Leenco’s new book causes a stir
I haven’t got a copy yet but from online sources of course the readers are fast forwarding to the Baaroo Tumsa part:
Leenco says when Damshoo brought him to the OLA camp at Maaya Qallo, east Hararge…he was greeted by Jaarraa, Mullis, and Baaroo. After the first general meeting, Baaroo privately told him “Leenco, there’s no place here for us.”
Not long after that Baaroo was killed by Badhoo Dachaasaa.
When everyone came to investigate, Jaarraa asked Leenco what happened. Leenco replied Badhoo shot Baaroo. Jaarraa replied “ifumaaf wal fixxanii!?”
Leenco says his blood boiled when Jaarraa said that.
My opinion:
The OLF in Finfinne and the OLF in the field were two different organizations. Badhoo went to the field with Mullis and Jaarraa in ‘76 when they first started building an army. They recruited him from Finfinne when they returned from Somalia where Jaarraa was imprisoned for 5 years.
Badhoo, Baaroo and Leenco knew each other from Finfinne. So when Jaarraa said ifumaaf wal fixxani, he probably meant the Finfinne group.
Whats clear is Leenco never trusted Jaarraa from the jump. And the feeling became mutual. And Badhoo didn’t trust Leenco and Baaro for whatever reason.
The early OLF was two organizations with intermixing memberships that eventually fell out over a foggy leadership dispute.
Maybe I’ll get the book and it will answer some questions but I doubt it.