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Long queues of voters could be seen around polling stations in the Hargeysa, capital of the self-declared state of Somaliland, as they waited in line to vote in the referendum on independence. Pro-referendum demonstrations with women singing and waving branches took place on Wednesday evening and Thursday, and some celebrated by slaughtering a goat. Voters at the polling stations told IRIN that they had turned out to vote "yes" for the "motherland".