Col. Jama Ali Jama's legacy in Puntland!

Puntlanders collective paranoia of a centralized system has nothing to do with the 1990's civil war, it has nothing to do with C/Qasim or that matter Arta's outcome. It has to do with everything inherited from Siad Barre. No one should have understood better than Col. Jama, the psyche of the public, as he personally was a recipient of Siad Barre's Kangaroo court system of punishment. Col. Jama's embarrassment in Puntland does also question his past. What is his credibility beyond being imprisoned by Siad Barre?! What he was after? Only Siad Barre and C/Qasim had shown an obsession of power and unfounded claims of legitimacy. It reminds the public Siad Barre's claim of presidency while he was at Buurdhuubo and C/Qasim's claim of Somali Presidency at a time like this! What he would have gained establishing a clan based kangaroo system in Puntland?!

Why he tried to become to the power through a publicized clanistic Kangoroo system arranged by Dr. Yusuf X. Nur, Col Khalif Cise Mudan, Ina Xaji Dambe and Cabdullahi X. Dayib.

In one hand Col. Jama was loyal to what he claimed was a civic process that started in Arta, and in another he undermined and opposed a civic political process taking it's roots in Puntland. As is everywhere else in the world, Puntland parliament has the power to fire the high court judges. Puntland was in a critical stage of survival and existence; the administration might have manipulated the system by firing Yusuf X. Nur, but in no way it warranted undermining the process that created a civilian administration and the state. A major mistake of Col. Jama was his inability to recognize the magnitude, implications and effects of Dr. Yusuf X. Nuur's refusal to accept the rule of the law and follow of the political process. Anyone who challenges the follow of political process will always legitimize the use of force. Col. Jama has legitimized the use of force when he encouraged and supported Dr. Yusuf x. Nur to ignore Puntland's civil political process, thus firing the first shots. And he cried foal when he was booted out of Bossaso by Force. Puntland parliament has appointed Dr. Yusuf X. Nur, he was not elected in the conference that created Puntland state?

No doubt Col. Jama will go to the history books as some one who claimed Puntland state presidency when in fact he was a persona non-gratis! The question from day one had never been could he succeed? But, what would be his legacy? Puntlanders wish and like Col. Jama to recover from his blunders and legacy. There is a dim opportunity, for him to exploit. They badly need stability and unfettered continuous existence of Puntland state in a future Federal republic of united Somalia. Puntlanders are waiting a never materialized apology and an admittance of guilty from his part. But it is dim to expect as his closest friend Abdulqasim, refused to seek apology from the public with his long association to the last heinous dictator Siad Barre.

Indeed, it is a welcoming sight and relieve that the current administration has rooted out the marauding gangs who terrorized and robbed the civilians in daylight. Nothing could be more important than stability and the fellow of goods through the state. Though none have the stomach for a continuous conflict, which might weaken the principle and yearnings of statehood. If the price of Puntland stability is helping Col. Jama to recover his credibility, Puntlanders are willing to give him a chance. But he must take the first step and show a commitment of good intent and independence from Ittihad and Arta.

We know the history of his demise in Puntland, Forever Col. Jama will be associated with these things;
A) Carrying Assassinations of innocent prominent civilians by his hinge men to root out what they though were Col Yusuf 's loyal supporters, when in fact they were not. And create clan animosity.
B) Drugging the assassins to silence them with the help of Ina Xaji Dambi and Cabdullahi X. Dayib who imported from Holland the drowsy medicine that made the assassins almost insane. And releasing the assassins from jail.
C) Bossaso- Qardho Highway robberies.
D) Yusuf X. Nur + Garowe Conference
E) And worst of all; Arta connection.

No one ever had imagined that col. Jama would be associated with the assassins, marauding gangs, Dr. Yusuf X. Nuur; who showed at a critical time a tendency to manipulate the constitution in benefit of his own clan-which ultimately back fired, and illegitimate conference sponsored by Arta elements, let alone approve. From the time Dr. Yusuf claimed his superiority from the parliament, all the subsequent events was read as a personal crusades that has nothing to do with the state interest. It later became a clan crusade led by Col. Jama Ali Jama, Col. Khalif Cise Mudan and Yusuf X. Nuur. Their clan crusade later fueled the fear and perception of single clan dominance in Puntland.

The hallmark of Col. Jama's legacy is either unexplainable or unthinkable. Step by step in single year, col. Jama was showing a side of him never speculated before. There was a time when large part of the public thought that he has a capacity and credibility to become a future star in Puntland politics. That part of public now believes, even if Puntland administration had left him alone, he would have ended up with a persona non-gratis in the public eyes. In no way the public will ever have perceived him as some one with legitimacy and credibility or claim of authority, beyond Qardho. Especially after;
A) Bari regions saw how his hinge men undermined their clout of economic power.
B) And Muduq regions come to realize Col. Jama's hinge men had a hand in the mysterious assassinations that had taken place in Puntland.

The majority of Puntlanders now believe, even if he was not confronted forcefully the public will have shunned him away ultimately. And through this experience, Puntland public has seen a frightening side of him. Only Siad Barre and C/Qasim had shown an obsession of power and unfounded claims of legitimacy! Why he participated the Growe conference when to the majority the legitimacy of the conference was in question?
It is up to him to recover. All Puntlanders are praying for him to see the light, if he had seen before! First he has to admit, his fault, take his share of blame, disassociate with the assassins, marauding gangs and ultimately evaluate deeply his position on federalism.

Livan Adur

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