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By Guled Mohamed
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - African Union peacekeepers have turned
Somalia's biggest port into a thriving business centre providing a
vital lifeline to war-weary residents.
Speaking after a cargo ship chartered by the United Nations to
deliver food aid docked in the Mogadishu harbour, the port's AU
commander, Captain Cyprian Odong, said his soldiers had been able to
turn it into one of the safest corners of a dangerous city.
"Ships are coming day and night," Odong told reporters, flanked by
other officers from AMISOM, the AU mission in the Horn of Africa
nation. "Security at the port has really improved since we took over in
January. People move freely."
Nearby, soaked bare-chested porters swarmed over vessels to unload
their cargos, mostly of food. A rickety white boat with Somali marine
officials onboard acted as traffic controller, directing ships to
anchor.
Two AMISOM dinghies mounted with heavy machineguns and carrying
troops clutching AK-47 rifles patrolled further out at sea, while
heavily armed soldiers on the shore guarded the gates into the harbour.
"We get cargo from Dubai, some from Indian, Pakistan and now from
Mombasa ... The ships are bringing in food," Odong said, his head
pressed to a radio telephone with a long aerial.
"Our mission in Mogadishu is to support the peace operation ... It is very hard but we are trying."
About 2,600 AU peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi have been
unable to stem a persistent Islamist insurgency in Somalia's capital --
and like the AU mission in Sudan's Darfur region, they complain of
being under-funded and under-staffed.
"FIGHTING EVERDAY"
Built by the Italians before Somalia gained independence from Rome
in 1961, the harbour is about 2,500 metres long with several piers
where big ships anchor, and a sandy beach to the north that is often
filled with swimming children.
Since closing to commercial vessels for nearly 15 years after
former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown by warlords in 1991,
the harbour briefly opened during a strict but relatively peaceful
Islamist reign in June 2006. It closed down again after they were
ousted at the end of that year.
Since then, continuing lawlessness in the white-washed city has
deterred many would-be investors -- even though the run-down port and
some determined businessmen have defied the anarchy.
In January 2007, several mortar shells fired by insurgents opposed
to Somalia's interim government hit the harbour, killing at least 5
people and temporarily disrupting port operations.
Up to a million people out of Somalia's total population of nine million currently live as refugees after 17 years of war.
The United Nations says nearly 20, 000 people flee Mogadishu every
month to escape Iraq-style attacks including assassinations, grenade
blasts and roadside bombings that have left parts of city completely
deserted.
Mustafa Al-Jendi, the captain of the Fade 1 cargo ship delivering
5,300 tonnes of food aid for the United Nations' World Food Programme,
recalls the old days under the Barre regime when the city was at peace.
"Mogadishu was beautiful then. We used to dock and go to enjoy the
city life. Nowadays, there is fighting everyday. At night you hear loud
explosions. But the port is safe," he told Reuters, smiling as he
steered the vessel towards the port.
(Editing by Daniel Wallis)
SOURCE: Reuters, March 24, 2008