Food Riots In Somalia Turns Violent; Two Dead, Several Wounded

Mogadishu, Somalia (AHN)-Security forces and soldiers opened fire on rioting crowds in Mogadishu, killing at least two people according to witnesses. The continued escalation of prices of staple food aggravated by rising inflation triggered the protests of tens of thousands Somalians, inlcuding women and children.

"A police patrol opened fire on a crowd, killing one and wounding another," said witness Ahmad Ali Bashir. Three more demonstrators were wounded in Bakara market and the sea port in southern Mogadishu, other witnesses said.

The refusal of traders to accept old 1,000-shilling notes that had been replaced by newer currency by Somalia's interim government further fanned the anger of protesters, who burnt tires and threw stones. Shops and other establishments were forced to close due to the violence.

"We are asking traders to stop their cruel business practices. They are refusing to take the Somali shilling and are instead insisting on the dollar," said Hussein Mohamed Ali, a protester. The Somalis in 2001 dropped lower denominations and retained only the 1,000-shilling-note in a bid to stem the ever-rising inflation.

Based on estimates, cereal prices have increased by between 110 percent and 375 percent in the past year as central Somalia has endured its worst drought in recent history. The dollar is now equivalent to 34,000 Somali shillings up from an average of 4,000 shillings in 1991 when the country descended into lawlessness after the ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

According to the United Nations' (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, some 2.6 million Somalis now require help to feed themselves, an increase of 40 percent since January.