Somali police chief promises security

[General Duke]

Somali police chief promises security

 

Agence France-Presse (AFP)

Thursday, May 03, 2007

 

Mogadishu, Somalia (AFP) - Somalia's business community on Thursday gave up hundreds of weapons to government and African Union (AU) troops at a ceremony in Mogadishu, one week after the end of the latest clashes in which hundreds died.

 

"I am very much delighted and honoured to receive the weapons from the Somali business community and in return promise to give security to the people of Mogadishu," said newly-appointed police chief General Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdid.

 

The weapons haul included ammunition, heavy and small machineguns, and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

 

"They bought these weapons in order to protect their property but they are giving them over for free in order to support the disarmament plan of the government," Qeybdid said, during the ceremony at the headquarters of the Somali police force, near Villa Somalia in southern Mogadishu.

 

Members of Somalia's major companies, including import-export and communications firms, agreed to hand over the weapons after the government promised to guarantee their security at a meeting last week.

 

They said they had bought the weapons for protecting shipments, and also to protect their lives and guard against looters in the main Bakara market area.

 

Since the beginning of the year, the Somali capital has seen an upsurge in clashes between government-backed Ethiopian forces and insurgents and clan fighters opposed to their presence.

 

Efforts to disarm civilians have failed due to the reluctance of the public to hand over weapons to a government largely seen as ineffective and unable to guarantee security.

 

Ethiopian-Somali troops drove out a militant movement from swathes of central and southern Somalia, including Mogadishu, at the start of the year.

 

Source: AFP, May 03, 2007