Thousands of demonstrators opposing an oil exploration contract signed here at the weekend between Somalia and a French oil group took to the streets of Baidoa in south-central Somalia on Monday, witnesses said.
The protesters shouted slogans condemning the oil exploration deal signed on Saturday between the Somali transitional government's Minerals and Water Resources Minister Hassan Abshir Farah and France's TotalFinaElf representative Jean Francisco.
Addressing the demonstrators in Baidoa, 250 kilometres (155 miles) west of the capital Mogadishu, the Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA) faction's deputy commander Ibrahim Habsade accused TotalFinaElf of signing an agreement with a government that does not represent Somalis.
"Such contracts are indirect finance of civil war in Somalia," Habsade told the demonstrators. Under the weekend's agreement, the French oil group will carry out oil explorations for 12 months off the coast of the southern Lower Shabelle and the Juba Valley regions.
On Sunday, Somali warlord Osman Hassan Ali "Atto" criticised the agreement, calling it "illegal and risky" and warning that the transitional government cannot guarantee security for investments, as it has no control over the oil exploration areas.
Atto, who worked for some American oil companies before the fall of the government of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, maintained that oil deals signed between Barre's government and foreign oil companies were still valid.
"Properties of some oil companies remained in Mogadishu and they will start explorations when security improves," said Atto.
Administrations in the breakaway northwestern republic of Somaliland and Puntland in the northeast have also signed exploration agreements with Far East oil companies. —AFP.
©--Agence France Presse 2001.
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
