Happy Independence Day: Somalia

On this date in 1960 Somalia officially gain all independence from Britain and Italy. From the time of America’s Reconstruction (1870s) until World War II (1942), Britain gained control over the Italian portions of Somalia. In 1887, Britain became concerned with keeping the route to India open through the Suez Canal, which was opened in 1869, and as a result, Britain proclaimed Somalia as a British protectorate and named it British Somaliland.

In the beginning of the 20th century, native uprisings challenged British control. In 1910, the British abandoned the interior of Somaliland and withdrew to the coastal regions. Italy seized the opportunity to extend its control inland and took over many of the regions that the British had abandoned. After WWII, Italy relinquished control and Somalia was given to the United Nations. For 10 years, it was a UN trust territory under Italian administration until 1960, when Somalia was granted independence, merged with the former British protectorate and the Somali Republic was formed.

Recently the nation has been in the new for "pirates" but you and I know that those people were anything but pirates. I would like to consider them "Somali Homeland/Coastline Security". New hip hop artist K'naan has made it a issue to put his homeland and their issues at a forefront as he gains more and more fame and attention.

Follow K'naan on Twitter, he's worth the follow.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lCPXEARpE8&hl=en&fs=1&]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FvWn5oCQ_I&hl=en&fs=1&]