Garowe Online (Garowe)
5 May 2008
Protestors took to the streets in Somalia's dangerous capital Monday to demonstrate against rising food prices and the business community's refusal to accept 1,000-note Somali Shillings, Radio Garowe reported.
Rioters burned tires and threw stones at business fronts in Mogadishu, as Mayor Mohamed "Dheere" Omar appealed for restraint.
Protestors forcefully entered major Mogadishu markets, including Bakara and Suuk Ba'ad markets, where the rioters halted the flow of civilian and commercial traffic in and out of the markets for hours, witnesses said.
In Mogadishu's Hamarweyne district, angry rioters stopped a commercial truck and looted all of the contents the truck was transporting from the port.
Mogadishu police used microphones atop armored cars to order protestors to demonstrate peacefully or go home.
At least four people were killed and five others wounded during the violent protests, which affected many neighborhoods in Mogadishu. Some of the dead were killed by police gunfire, witnesses reported.
Mayor Mohamed Dheere appealed to the angry rioters to immediately stop throwing stones and to express their grievances against the business community in a peaceful manner.
Any Somali businessperson who refuses to accept the 1,000-note Shilling will be brought to court, the Mayor threatened.
Abbas Mohamed Du'ale, spokesman for the Mogadishu business community, told reporters that the region's business association held an emergency meeting today where it was decided that all business groups should accept the 1,000-note Shillings.
Further, Mr. Du'ale threatened the use of private militia to enforce the decision.
Food prices have been going up across the world in recent months, but Somalia's food price problems have been worsened by the dramatic devaluing of the Shilling, a factor that has contributed to the business community's desire to trade in U.S. dollars.
Last month, Somalis protested against rising food prices and the illegal minting of Shillings by local business groups in the northern enclave of Puntland.
Meanwhile, insurgent attacks in Mogadishu continued Monday after a police unit was attacked in Waberi district.
A grenade thrown at the police missed its target, but killed at least two civilian bystanders, according to a witness.
One police officer was wounded during the blast.
The attacking insurgents escaped after a brief exchange of gunfire with the police unit.
Somalia's government, backed by Ethiopian troops, has struggled to gain control of Mogadishu since early 2007 due to a relentless wave of guerrilla attacks led by Islamist rebels.
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