非洲風情：索馬里蘭─非洲之角民主政體

為了擺脫長年戰亂的索馬里亞，在1991年，索馬里全國運動建立索馬里蘭共和國。受前總統穆罕默德・巴雷主張的氏族主義影響，索馬里蘭的政體加入氏族議會，即由有血緣關係的長老加入，在政策制定的過程中達到一定共識。

雖然國際社會並不承認索馬里蘭主權地位，但是索馬里蘭建國，仍能依靠僑民匯款和西方援助。1993年，國家過渡約章確立氏族地位，上下兩議院將按比例，分配席位予長老，長老亦會在上議院出任國家安全的職務。

國內一度出現衝突，持續至1996年。政府其後未有封殺異見聲音，反而實施三權分立。2001年的和平憲章，進一步限制第一大氏族伊薩克族的影響力。當總統穆罕默德・埃加爾於2002年去世時，政權亦和平移交至反對派手上。

2005年國會選舉公平透明，獲得外國觀察員高度讚揚。但事實上，憲法只是把三個政黨合法化，限制選民的選擇。政權亦以「庇護主義」形式，換取長老堅定不移支持，或令這個非洲之角政體的民主進程，添上不穩定性。

Somaliland - Democracy in the Horn of Africa

Somali National Movement declared the withdrawal from war-torn Somalia and built the Republic of Somaliland in 1991, with the adaptation of “clannism”.

Inspired by the former President Mohamed Siad Barre, Somaliland relied on council (shir). Lineage elders (odayaasha) committed to the councils and made consensual decisions.

Though foreign donors did not recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, state building was dependent on remittances from the diaspora and the West.

In 1993, the Transitional National Charter was established, and regarded kinship as a central structure. The bicameral parliament allocated seats to clans proportionally, and elders responsible for security in the upper chamber.

Although internal conflict continued until 1996, the government managed to regulate political competition, and disperse power between the parliament, judiciary, and executive.

The 2001 Peace Charter further limited the influence of the dominant Isaaq clan. When President Mohamed Egal died in 2002, power passed peacefully to the rival clan.

The transparency of the 2005 legislative election was highly recognized by foreign observers. But de facto, the legalized parties were limited to three, which restricted the choices available to voters.

In addition, the reliance on neo-patrimonial relationships with clan members raised questions if the system is actually inclusive in the Horn of Africa.

名稱：非洲民主：成功、失敗與政治改革的鬥爭 (暫譯) (Democracy in Africa: Successes, Failures, and the Struggle for Political Reform)

作者：Nic Cheeseman

年份：2015

出版地：美國

出版社：劍橋大學出版社

類別：非洲政治

評分：7/10

IMG: https://whatsupsomalia.wordpress.com/2021/05/18/somaliland-at-30-is-it-on-the-right-track-to-a-recognition/