He is also the executive director of centre for minority rights and development, a legal director of the antipiracy organization of zimbabwe and sits on various boards as a trustee including centre. Pdf somali society has long since been considered ethnically homogenous. In a world where there are more than 8,000 ethnic groups and only 193 states, minority rights are not part of a suicide club whereby each ethnic group should get its own country. All information, if not referenced otherwise, is drawn from mr.
The somali bantus are ethnically and culturally different from the general somali population, and there is a need for culturally relevant services specific to. Somalias forgotten minorities minority rights group. Although a great variety of minority situations exist, common to all is the fact that, too often, minorities face multiple forms of discrimination resulting in marginalisation and exclusion. By means of an oversample of selected ethnic groups that enables analysis of these groups separately or jointly. The bantus are the largest ethnic minority in somalia and are descended from slaves brought by arab traders. The country is home to a small christian community, as well asmuslim minority groups such as the ashraf and shekhal. The other 15% of people in somalia are generally categorized as simply nonsomali, since no single group maintains a strong presence. An ethnic minority is a group of people who differ in race or color or in national, religious, or cultural origin from the dominant group often the majority population of the country in which they live. Consumer experience special report ethnic minority groups and communication services 1 section 1 1 introduction and themes this report was designed to give an overview of use of, and attitudes towards, communications services among ethnic minority groups emgs in great britain. In crisisstricken southcentral somalia, armed group al. Information on the security and human rights situation as well as on the. As a result, most of its population has to rely upon agropastoralism for sustenance. Towards the human rights protection of minority languages. Dec 31, 2015 somalia is a textbook case of instrumentalism at work.
Innocent maja is the senior partner of a zimbabwean law firm styled maja and associates legal practitioners. All countries in the world include persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, enriching the diversity of their societies. Farmers near kismayo the somali bantu also called jareer, gosha or mushunguli are an ethnic minority group in somalia who primarily reside in the southern part of. Country of origin information report on south and central somalia. The largest ethnic minority in somalia is the somali bantu, whose ancestral origins include. By contrast, the high plateaus of northern somalia have wide, grassy plains, with mainly low formations of thorny shrubs and scattered grass tussocks in the remainder of the region. Somali minorities are diverse, with categories such as ethnic and religious. The largest ethnic minority in somalia is the somali bantu, whose ancestral origins include, among others, the makua, yao, ngindo, and nyasa of tanzania, mozambique, and malawi 3. Overview of the political situation in somalia somalia remains in a condition of internal conflict, fragmentation, and complex political humanitarian emergency.
Ethnic groups ethnic somalis are unified by culture, language, religion islam, and common samaale ancestry. Pdf continuities and changes regarding minorities in somalia. Racial and caste prejudice in somalia iowa state university. When the somalia state collapsed, the minority clans suffered brutal reprisals. At the same time, ethnic federalism is preferred to the forced integration of different ethnic groups, the attendant suppression of group rights, and the absence of ethnocultural justice, all of which will lead to ethnic conflict and, of course, the dissolution of ethiopia.
In terms of minority and indigenous representation, ethiopia is a diverse country made up of a federation of minority groups including ethnic, language, religious, and regional minorities. Eritreanethiopia border war 1998 2000 page 49 map 4. Somalia, as well as in ethiopias somali region and in djibouti. The somali ethnic group makes up 60% of the population of djibouti. Category terms of race and ethnicity are becoming less valid, particularly as more americans are of mixed ancestry and as biological concepts of race have been discredited. Djibouti also has small ethnic pockets of arab, ethiopian. Where needed, decision makers should seek advice on the treatment of major ity clans and minority groups in other areas of somalia on a casebycase basis. Oct 15, 2018 ethnic groups ethnic somalis are unified by culture, language, religion islam, and common samaale ancestry. Minority ethnic populations grew in virtually every local authority area, including those with very few minorities at the start of the decade as well as those where minority ethnic communities were already establi shed. Somalia response vulnerability minority groups weak clans. The root causes of the conflict in somalia history essay.
Somali ethnic groups and its distribution the rahanweyn is a somali clan, composed of two major subclans, the digil and the. One economically significant minority is the several tens of thousands of arabs, mainly of yemenite origin. Djiboutis largest ethnic minority are the afar people, seminomadic pastoralists who came from the arabian peninsula around 300 ce. Background somali refugee health profiles immigrant and. The partial exemptions are somaliland and puntland in northern somalia. The fertility rate of the laotai ethnic majority in 2012 was around 2. Jun 20, 20 i have to make thread about the largest and most peacefull minority within somalia.
Somali ethnic groups and its distribution page 7 map 3. Persons of somali origin account for approximately 85% of the population, while minority ethnic groups account for the remaining 15% 2. Continuities and changes regarding minorities in somalia article pdf available in ethnic and racial studies 385. Another economically important minority is the bantu population, which is mainly responsible for the profitable irrigation agriculture. In accordance with rainfall distribution, southern and northwestern somalia have a relatively dense thornbush savanna, with various succulents and species of acacia. Sadly i do not know much other than the fact that i. Somalia at war between radical islam and tribal politics. Ethnic conflict in somalia the isaak and hawiye ethnic groups caused the first wave of unrest after the government was overthrown by the isaak clan and the hawiye clan took over southern somalia. These larger household sizes are made up of more dependents than workers. In nigeria, the conflicts are rooted in the divide and rule policy of the british colonization and the post independence military interventions of the central government osaghae, 1983. The gravity of the abuse directed at religious minorities in somalia is closely tied to the. The degree of difficulty in ethnic accommodation depends on the nature of the interests the particular ethnic groups seek to assert. In a section titled present situation of minority groups in somalia section 4.
