They have had a democratic government, and controlled their claimed territory for decades. Longer than East Timor has existed for example. And East Timor broke

They have had a democratic government, and controlled their claimed territory for decades. Longer than East Timor has existed for example. And East Timor broke away from a functioning state, while Somaliland is breaking away from a FAILED state, which cannot militarily control even the non-somaliland parts of its claimed territory.