Since the rise and fall of the military general Siyad Barre, Kismayo has been the most coveted price for territorial expansion and land-grabbing schemes by Darood and Hawiye non-native clan militia alike. The combination of fertile soil for commercial farming, excellent grazing land for livestock, and commercial seaport is becoming a curse rather than a blessing for Kismayo natives. Militia of General Aydid, Omar Jess, Morgan, Barre Hiraale, Ahmed Madoobe, and now Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as yet another destabilising factor, took turns to plunder, destroy, and forcefully occupy Kismayo. Natives had been displaced multiple times, and their properties were dispossessed in the process.
Eastern Somali Daroods tried to come to the defence of Jubaland natives long distance and around the globe as the Darood diaspora extended help to desperate people in the area. Puntland State from its inception came up with the idea of the establishment of Southwest State of Somalia comprising six regions: Lower Jubaland, Middle Jubaland, Upper Juabland (Gedo), Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabeelle. The idea was to resolve Kismayo conflict permanently. That was a great concession in abolishing the traditional law of Lower Jubaland, The “Xeer Harti” (Harti Law) accepted by all natives of the land regardless of clan affiliation If you live in Kismay, you are under Xeer Harti. Towards that objective, in 2001, Puntland Government leaders convened a meeting for all warlords of Jubaland and Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) to Ceelbarde, Bakool, to agree to the establishment of Southwest State of Somalia. Later, Late RAA Chairman Shatigadud made the mistake of self-appointing himself president of the new state without wider community consultations, resulting in split of RRA rank & file, some joining Jubaland Valley Alliance of Ayr and Marehan clans to depose Shatigadud. The rest is history.
Jubaland Administration and the rise of Ahmed Islam (Ahmed Madoobe) there was also a turning point in Hawiye’s acceptance of Somali Federal System as they gave up resisting the formation of Jubaland State of Somalia, to mind their own business of setting up Hirshabeelle State of Somalia and rebuild then failing Galmudugh entity, all modeling Puntland State of Somalia, the first Federal Member State of the federation.
Historically, in 1978, just after the end of Ogaden War in Ethiopia, residents of Puntland State were also the founders of the Somali First Opposition, SOMALI SAVALVATION DEMOCRATIC FRONT (SSDF) to the military dictatorship of General Barre, operating in exile in Ethiopia. United Somali Congress, USC, was a splinter group of SSDF, while Somali National Movement, SNM, enjoyed the military and financial support of SSDF for three years after its establishment in London, UK, after moving to Ethiopia in 1982 as well.
During its formation, we wrote the article to follow on Jubaland:
What is the Fuss on the Formation of Jubaland State?
Recently, we wrote about power abuses and lack of legitimacy of Jubaland current administration led by Ahmed Madoobe.
KISMAYO: ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY
Warsame Policy & Media Network (WAPMEN) 