Puntland conference suspended again

The conference of the representatives of the constituent regions of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, has again been suspended, this time for two days, a local journalist told IRIN. The general congress, which opened in Garowe, the regional capital, on 26 August, was then suspended to give some delegates, who had not by then arrived, more time to do so, and also to make time available to resolve some differences over procedures. The latest suspension followed a complaint by one of the sub-clans participating in the conference to the effect that it had not been accorded its fair share of delegates, Adan Abdirahman Dolar, editor of the Garowe-based 'Nugal Times', said. The Awrtable sub-clan of the Darod told the conference chairman that "they should have two more delegates from Bur Tinle district [70 km south of Garowe]", Dolar said. The Awrtable share the district with the more numerous Umar Mahmud sub-clan of the Majerten, which, they claimed, was unfairly allotted seats which should have gone to Awrtable delegates. Following the complaint, other delegates expressed the opinion that in view of the minority status of the Awrtable the conference should be suspended until the issue was resolved, Dolar told IRIN. Meanwhile, the conference issued a statement condemning last week's terrorist attacks on the United States in which many innocent lives were lost, Dolar said.