Dokument #1046450
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
According to a former professor of
political science at the University of Florida in Gainsville,
Florida, and currently a teacher at the Ottawa Islamic School, all
the laws prescribed in the Koran for Muslims apply to female
Muslims in Somalia (28 Feb. 1995). The source did not elaborate on
all the laws that apply to Somali women, but he stated that the
wearing of the chador is a requirement for female Muslims in
Somalia. During the telephone interview, the teacher stated that
the wearing of the chador was not obligatory in Somalia during Siad
Barre's regime (ibid.). As a result, Somali women could wear the
chador or not, according to their religious convictions
(ibid.).
The source stated that the wearing of the
chador for official photographs is an individual decision and that
the government did not insist on its removal for official
photographs. However, given that official photographs such as
passport photographs are taken for identification purposes, Somali
women who choose to wear the chador must reveal their faces
(ibid.). The teacher further stated that, there is no age
requirement for the non-wearing of the chador for official
photographs.
According to the teacher, the need for
wearing the chador in Somalia today may vary according to a
person's location. For instance, if a person lives in an area
controlled by Muslim fundamentalist factions and their leaders, the
leaders will enforce the requirement that Muslim women wear the
chador (ibid.).
A representative of Somali Immigrant Aid in
Toronto corroborated all the information provided by the Islamic
school teacher (28 Feb. 1995). During a telephone interview, the
representative also added that the covering of the head by female
Muslims in Somalia begins at a very early age. According to the
representative, the wearing of the chador is an individual
decision, and the state under Siad Barre did not enforce any
religious law.
In a telephone interview, a professor of
political economy at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley,
Massachusettes, stated that the wearing of headgear in Somalia is
traditional (28 Feb. 1995). As a result, the headgear has religious
significance only for those Somali women who take their religious
duties seriously (ibid.). According to this source, who specializes
in development, conflict and refugee issues in the Horn of Africa,
Somalia under Siad Barre gave a liberal interpretation to the
Koran. Although most Somalis are Muslim, Islam was not a state
religion during Siad Barre's administration (ibid.). The Mount
Holyoke College professor stated that he has seen passport
photographs of female Somali passport holders. While some of the
women wore headgear in the photographs, others did not. This source
maintained that with the outbreak of social and political anarchy
in Somalia, some Muslim fundamentalists have begun to enforce
Islamic laws regarding women's dress codes in their
neighbourhoods.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Somali Immigrant Aid, Toronto. 28
February 1995. Telephone interview with representative.
Teacher with The Ottawa Islamic School,
Ottawa, and former professor of political science at the University
of Florida, Gainsville, Fla. 28 February 1995. Telephone
interview.
Professor of political economy
specializing in development, conflict and refugee issues, Mount
Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass. 28 February 1995. Telephone
interview.