Minority Rights Group

The belief that Somalia was an ethnically, culturally and linguistically uniform nation was propagated by previous regimes seeking to present the state as homogenous and downplay the existence of minorities. It remains widely held, within and outside the country. Yet, Somalia is diverse. Though decades of insecurity have meant that population statistics are unreliable and woefully un-disaggregated, ethnic, religious, linguistic and caste or descent-based minority communities, as well as indigenous peoples, constitute perhaps a third of Somalia’s population.  This audio presents a rare example of Kizigua spoken in a professional context. This audio recording can’t ever convey the magical electricity in the room, the sense of daring, of doing something radical but so long-awaited, the sense of ‘at last!’.

Daniel Kobei, of the Ogiek Peoples’ Development Programme, whose tenacity and voracious desire for justice was central to winning the case, was in London recently for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. MRG caught up with him to find out what’s been happening since the emotional events in the Court last year.

Sanjesh, a leader of the Majnu ka Tila community, explains that many of those living in the area are unwell or exhausted, emphasizing the sub-standard living conditions