Tag Archives: somalis
The Importance of Lawyers in Somalia and Abroad
Like in all societies, a lawyer plays an essential role in providing Somalians with advice and council. In the Somalian legal system, called Xeer, a lawyer is referred to as garxajiyaal and assists Somalians who have to face a jury or provide compensation for a crime that they have committed. The Somali Law Council was formed on February 26, 2005 and membership to the council is open to all Somali lawyers around the globe. It is the aim of the council to organize Somali lawyers to work with other Somali professionals in order to rebuild and reconstruct Somalia. It is the goal of each lawyer who is a member of the council to advertise, protect and restore human rights and civil liberties to Somalians. These lawyers seek to create an index of useful and effective laws that will be available for use by the Somalian people. Each lawyer will be responsible for assisting in collecting existing Somali customary laws, as well as Sharia laws in order to create this index. The lawyers who are members of the Somali Law Council seek to provide advice and support to Somali individuals, as well as the Somali government, institution and organizations throughout the … Continue reading
Somalis in the United States
Somalia has a long history of war, violence and famine. Thousands of people are killed every year because they are caught in the cross fire between warring clans. People are kidnapped and held for ransom, and Somali pirates have control over the coast of Somalia. 300,000 people have died because of famine and malnutrition. Town watering holes often dry up and Somalians can not gain access to vital resources that are necessary for survival. As a result of this brutal history, many Somalis have chosen to immigrate into the United States. Currently, the United States has the seventh largest Somali population in the world. Countries that contain a larger Somali community include Ethiopia, Kenya, Canada and the United Kingdom. A Somali American is a resident of the United States who has gained citizenship and who was born in or who has ancestors from Somalia. In the 1920s Somali sailors came to the United States and settled in New York. These were the first Somalis to come to the United States. Somali immigration began to increase in the 1970s. After the Somali central government was overthrown and the Civil War began in 1991, a great deal of Somalis began to arrive … Continue reading