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US to double arms, ammunition aid to Somalia: official

Clashes at Gabonese demo against defence minister
Thousands of demonstrators clashed with police in Gabon Friday at a rally calling for Defence Minister Ali Ben Bongo to resign because he is in the running to succeed his late father as president. Several people were injured in skirmishes during the rally, which was attended by several other candidates to succeed Bongo's father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, who ruled the country for 41 years. Friday's unrest erupted after police used tear gas on protesters throwing stones ahead of the march, which had been called by several of the candidates. As the march gathered momentum the crowd swelled to about 10,000 in Democracy Square, according to an estimate by an AFP correspondent. Marchers shouted slogans such as "Ali resign", "We want change" and "Ali dictator."

"Gabon is not a monarchy. The people must decide. Ali should go," student Ghislain Ledoux said, while informing the police: "We're not afraid of you." "We supported the father, but we don't want the son. If people don't listen to us, everything will burn," said a young man who declined to give his name. Bongo is one of 23 contenders to succeed his father in an August 30 election, but has come in for criticism from several of the other candidates. They have argued he should step down from the government because he could use his position to forward his own campaign. "The era of the (ruling) PDG is over," said a man in his 40s who gave his family name as Ondo, and dubbed the PDG as the Party of Gabonese Embezzlers.

"When I was 18, we fought for multi-party politics. There were riots (in 1990). It's starting again." The presidential candidates attending Friday's demonstration did so despite it having been banned by the Libreville authorities. Opposition leaders Pierre Mamboundou, Zacharie Myboto, Jules Aristide Bourdes Ogouliguende and Luc Bengono Asi were all present, according to an AFP correspondent. Also present were independent candidates Bruno Ben Moubamba, Casimir Oye Mba and Anna Claudine Ayo Assayi. Paul Mba Abessole, who comes from a party that is part of the ruling coalition, also attended. Last month, eight of the contenders signed a statement calling on Ali Bongo and Technical Education Minister Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou, another presidential hopeful, to resign. On Thursday, Moussavou announced that he would be quitting the government to devote himself to the electoral campaign. Omar Bongo's death at 72 was announced on June 8, after 41 years in power. The candidates to succeed him range from opposition figures to heavyweights in the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG).

by Staff Writers
 Washington (AFP) Aug 6, 2009
 The United States plans to double the amount of arms and ammunition it is providing Somalia's transitional government, a US State Department official said Thursday, signalling deeper US involvement in the conflict there.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the plan was to double supplies of arms and ammunition from 40 to 80 tonnes. "That's the idea," the official said.

The official also said Somalis were receiving military training in Djibouti, where the US military has a base covering the Horn of Africa.

"We are obviously going to look for ways that we can help to support that government to eventually help bring stability to that region, which is an important US foreign policy goal," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.

Earlier in Nairobi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged "very strong support" for Somalia's transition federal government in a meeting with its President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

Clinton also warned Eritrea to stop supporting Al-Shebab, an Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic militant group fighting the transitional government for control of the impoverished east African country.

Separately, President Barack Obama's chief counter-terrorism advisor expressed concern about the group's "tentacles" outside the region, including the United States, noting that some Somalis with US citizenship have returned their to fight.

"This is something we are very concerned about," said John Brennan, a former career CIA officer.

Wood accused Eritrea of providing weapons and other support to the group.

"It is long past time for Eritrea to cease and desist its support of Al-Shebab and to start being a productive rather than a destabilizing neighbor," Clinton told a joint news conference with Sharif in Nairobi.

US officials have warned of possible sanctions and some US lawmakers have pressed for Washington to put Eritrea on a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism.

Clinton expressed fear that the Shebab would turn Somalia into an extremist haven similar to the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan -- which has been a top priority for the Obama administration.

Clinton told Sharif the United States was prepared to meet his request for unspecified assistance.

Since late June the United States has been shipping the Somali government urgent supplies of arms and ammunitions to defend it against an insurgency by Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda inspired Islamist group backed by Eritrea.

An initial 40 tons of weapons and ammunition was directed to Somalia in late June.

"Because of what's going on in Somalia we are providing the transitional federal government ammunition, weapons to support the efforts of the government to try to provide security," Wood said, without confirming the plan to double the amount.

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AFRICA NEWS
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