Thousands of demonstrators of Mogadishu Sea Port Stevedoring Union demonstrated against job cuts on Tuesday 23 September in the Somali capital Mogadishu. The workers had begun to surround the Mogadishu port and marched all the way to the parliament Building where they circled the building holding a mass rally and denouncing Al Beyrak, a Turkish company which had recently entered into an agreement with the Somali government to manage operations at the Mogadishu port.

The demonstrators proceeded from the parliament building to the presidential palace denouncing the terms of the deal with the Turkish firm which gives 45% of port profits to the firm and retrenches over 5000 Somali port workers. The main objective of the demonstration was to make clear the concern of the Stevedoring Union affiliated with the Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SCTU) about the negative impact of the recently signed agreement between the Somali government and the Turkish Company. Al Beyrak Turizm Inset Ticaret A.S. is the full name of the Turkish firm awarded management rights over Mogadishu’s port despite a clear stipulation in Somalia’s constitution that all international agreements must be submitted by the government to the Auditor General who in terms has submitted the agreement to parliament for review and ratification. This Company, which has been a major conglomerate in operation since 1952 was not submitted to parliamentary scrutiny. Concerned MPs working with workers represented by the SCTU have tabled a motion in parliament calling for an immediate review of the agreement and the Prime Minister has been summoned to parliament to explain the terms of his government’s agreement with AlBeyrak. The minister of labour is also expected to be questioned on the same matter.

Mohamed Osman, the Chairman of SCTU has made clear workers’ concerns about the agreement which will result in thousands of Somali families losing the income of their primary breadwinner. “We have learnt that the government does not respond to the weak; we have to unite and be a force that moves together. We have made this demand before, but the government ignored and
refused to listen to the workers from the Somali working class and Turkey’s intervention and exploitation resulting in the retrenchment of thousands of our port workers is simply unacceptable.” said the chairman. “From today thousand will be idle through no fault of their own”, he added. “Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SCTU) will welcome any agreement between the government and foreign firms enhancing the living standards of Somali employees but we are against the planned job cuts harming the working class of our country including youths and older people who are currently employed”, added the chairman”. This demonstration is a direct result of the thousands of jobs cuts which the government of Somalia recently agreed to as a result of Al Beyrak’s recommendations to manage the operations of the seaport of Mogadishu.” The chairman thanked members of the international trade union movement for their solidarity singling out the International Transport Federation (ITF). “We will remember our comrades who spoke out for us in this time of need” he said. “Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa and we have many ports and port operation’s, this is the first major international agreement affecting our largest port and it is important that we set acceptable standards now” Chairman Osman said. The Chairman of the Stevedoring Union Mr. Yusuf Warsame Afrah who was among the people who spoke to the media said unemployment is widespread among the Somali youth and it forced many of them to migrate from the country. Others were forced to engage in piracy and to engage in other crimes primarily due to unemployment. Mr. Afrah also condemned the job cuts planned at the Capital’s port saying “Where do they expect these people to go after they lose their jobs?” adding that the international community needs to understand “maintaining and growing jobs in Somalia is the most effective strategy to combat piracy and terrorism”. In Somalia, unemployment is a major challenge facing a broad cross-section of society but youth have been affected the most severely. The lack of formal sector employment has demoralized many youths including those who are educated. Retrenching thousands of port workers worsens an already challenging environment for Somali jobseekers as the Mogadishu port is one of the largest employers in the country.

The Somali Congress of Trade Unions calls upon friends of the working class in parliament to pass the tabled motion calling for an immediate suspension of the contract with the Turkish firm Al Beyrak and an immediate review of the terms of the agreement including the 45% profit sharing provision going to the firm leaving only 55% of port profits for the Somali treasury. We are alarmed that this contract was entered into for a period of twenty years according to the information we have received.

The SCTU further calls on parliament to affirm that Somali workers will not be retrenched as a result of this agreement. The SCTU notes that despite repeated calls, our government has not forwarded a draft revised labour law to parliament for debate and review. As a result, we are still operating with a labour law passed in 1972 which is not in compliance with
international labour standards.

Finally, we call on the international labour movement to stand in solidarity with Somali workers who have organised a mass demonstration demanding their rights be respected for the first time in 24 years.

Victory for the working class !!
Solidarity forever !!

Somali Port Workers Union (SOPWU)