Somalis in rare march against al-Shabab militants
("BBC," March 29, 2010)
Mogadishu, Somalia - Hundreds of Somalis have marched through the streets
of Mogadishu, protesting against al-Shabab militants.
The protesters, mostly women and children and wearing traditional white
clothes, chanted slogans denouncing the al-Qaeda-inspired group.
The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan says this is only the second public
demonstration against al-Shabab, which controls much of southern Somalia.
The protesters shouted their support for the UN-backed government.
Mohyadin Hassan Afrah, who helped organise the protest in one of
Mogadishu's few government-controlled districts, says people were upset at a
move by
al-Shabab to destroy the tombs of revered Sufi clerics.
Al-Shabab follows the strict Saudi Arabian-inspired Wahhabi interpretation
of Islam, rather than the Sufi Islam of many Somalis.
"We call for a holy war against them," said Sheikh Somow, from the Sufi
Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama group, which recently stuck a deal with the government.
Mr Afrah also said he was marching to protest at al-Shabab's use of foreign
fighters.
Our reporter says fighters from Pakistan, Yemen and North Africa have
travelled to Somalia to join al-Shabab.
Dozens of government troops watched the march and fired shots into the
sky.
Some of the demonstrators carried posters with slogan such as "Down with
al-Shabab" and carried "Support Peace and Government".
"We have been forced out of our houses because of the violence instigated
by al-Shabab. We are here to support the government and make our voices
against them heard," said one of the marchers, Hawo Abdulle Aden.
About half of Mogadishu's population have fled their homes.
The country has been torn by conflict since 1991.
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