Story
was Posted to the web Feb 02 2004 03:58
Simon Reeve has been interviewed
by Jamhuuriya Newspaper
|
Feb
02 2004
London (Jam)- Khadar Hassan Ali (Jamhuuriya
London) had interviewed Simon Reeve,
The writer, author, and the BBC Television
presenter who has recently made TV
documentary about the unrecognized
states around the world. In these
two programmes Simon Reeve visits
six states: Somaliland, Transniestria,
South Ossetia, Taiwan, Abkazia, Ajaria
and Nagorno- Karabkh. |
Jamhuuriya:
Is this your first visit in to this region?
And what idea did you have about Somaliland?
And did it change after you have been
There?
Simon: Yes, it was my first visit to the
Horn of Africa. The idea for the series
emerged after a friend of mine in London
mentioned Somaliland to me, and I had
to confess that I didn't know where he
was talking about. I felt slightly stupid,
because I was well-aware of the problems
of Somalia, but I knew nothing about Somaliland.
After that I began looking around for
other unrecognised nations, and I realised
there are dozens across the world, all
of them facing huge challenges because
the rest of the world refuses to acknowledge
their existence. Then I began to read
more and more about the various places,
so I had a fairly good understanding of
Somaliland before I arrived. But of
course, my views developed and my understanding
improved during my time in Somaliland.
Jamhuuriya: What was the main purpose
of your visit?
Simon: Most people in Britain probably
don't realise there are nearly 200 official
countries in the world, but there are
dozens more unrecognised nations. I wanted
to explore the issue of unrecognised nations,
and explain the whole issue to people
via our television series. Hopefully viewers
will get to know about parts of the world
they haven't all heard of, and understand
the issues and challenges facing breakaway
states.
Jamhuuriya: Why did you give the program
that name (The places that don't exist)?
Simon: The title is meant to be ironic.
Sadly to the international community places
like Somaliland, and other states we visited,
such as Transniestria, Nagorno-Karabkh,
Taiwan, South Ossetia, don't really exist
-- the rest of the world doesn't acknowledge
there is a country called Somaliland.
The title isn't meant literally!
Jamhuuriya: What places did you visit
for your television series?
Simon :I spent most of 2004 travelling
to unrecognised nations, and the countries
from which they broke away or split from,
along with my BBC colleagues Shahida Tulaganova,
Will Daws and Iain Overton. I visited
Somaliland, of course, along with Somalia
and Kenya. I also went to Georgia, in
the former Soviet Union, which at one
point had three breakaway states called
Ajaria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. I
went to
Transniestria, which has broken away from
Moldova, also in the former Soviet Union.
In Asia I went to Taiwan, which split
from China, and during that trip I also
visited Hong Kong and mainland China.
And then we went back to the former Soviet
Union, to the breakaway state Nagorno-Karabkh,
which is in part of Azerbaijan, and we
travelled around Azerbaijan, crossed into
Georgia (again), then drove all the way
over the mountains into Armenia. We did
a lot of travelling!
Jamhuuriya: Do you have any idea why Somaliland
regained its independence from Somalia?
Simon Yes, I think I have a fair understanding
of what happened, and why it happened.
Yusuf Gabobe kindly agreed to act as my
guide in Somaliland, and he was excellent
at explaining the history of Somaliland,
and why the country wanted to separate
from Somalia.
Jamhuuriya: Are the international media
including the British media aware of the
atrocities that took place in Somaliland?
Simon: No, I don't think people are really
aware of the atrocities that took place
in Somaliland. I'm sad to say that I wasn't
really aware of the suffering until I
visited the country. During the late 1980s
and the early 1990s the attention of the
world was really focused on the collapsing
Soviet Union, and there were a number
of wars around the world, which - tragically
- were overlooked or ignored.
Jamhuuriya: How would you describe the
development of Somaliland democratic institutions?
Simon: Personally, I think the progress
Somaliland has made over the last 13 years
has been extremely impressive. All the
more so since the
country has had such little help from
the rest of the world.
Jamhuuriya: Considering how people of
Somaliland rebuilt their own country after
immense destruction during the last 13
years of Somaliland republic, don't you
believe that it is time the world recognize
and support Somaliland instead of spending
millions on the non existent Somalia?
Simon: Speaking personally, I think it
is outrageous that the international community
has abandoned much of Somalia, particularly
Mogadishu. I think the Somali people,
particularly those in Mogadishu, have
suffered terribly in the last decade,
and I think much more needs to be done
to help them. When I was in Mogadishu
I saw a demonstration calling for peace,
and that's clearly what the people want.
I think the world should do more to help
Somalia, while at the same time actively
discussing the case of Somaliland's recognition.
Personally I think all the countries in
the region should be actively discussing
Somaliland's recognition, with the assistance
of the rest of Africa and the international
community.
Jamhuuriya: The People of Somaliland believe
that British people and government had
forgotten the good relationship that was
between Somaliland and Britain, & what
do you say about that?
Simon: Sadly I would have to agree --
people in Britain, and the British government
seem to have completely forgotten the
links between Somaliland and Britain.
In the programme we have made, Yusuf talks
about the connections, about how Somalilanders
fought alongside Britain during the Second
World War, about how there is this strong
link between Britain and Somaliland. Many
other people in Somaliland also mentioned
this connection. I am somewhat ashamed
that Britain seems to have forgotten the
connection.
Jamhuuriya: What was most interesting
thing that you have seen in Somaliland?
Simon: So many interesting things!! The
sense of resilience, the belief Somalilanders
have in their country, the traffic lights
(we had just arrived from the tragic chaos
of Mogadishu), the ancient rock paintings
outside Hargeisa, the sheer beauty of
Somaliland, the wonderful beaches, the
hospitality, the sense of order and government.
Jamhuuriya: How do you describe Somaliland
and the people?
Simon: Warm, welcoming, brave, independent
and determined.
Jamhuuriya: How do you see the future
of Somaliland as journalist? And What
is your comment?
Simon: This is the hardest question to
answer. The entire Horn of Africa has
suffered so much over recent decades,
and I can only hope that a long-term peace
can be negotiated between the people and
governments of Somaliland
Jamhuuriya Online
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Ghalib Musa
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