Business community reluctant to give up weapons

The Transitional National Government (TNG) has denied local media reports that there is a rift with the business community, its most important source of funding. Local reports had said the TNG had complained that the business community was dragging its feet over surrendering weapons to the government. Maj-Gen Muhammad Abdi Muhammad, chief of staff of the TNG’s national army, told IRIN that there were “no major differences” on disarmament, but acknowledged there was some reluctance to disarm. He said the TNG had promised to pay for every battle-wagon (“technical”) handed over by the businessmen, but that at present it did not have enough financial resources to buy up all the weapons. It was for this reason that the businessmen were proving reluctant to turn in their “technicals”, he said. “These are businessmen, and it is understandable that they will hedge their bets, but we will resolve this soon.” According to Abdi, the TNG has so far received a total of 35 technicals from various sources.

Representatives of the business community, meanwhile, said there was some concern as to whether the TNG would be able to provide effective security if the weapons were surrendered. A Mogadishu businessman told IRIN that the question of security was “paramount” and the business community needed to be certain that the government could provide the protection needed. The business community still has between 150 and 200 technicals in its possession, a business source said.