking is not organized by a single person or a group of persons, but a collection of cooperating countries. It is created when a country is held politically isolated and internationally abandoned by the rest of the world. In today’s world, no country can manage to survive and develop without the interconnections and relations with the outside world at all levels.  

By Mohamed Yabarag, London , UK

The president of Somaliland, Dahir Rayaale Kaahin, has saved Somaliland and its people from what could have been a long-drawn out battle between the opposition, who have a majority in the legislative house on one side, and the party of the government, UDUB, on the other by accepting the recommendations of House of Elders

By Ahmed Hashi Dhimbiil

Good Morning Somaliland ! Yassin Ali Warsame said in Hargeisa that the people of Somaliland should accept an apology for the shenanigans of the representative from Sanaag for being a yes man to the party and a no man to the march of democratic politics in this country. Well, Mr Warsame ought to know that our representative from Sanaag needs no such apology from the people of Sanaag to Somaliland what need to happen is for the representative to apologize to his constituents who elected him to this important post, to his fellow parliamentarians and to the parliament itself, for twisting in the wind and for closing the door on his 15 minutes in the limelight!

By Hassan Mogeh Hirsi, Los Angeles , California

"It Is Better To Be Alone, Than In The Wrong Company" - George Washington

On November 11, 2005 an interview given to the BBC Somali Services, Prof. Ali Mohamed Geedi, the man who was   selected Somali Prime Minister by   the Somali   warlords at   Mbagathi's swine farm, near Nairobi ,   Kenya , stated   that his government would not mind should the international community recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state.   Prof. Ali Mohamed's honest and realistic statement   was bad news to Faqash and Anti-Somaliland communities.

By Ahmed Abib Hayir, Amud University ,

I was still attending Amoud University last year. This time in the Sophomore Class, I was already 21 of age- an age my existence and my fate were always open to questions. I was always in a disturbed state of mind. At times, I was full of optimism for the future. I formed a mental picture of myself ever successful in studies. I then visualized the highly paid job I would do, the social status I would earn and the improved standard of life I would lead.

By Mohammed A. Baranbaro

Even though Somaliland has just averted what could’ve been a serious blunder, these political misjudgments are adding up to at best giving fuel to Somaliland doomsayers and at worst not being recognized at all. Somaliland is dependent upon its ability to survive and overcome obstacles but even an ardent Lander realizes a country has to know its limitations.