According to a fax sent to the DIRB on 15 November 1995 by a consultant with the United Nations Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia, based in Addis Ababa, relations between the Gadabursi and the Issak "have improved enormously" since the Somali National Movement's war against Siad Barre which pitted the two clans against each other.

The consultant states that the Gadabursi are "full partners" in the governing coalition of Somaliland, with Gadabursi occupying the positions of vice-president, minister of foreign affairs and planning, vice chairman of the parliament and vice minister of ports and fisheries, as well as in the military coalition, where they have been in combat against "certain Garxajis subclans."

However, there remain certain Gadabursi who have "poor relations" with the governing coalition "and/or subgroups of the Issak clan." The consultant names the Reer Nur as being involved in long-standing territorial disputes with portions of the Issak/Habar Awal/Sa'ad Muse, in particular the Jubril Aboker.

The consultant also adds that Gadabursi openly associated with the Somali Democratic Alliance, which is opposed to Somaliland independence might consider themselves to be "at risk."

For additional information, please consult the attachment.

The Gadabursi participation in the military coalition is corroborated by Africa Confidential, which reported in March 1995 that Somaliland President, Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, has over 3,000 men in the national army composed of "militias from his own Habr Awal and other groups, notably the Gadabursi/Dir and the Arab (an Issak subgroup) (31 Mar. 1995, 6). Africa Confidential also included the following Gadabursi as members of the governing coalition: Abdurahman Aw Ali, Vice-President; Mohamed Abdi Dimbil 'Galbayti', Foreign Affairs and Yussef Sheikh Ibrahim 'Gurab', Posts, Telecommunications and Public Works (22 Sept. 1995).

For general information on Somaliland and its government, please consult Response to Information Request SML22206.E of 10 November 1995, which is available at Regional Documentation Centres.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Africa Confidential [London]. 22 September 1995. Vol. 36, No. 19. "Somaliland: Limited Powers."

_____. 31 March 1995. Vol. 36, No. 7. "Somalia: Holding on in Somaliland."

United Nations Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. 15 November 1995. Fax sent to the DIRB by a consultant.

United Nations Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. 15 November 1995. Fax sent to the DIRB by a consultant.