Young back Somali president

Abdulkassim praised teachers for continuing education during the civil war

By Hassan Barise in Mogadishu

More than 28,000 young people have gathered at Mogadishu's main football stadium in support of Somalia's transitional government.

I promise you that the new government will soon start working on the development of education

President Abdulkassim

The first faction leader to join the government became a minister on Sunday, as other faction leaders opposed to the government were meeting in Addis Ababa.

Somalia got its first central government for 10 years at the end of last year, but it is struggling to assert its authority beyond Mogadishu.

The students at the rally made a colourful spectacle in the stadium with their uniforms.

Police presence

Unlike other previous large rallies, Monday's gathering was very peaceful.

There were no militiamen with battlewagons blocking the roads to the stadium.

President Abdulkassim appeared with a small amount of security protection

Hundreds of uniformed policemen, working without the backing of militiamen, kept the situation calm.

No one could believe that the President Abdulkassim Salat Hassan himself attended.

He appeared in public with a relatively small contingent of armed guards.

Education continues

President Abdulkassim made a short speech congratulating Somali teachers who, during the 10 years of civil war, continued teaching despite the difficulties and lack of facilities.

"I promise you that the new government will soon start working on the development of education," he said.

Internally displaced people currently live in most of Mogadishu's more than 100 schools.

The president has called on people living in those schools to abandon them before it is too late.

"If you don't leave and vacate the schools on your own accord, the government will be forced to use all of its means to let our children have schools," he said angrily.

Leaders criticised

President Abdulkassim also strongly criticised the faction leaders in Kenya and Ethiopia for talks.

"According to the narration from the Prophet Mohammed," said President Abdulkassim, "those who take weapons against our people and us are not among us [Muslims]. Those standing against the reopening of air and seaports of Mogadishu are likewise not among us."

He urged the people of Mogadishu to go and open these facilities on their own.

Monday's rally followed the nomination of important government positions late Sunday afternoon.

The first faction leader to join the government, Mohamed Qanyareh Afrah, was sworn in as minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources as part of the deal he has made with the government.