11 Jan 2013

SOMALIA / NIGHT PATROLS

A measure of safety returns to Mogadishu thanks to the efforts of the Somali National Security Forces who are bolstered by troops with the African Union Mission to Somalia. AU / UN IST

Posted at: January 11, 2013 12:56 pm

Duration: 01:45

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: SOMALIA / NIGHT PATROLS
TRT: 1.45
SOURCE: AU / UN IST
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SOMALI / NATS
 
DATELINE: 10, 11 JANUARY 2013 MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
 
SHOTLIST:

1.	Wide shot, AMISOM Formed Police Unit (FPU) patrolling Mogadishu
2.	Tracking shot, people on the street
3.	Med shot, Nigerian members of AMISOM FPU inside armored vehicle
4.	Med shot, Somali Police Force (SPF) manning road checkpoint
5.	Close up, driver's license being checked by SPF
6.	Med shot, SPF officer looking in back of car
7.	Close up, Ikenna Ikere, AMISOM Nigerian FPU Commander, watching SPF at work
8.	SOUNDBITE (English) Jamma Mohamed, Somali Returnee:
"There's no problem. If you do the job, the job must be done, so the security we feel now better in the night so I see no problem."
9.	Med shot, gun barrels as SPF patrol streets
10.	Wide shot, SPF vehicle driving through narrow streets at night
11.	Close up, SPF officer with finger on trigger
12.	Med shot, Major Abdi Mohamed Abdille, SPF Police Commander checking a car
13.	SOUNDBITE (Somali) Major Abdi Mohamed Abdille, SPF Police Commander:
"You can see the changes in that our troops are out at night in uniform. Previously they used to hide their uniform when the sun sets; there was no peace, now we're searching cars, homes and recovering various items. It's a tangible change."
14.	Close up, Ikere's boots as he walks to join SPF officers
15.	Med shot, Ikere walking
16.	Med shot, young men playing football at night in street
17.	SOUNDBITE (English) Ikenna Ikere, Nigerian FPU Commander, AMISOM:
"They will go to black spots, search the place, if they see anybody, they will arrest. At each junction that is a hot place, they will stop; conduct some search, after that we will continue our patrol."
18.	Med shot, Somali man dancing with Nigerian FPU officer
19.	Med shot, Nigerian FPU dancing with Somali man

STORYLINE:

Night has fallen in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. For years, residents in the city - and in many other parts of the country - would watch the sun set with increasing fear that militant group Al Shabaab would use the cover of darkness to wage war.

But 18 months ago, the extremist group lost their stranglehold on Somalia's nerve centre to the Somali National Security Forces who are bolstered by troops with the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).

These men, members of a special AMISOM's police unit, are here to augment the efforts of Somalia's Police Force (SPF) as they work to return law and order to the country's biggest city, after more than two decades of civil strife.

Residents say any inconveniences experienced during the frequent SPF security checks are inconsequential given the dramatic improvement in recent months.

SOUNDBITE (English) Jamma Mohamed, Somali Returnee:
"There's no problem. If you do the job, the job must be done, so the security we feel now better in the night so I see no problem."

Despite al Shabaab's retreat from Mogadishu in August 2011, the al-Qaeda affiliated group still carries out sporadic attacks in the capital. With training and backup provided by the 140 Ugandan and Nigerian AMISOM police officers, the SPF say they can patrol Mogadishu's battle-scarred streets with increasing confidence.

SOUNDBITE (Somali) Major Abdi Mohamed Abdille, SPF Police Commander:
"You can see the changes in that our troops are out at night in uniform. Previously they used to hide their uniform when the sun sets. There was no peace. Now we're searching cars, homes and recovering various items. It's a tangible change."

On this night, the joint patrol happens upon a moonlit game of football being played on an empty side-street - a clear sign that things have changed in Mogadishu. Al Shabaab had - at one point - banned football. It's a light moment shared by both the SPF and their AMISOM counterparts who typically spend about six hours per night doing their rounds.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ikenna Ikere, Nigerian FPU Commander, AMISOM:
"They will go to black spots, search the place, if they see anybody, they will arrest. At each junction that is a hot place, they will stop; conduct some search, after that we will continue our patrol."

The SPF still has a lot of road to cover before it can operate independently, AMISOM is committed to helping them get there by providing training and operational support but even more assistance is needed urgently in terms of weapons, equipment, vehicles and other items.

Tonight however, there's time for a bit of dancing in the street, before the joint patrol moves on, because the journey to lasting peace and stability to Somalia has begun in earnest.