A critical measure of the transitional administration of war torn country is its
success in providing security and the rule of law to its people. These can only be
realized when there are functioning institutions to uphold them. Somalia’s legal,
judicial and law enforcement institutions collapsed during the civil war. State
responsibility for guaranteeing personal safety, protection of private property,
and freedom of movement was lost. Social norms were violated and a state of
lawlessness prevailed. Rebuilding government institutions and restoring law and order has been
daunting task in Somaliland. Since 1993 there has been steady progress in reestablishing
the foundations of the judicial system: legal codes, courts, jails and
law enforcement agencies. Yet the re-establishment of the rule of law continues
to face many challenges.
