EASO Country of Origin Information report SOUTH and CENTRAL SOMALIA COUNTRY OVERVIEW August 2014 Acknowledgements EASO would like to acknowledge the following national asylum and migration departments as the co-authors of this report: Austria, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, Country of Origin Information Department The Netherlands, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Office for Country Information and Language Analysis (OCILA) Slovakia, Migration Office – Department of Documentation and Foreign Cooperation Switzerland, Federal Office for Migration, Division Analysis and Services And furthermore, the following national departments reviewed this report: Finland, Immigration Service, Legal Service and Country Information Unit Sweden, Migration Board, Lifos, Country of Origin Information Unit UK, Home Office, Country Policy and Information Team 2 Content Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................. 2 Disclaimer ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Map of South/Central Somalia ............................................................................................................... 10 1. General country information ........................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Geography ....................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.1 Landscape ..................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.3 Administrative divisions ................................................................................................................ 11 1.1.4 Cities .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1.1.5 Transport infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 17 1.2 Demography .................................................................................................................................... 18 1.2.1 Population ..................................................................................................................................... 18 1.2.2 Ethnic groups ................................................................................................................................ 19 1.2.3 Languages and spelling ................................................................................................................. 20 1.2.4 Religion ......................................................................................................................................... 21 1.3 Short history .................................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.1 From independence to military rule (1960-1970) ........................................................................ 22 1.3.2 Civil war (1988-1991) .................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.3 Clan War and State Collapse ......................................................................................................... 22 1.3.4 Islamist advance and retreat ........................................................................................................ 23 1.3.5 Failed attempts to restore peace .................................................................................................. 23 1.3.6 Al-Shabaab insurgency .................................................................................................................. 23 1.3.7 Al-Shabaab pushed back, but not defeated (February 2012-Today) ............................................ 24 1.4 State structure and political landscape ........................................................................................... 24 1.4.1 Parliament, government, administration ..................................................................................... 24 1.4.2 Federalism (Somaliland, Puntland, Jubbaland, Galmudug) .......................................................... 26 1.4.3 The Judiciary ................................................................................................................................. 27 1.4.4 Somali Police Force (SPF) .............................................................................................................. 28 1.4.5 Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) .......................................................................................... 28 1.4.6 AMISOM ........................................................................................................................................ 28 1.4.7 National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) ........................................................................ 29 1.5 Education ......................................................................................................................................... 29 1.5.1 Literacy and enrolment ................................................................................................................. 29 1.5.2 Curriculum ..................................................................................................................................... 30 1.5.3 Educational institutes and organisations ...................................................................................... 30 1.5.4 Education under Al-Shabaab......................................................................................................... 31 1.6 Media and (tele-) communication ................................................................................................... 32 1.6.1 Media ............................................................................................................................................ 32 1.6.2 Telecommunication ...................................................................................................................... 33 1.6.3 Money transfer ............................................................................................................................. 33 1.7 Health care ...................................................................................................................................... 34 1.8 Socio-economic and humanitarian situation .................................................................................. 35 1.8.1 Socio-economic situation .............................................................................................................. 35 1.8.2 Humanitarian situation ................................................................................................................. 36 1.9 Documents....................................................................................................................................... 40 1.9.1 General remarks............................................................................................................................ 40 1.9.2 Identity documents (ID cards, passports) ..................................................................................... 41 1.9.3 Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates ............................................................................ 44 3 1.9.4 Other documents .......................................................................................................................... 44 2. Clan system and ethnic groups......................................................................................................... 45 2.1 Majority Clans .................................................................................................................................. 45 2.2 Minority groups ............................................................................................................................... 48 2.2.1 Ethnic minority groups .................................................................................................................. 49 2.2.2 Occupational groups ..................................................................................................................... 51 2.2.3 Discrimination of minority groups ................................................................................................ 53 2.2.4 Client relationships of minority groups ........................................................................................ 55 2.3 Clan maps ........................................................................................................................................ 56 2.4 Customary law (Xeer) .....................................................................................................................