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.