COI-Report-Somalia

22 — EASO Country of Origin Information report — South and Central Somalia — Country overview
Certain minorities in Somalia speak other languages, such as varieties of Swahili (Kibajuni, Chimwiini), Oromo (e.g.
af‐Garre) and other minority languages such as Mushunguli ( 76 ).
Related varieties of these minority languages are commonly spoken in neighbouring countries Ethiopia and Kenya.
Given the dominant position of the Somali language in all domains in Somalia, some knowledge of Somali may
generally be expected among speakers of minority languages ( 77 ).
1.2.3.2 Spelling and pronunciation ( 78 )
The Somali spelling uses Latin script. Its alphabet contains the following symbols:
a b c d d h e f g h i j k k h l m n o q r s sh t u w x y ‘ (note: p and v are not used)
A sign often used in the Somali language is the apostrophe [ ‘ ] to indicate the so‐called glottal stop, heard, i.e., as
a replacement for the [ t ] in ‘button’ and for the hyphen in uh‐oh!
The letter c refers to a sound, articulated at the pharynx and often barely audible. It is often used in Somali names:
Cali (Ali), Cabdullaah (Abdullah), Cabdulcasiis (Abdulaziz), Cosmaan (Osman), Cumar (Umar). Note that the Somali
letter c is not pronounced as [ s ] or [ k ].
The letter x is pronounced similar to [ h ], but with the tongue further back. It appears in names like: Muxammad
(Muhammad, Axmad (Ahmad), Xasan (Hasan), Xamar (Hamar).
The letter q is pronounced similar to [ k ], but with the tongue further back (e.g. Qaasim).
1.2.4 Religion
The mainstream religion in Somalia is Sunni Islam. Most Somalis belong to the Shafi’ite school of the Sharia. A large
majority of the population follow the Sufi tradition, the mystical current in Islam, which has since long been established
in Somalia ( 79 ). Conservative Salafist groups - such as Al‐Shabaab - have become prevalent in the past decades ( 80 ).
The 2012 Provisional Constitution of Somalia acknowledges Islam as the State religion and adds that: ‘No religion
other than Islam can be propagated in the country. No law which is not compliant with the general principles and
objectives of Sharia can be enacted.’ ( 81 )
Religious minorities include a very small population of around 1 000 Somali Christians (estimation 2009 ( 82 )), as
well as minorities within Islam, such as the religious clans Ashraf and Shekhal. The Ashraf claim to descend from
the Prophet Mohamed’s daughter Fatima and are accorded religious status on that basis. The Sheikhal are lineages
with an inherited religious status ( 83 ).
( 76 ) Lamberti, M., Die Somali‐Dialekte, Helmut Buske Verlag, Hamburg, 1986, p. 25-30.
( 77 ) Analysis by the author.
( 78 ) Information for this paragraph from: Saeed, J.I., Somali Reference Grammar, Dunwoody press, Kensington, 1993.
( 79 ) Lewis, I.M., Saints and Somalis - popular Islam in a clan‐based society, The Red Sea Press, Asmara, 1998, p. 8-9; US Department of State, International
Religious Freedom Report for 2012 – Somalia, 20 May 2013 (http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htmdlid=208194&year=2012) accessed
27 May 2014.
( 80 ) US Department of State, International Religious Freedom Report for 2012 – Somalia, 20 May 2013 (http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.
htmdlid=208194&year=2012) accessed 27 May 2014.
( 81 ) Federal Republic of Somalia, Provisional Constitution, adopted on 1 August 2012 (http://unpos.unmissions.org/LinkClick.aspxfileticket=RkJTOSpoMME)
accessed 27 May 2014.
( 82 ) The Economist, Almost expunged – Even Somalia’s supposedly moderate government is loth to protect them, 22 October 2009 (http://www.economist.com/
node/14707279) accessed 27 May 2014.
( 83 ) Minority Rights Group International, No redress: Somalia’s forgotten minorities, 31 January 2010 (http://www.minorityrights.org/lid=10370) accessed
10 June 2014.