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| Galmudug State | ||||||
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| Motto: My Home State | ||||||
| Anthem: Somalia Tosow |
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| Capital (and largest city) |
South Galcayo | |||||
| Official languages | Somali and English | |||||
| Government | ||||||
| - | President | Mohamed Warsame Ali | ||||
| - | Vice-President | Abdisalam Haji Ahmed Liban | ||||
| Autonomy | Part of Federated Somalia | |||||
| - | Declared | August 14, 2006citation needed | ||||
| - | Recognition | Not recognized | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 46,000 km² 17,761 sq mi |
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| Currency | Somali shilling (SOS) |
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| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+3) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .so | |||||
| Calling code | +252 (Somalia) | |||||
Galmudug, is a secular, decentralized state in the central region of Somalia. The administrative capital, South Galcayo, is based in the southern half of the city and district of Gaalkacyo. To the north is Puntland, to the west is Ethiopia and to the south and east is the rest of Somalia, presently under the control of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The name is a combination of Galguduud and Mudug. Unlike the self-declared state of the Republic of Somaliland, Galmudug is similar to the northeast Somalia region Puntland in that it is not trying to obtain international recognition as a nation. It seeks to become a federal division within a united federal republic of Somalia, such as defined by the 2004 Transitional Federal Charter (TFG).
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Overview
The Galmudug State is the most centrally located area in Somalia. It is equidistant from Galkaio (State capital) by 750 km to Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Bossaso and Harar in Ethiopia. Its land area - one of the largest 16 original regions of Somalia - is 100,000 km². and it is bordered to the East by the Indian Ocean, to the West by Ethiopia, Nugal region (currently Puntland) on the North and to the South by Galgadud region. Its three ex- Districts of Mudug region; Galkaiyo, Hobyo and Harardere, with over 25 small villages have a combined population estimated at 500,000 that consist of several balanced Hawie sub-clans (Habargidir, Abgaal, Murursade, Duduble, Dir, Shiikhaal & Madhibaan.)
History
For pre-colonial history, see Sultanate of Hobyo
Creation of Galmudug
Galmudug was established on August 14, 2006 by the clans of Sacad, Dir, Shikhal and Hillibi (Murusade) elders in Central regions of Somalia. Mohamed Warsame Ali 'Kiimiko' was elected President.
The state was named Galmudug (Galgadud and Mudug) with the cities of South Galcayo, Galinsoor and Bandiradley. Hobyo and Harardhere were technically a part of Galmudug from the outset, but de-facto authority rested in the pirates who ruled the towns and preyed on shipping along the coast. This changed when the ICU flushed out the pirates from Hobyo and Harardhere on August 16 2006, and later when the ICU conquered Harardhere and Hobyo in early November 2006, to be reconquered by Galmudug forces in early 2007 with the help of Ethiopia, Puntland and the Sacad warlord Abdi Qeybdiid.
Galmudug State recently celebrated its first year anniversary in Washington D.C. on August 14th 2007.citation needed
Relations with Puntland
Galmudug was put at odds with Puntland due to the fact that they were often made victims of collective punishments designed to hurt the ICU. For instance in October Puntland banned flights to and from southern Somalia (except to Baidoa of course), including, due to proximity, Galmudug. Galmudug condemned this move strongly[1].
On November 10, Galmudug sought the removal of forces from adjoining Puntland.[2] However by December, it had grown increasingly reliant on forces from both Puntland and Ethiopia to dislodge the militias of the ICU.
Geography
Galmudug State occupies the following Districts of Somalia[3]:
- Mudug Region - Districts:
- Hobyo Region - Districts:
- Hobyo (port city)
- Afbarwaaqo
- Wisil
- Bacaadweyne
- Qaydaro
- Ceeldibir
- Xingod
- Harardhere Region - Districts: (to be added..)
War with the Islamic Courts Union
Galmudug and the ICU clashed increasingly in October and November of 2006, leading to an ICU invasion of Galinsoor, Hobyo, Harardere, Bandiradley and Abdi Qeybdiid's base in the Marehan town of Abudwaq in November and December. A joint Ethiopia-Puntland force intervened to prevent the ICU from capturing Galcayo (the most important city in the region), the northern half of which is administered by Puntland. The Ethiopia-Puntland-Galmudug-Abdi Qeybdiid coalition emerged victorious and recaptured Bandiradley and Galinsoor.
On January 1, 2007, Abdi Qeybdiid and the Puntland/Ethiopian force parted ways with the Galmudug military and continued on towards Mogadishu, briefly occupying Adado and Dusamareb.[4] To this day, the status of the majority of Galgadud (except Gelinsoor, administered by Galmudug) is unresolved.
Reconstruction
The road from Galcayo to Gelinsoor (the main road through the state) has been repaired recently, and as of September 1 2007 it is cleared of all obstruction.[5]
External links
References
- ^ Somalia: Galmudug state condemns Puntland ban on flights from southern Somalia SomaliNet News
- ^ Somalia: Galmudug state asks Puntland army to withdraw its territory. Shabelle Media Network
- ^ Gamudugstate.net. Retrieved on 2007-02-27.
- ^ "Somalia: No revenge against Islamists - former warlord", SomaliNet, 2007-01-01. Retrieved on 2007-01-29.
- ^ Galinsoor: Ciidamada Dowlada Soomaaliya oo furay Wadada isku xirta Gaalkacyo iyo Galguduud
Further reading
- A. Jimale (ed), The Invention of Somalia. Lawrenceville, NJ, 1995
- Cassanelli, Lee V., The Shaping of The Somali Society- Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People, 1600-1900. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Univ. Press, 1982.
- Middleton, John. The World of the Swahili- An African mercantile civilisation. Yale University 1992.
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