Abstract:
This paper outlines the history, formation and general principles of the 2001 Somaliland Constitution.
The people of Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 returning to the
boundaries that had marked the British Protectorate of Somaliland until 1960, holding successful
democratic elections, and establishing peace and stability, becoming an exception state within a
war-torn region. In a contribution to the sociology of law and the wider knowledge of Somaliland
this paper outlines the unifying principles within the Constitution, principles that are taken from
the unity of religion (Islam), and the desire to exercise unity in diversity through traditional institutions
of conflict resolution with the inclusion of universal principles of human rights law.
