Sanaag Region

I went to East Sanaag on Thursday June 16. East Sanaag is controlled by Puntland State where as West Sanaag is controlled by Somaliland. Sanaag is classified as 'contested' region but I think that much of it is under the control of Somaliland (I could be wrong on this. People from Puntland are very passionately about it for reasons I shall state later). This region, like many regions in central and northern Somali is relatively stable and peaceful, although there are some clashes at times. Sanaag is the 2nd largest region is pre-war Somalia (now it could be the largest since Bari, the largest region in Somalia, is divided into two. These days, is hard to know anything because there are so many lines made by clans and “governments”).

What I found to be fascinating about Sanaag is that, one of the houses in Badhan had the Somali flag. This is fascinating to be because it was the fist Somali flag I saw during my 8 days here in Somali. People in much of Sanaag (the once I have met atleast) do not care about Somaliland or Puntland. They don’t want to be part of this political game. They are very passionate about being part of one Somalia. The people I talked to are hopeful about stable and peaceful Somalia and are looking forward to the new government to take control of Somalia.

Sanaag is important to both Somaliland and Puntland. Somaliland wants it because when or if they gain independence, they want to have Sanaag as part of their country due to its size. Sanaag was also part of British-Somaliland before it joined Italian-Somaliland. On the other hand, Sanaag is also very important to people of Puntland because of clan relations. The majority of the citizens of Sanaag are of the Darood clan (mainly the Warsengalis, Dulbahantey and some MJs, although it is important to note that there are a lot of people from the Isaaq clan/Somaliland in West Sanaag).

Sanaag is also important to Puntland because Darood (founder of the Darood clan) is buried in Heylaan Sanaag (near Badhan). We actually went to the Mosque where his coffin is buried in. The place is kept/guarded by a blind old man. It was clear to me that they were Sufis because Sunnis would not bury a dead body in a mosque where people pray in it. Also they read a lot of wacdi, a classic characteristic of Sufism (although they classify themselves as Sunnis, there are a lot of Sufis in Somalia.) I really wanted to take pictures of the place but I was told it was not allowed and it is holly. I thought it was weird that they see the place as 'holly' but who am I to judge anyone's believes. My job is to respect, not judge.