 |
Somalian Interim Govt. Collecting Revenues With Little Resistance
The transitional national government of Somalia has embarked on a new plan, collecting revenues from several markets in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia.
The revenue collection or tax collection is the first such activity for more than ten years now after the country plunged into civil war following the ousting of late dictator Major General Mohamed Siad Barre in early 1991.
The tax collection has started on Sunday after a few thousand former policemen and former street fighters have concluded their training by the government for three months for such activity.
Several hundred policemen and former street fighters equipped with over 40 battle wagons have found themselves new bases all around Bakara market, the main business center of Mogadishu.
The policemen did not straight forward declare the aim behind the taking of such positions, but have instead stated that they're working on the improvement of the security in and around Bakara market.
They set up tents in 17 different strategic locations around the market and started patrolling in the main streets leading to the business center, something which terrified the gangs who manned illegal checkpoints around the market.
It was about 10:00 a.m. local time when the policemen have received about 100-strong men from the municipality of Mogadishu with their tax receipts to move into the business stalls and stores for the revenue collection.
Two policemen with two automatic rifles accompanied each one- municipality man carrying the receipts.
Mayor of Mogadishu Abdullahi Muse Hussein told Xinhua that they are just starting it with minimum tax. About 10 U.S. cents have been collected from each of the street vendors while the main business stores and shops were charged between 20 and 40 U.S. cents according to their size and capacity.
"This is just to begin with and it will be reviewed later on," said Hussein.
Bakara market is the symbol of business in Somalia and it is the largest business center in the country. There have been several hundred young men who safeguarded the market from the bandits throughout the years of the civil war and the businessmen paid them.
Now, it seems that the government has got the capacity of overtaking the duty which the former failed administrations did not even try to shoulder.
Despite the fact that the policemen were very much welcomed throughout the market, still one portion has made some resistance.
It is the grocery ward where nearly 23 armed gangs who collected extortion money from the business people have refused access for the police and then heavy exchange of gunfire erupted between the policemen and the outlawed gunmen in the afternoon.
According to police spokesman Mohamed Yussuf Omar Maddaleh, four of the bandits were wounded in the fighting, while one of the policemen has sustained slight injury on his finger.
Maddaleh said one gunman with his assault rifle was apprehended, but also a bystander women was killed and nine other civilians were wounded during the exchange of gunfire between the police and the gunmen.
The policemen have finally managed to retain control of the market. The tax collection continues in the two other small markets of Daryel and Dayah in Huriwa district of Mogadishu, while preparations continue for the Suq Ba'ad market, the second largest business center in Mogadishu.
In This Section
|