Traders arrested

At least 25 traders have been arrested following violent demonstrations in Mogadishu on Tuesday, over their refusal to accept the 500 Somali shilling note, a senior official of the Transitional National Government (TNG) told IRIN. The arrests took place on Wednesday and were carried out by "a combined force of plainclothes and uniformed officers in the Bakara market [the largest market in the city] area", TNG director of information, Abdirahman Dinari, said. Those arrested were mostly money changers and shopkeepers who had refused to accept the banknotes, he said. Dinari said business people have been warned that the government would take action against anyone refusing to accept the notes. Thousands of Mogadishu residents took to the streets of the city on Tuesday, to protest against the refusal by traders to accept the notes. Security guards of businesses opened fire on the crowds when troublemakers who had infiltrated the demonstrators tried to take advantage of the situation to steal and loot, reportedly killing two and injuring over a dozen. Business sources told IRIN on Thursday that "most businesses were accepting the 500", but there was still some resistance to doing so. Dinari said those arrested would be brought to court within 24 hours. Meanwhile, Mogadishu was reported to be returning to normal after Tuesday's unrest, humanitarian sources told IRIN. Public transport vehicles, which were not on the streets on Tuesday and Wednesday, were back on the streets on Thursday, while the markets were operating normally, said the sources.