The better known pastoralnomadic section of society was. A report from minority rights group international no tes in the glossary the following information on the various groups. Ethiopians are ethnically diverse, with the most important differences on the basis of linguistic categorization. Background a relatively large number of somali asylum seekers in some european countries claim to belong to one of the socalled minority groups1 in somalia. An overview of the historical and current situation working paper pdf available in ssrn electronic journal april 2016 with 15,457 reads how we measure reads. Somalia has suffered a human rights crisis for the last 20 years, characterized by serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law. Clans in somalia european country of origin information network. Minoritiessomaliauncu ochajul02draft european country of.
Somalias clan leaders foster ethnic feuds against each other so that they can fight for scant resources in their incredibly impoverished land. Interventions supporting ethnic minority labour market. The apocalyptic television images of somalia of 1992 were in fact pictures of the plight of the minorities the starving children were chiefly members of the rahanweyn minority, the destroyed historic centre of mogadishu was a hamari neighborhood, another minority. An overview of the historical and current situation. These individuals mainly belong to subclans of the dir clan which stretches throughout somalia, ethiopia, djibouti, and kenya. Origin information workshop clans in somalia organised by accord on 15 may 2009 in vienna, as well as on written notes provided by mr. However, few representative data are available regarding the health of minority ethnic groups from these surveys. Sadly i do not know much other than the fact that i am african and of the black race. By using local community providers the support will be specific to the ethnic. These groups are reportedly subjected to a great deal of abuse. Farmers near kismayo the somali bantu also called jareer, gosha or mushunguli are an ethnic minority group in somalia who primarily reside in the southern part of the country, near the juba and shabelle rivers.
Summary somalia is a predominantly muslim country with few religious minorities. Understanding and addressing black and minority ethnic. The articulate minority activist and traditional leader in puntland, garaad abdilahi olad ibe was. Ethiopia is a mosaic of about 100 languages that can be classified into four groups. Somalias forgotten minorities department of justice. A study on minorities in somalia somalia reliefweb. The vast majority of languages belong to the semitic, cushitic, or omotic groups, all part of the afroasiatic language family. This may involve inviting the local community into jobcentres which can contribute to upskilling staff, working in the local community to more effectively reach ethnic minority groups. The different identity of an ethnic minority may be displayed in any number of ways, ranging from distinctive customs, lifestyles. Towards the human rights protection of minority languages in africa. Linguistic minorities in the arab world at the beginning of the 1990s minority group total no. The somali bantus are the minority ethnic group of somalia, inhabiting the shebelle and jubba river valleys, and speaking two main languages in addition to somali maay maay and zigua.
Furthermore, as a result of their distinct ethnic identity, some minorities, particular the bantu and bajuni have suffered systematic confiscation of. Eventually, all 6 clans and several subclans are involved in the conflict. Clan divisions has been a source of conflict used to divide somalis, fuel endemic clashes over resources and power, mobilize militia, and make broad based reconciliation very difficult to achieve. Origin information workshop clans in somalia organised by. Some are replacing both these terms with ethnic groups or minority population groups. The republic of somaliland is a region located in the northwestern part of somalia, bordering. Conflict between the victim and abdillahi yusuf over the representation of minority groups in puntland and somalia reconciation conference in kenay was reported. Many bantu trace their origins to ancestors from these southeast african tribes who were enslaved and brought to somalia during the 18 th century 3.
Ethnic minorities make up the rest of the population and are concentrated primarily in the southern areas of somalia. The ethiopian census lists more than 90 distinct ethnic groups in the country. Unlike other clans from dominant groups, minorities lack international support in the form of regular remittances. Minority activists have disappeared in hands of powerful warlords. Somali young women and men performing the traditional dhaanto. This is consistent with the pattern of dispersal that was evident in the 1980s. There is little fresh water and arable land in somalia. Researched and compiled by the refugee documentation centre of ireland on 31 may 2011 how is the term midgan used in describing ethnic issues, including those of minority clans and subclans. Treatment of religious minorities department of justice.
Although the negative outlook towards ethnic and religious minorities. Im originally from somalia and i get asked by many people about my identity. Especially why we somalians and ethiopians look slightly different than other africans. Understanding and addressing black and minority ethnic attainment in he academic leaders forum. Somali bantu background the somali bantu community association. The total population of ethiopia in 2017 is approximately 102. The protection of civilians in the context of the armed conflict, combined with impunity and lack of accountability, is of major concern. In crisisstricken southcentral somalia, armed group alshabaab has waged violent attacks in the past year. Researched and compiled by the refugee documentation. This is the case in denmark, the netherlands and the united kingdom. Constitutionalism, ethnicity and minority rights in africa. Somalias minorities are diverse and not framed simply by elements of ethnic. A report from minority rights group international no tes.
Consumer experience special reportethnic minority groups and communication services 1 section 1 1 introduction and themes this report was designed to give an overview of use of, and attitudes towards, communications services among ethnic minority groups emgs in great britain. Somali bantu background the somali bantu community. In the 21st century, many somalis remain more loyal to their clans than to the idea of a national somali identity. Ethnic minorities are poorer due to their demographics and low education levels, causing a vicious cycle of poverty. I have to make thread about the largest and most peacefull minority within somalia.
In addition, majority clan members now seeking employment in manual jobs. The biggest subclan in djibouti is the issa clan who have a long history living as nomadic cattle herders. The somalia society is made up of main clan families like darod, dir, isaaq, hawiye and rahanweyn, and minority clans. African languages and societies inequality and stratification race and ethnicity. Somalia is a textbook case of instrumentalism at work.
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