Blogged by: Tim Large
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Somalia is the world's most dangerous country to be part of a minority community. That's the finding of a new global survey by British advocacy group Minority Rights Group International (MRG), which says fierce fighting and the spectre of state persecution have propelled Somalia to the top its annual threat list.
A year ago, Somalia came third on MRG's "Peoples under threat" ranking, published in "State of the World's Minorities". But events of the past few months have made Somalia an even more dangerous place for minorities than Iraq - top of the list last year.
"A new government in Somalia has raised hopes for democracy, but it is also a uniquely dangerous time," said MRG Director Mark Lattimer. "There is the spectre of a return of large-scale clan violence - and groups that supported the old order are now under tremendous threat."
Somalia's interim government is struggling to exert its authority following the New Year defeat of hardline Islamists who controlled Mogadishu and most of the south of the country for six months. The Islamists had put a lid on years of fighting between feuding warlords that had largely reduced Somalia to a state of anarchy. Now experts fear the warlords are on the way back.
MRG ranks Iraq and Sudan equal second on its danger list. Iraq owes the dubious distinction to escalating Shia-Sunni violence and the targeted killings and persecution of Christians, Yezidis, Mandaeans and other minority groups. Sudan's place reflects bloody conflict in Darfur, where Janjaweed militia are targeting farmers from Zaghawa, Masalit and Fur tribes.
The full MRG list below underlines the vulnerability of minorities across the globe - and particularly in the African countries that make up more than half of the top 20. "In three-quarters of the world's conflicts, the killing is now targeted at particular ethnic or religious groups," Lattimer said. "Because they are usually minorities their suffering is largely ignored."
|
Rank |
Country |
Groups |
|
1 |
Somalia |
Darood, Hawiye, Issaq and other clans; Bantu and other groups |
|
2 |
Iraq |
Shia, Sunnis, Kurds. Turkomans, Christians; smaller minorities |
|
3 |
Sudan |
Fur, Zaghawa, Massalit and others in Darfur; Dinka, Nuer and others in the south; Nuba, Beja |
|
4 |
Afghanistan |
Hazara, Pashtun, Tajiks, Uzbeks |
|
5 |
Myanmar |
Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Mons, Robingyas, Shan, Chin (Zomis), Wa |
|
6 |
Congo (DR) |
Hema and Lendu, Hunde, Hutu, Luba, Lunda, Tutsi/Banyamulenge, Twa/Mbuti |
|
7 |
Nigeria |
Ibo, Ijaw, Ogoni, Yoruba, Hausa (Muslims) and Christians in the north |
|
8 |
Pakistan |
Ahmadiyya, Baluchis, Hindus, Mohhajirs, Pashtun, Sindis |
|
9 |
Angola |
Bakongo, Cabindans, Ovimbundu |
|
10 |
Russian Federation |
Chechens, Ingush, Lezgins, indigenous northern people, Roma |
|
11 |
Burundi |
Hutu, Tutsi, Twa |
|
12 |
Uganda |
Acholi, Karamojong |
|
13 |
Ethiopia |
Anuak, Afars, Oromo, Somalis |
|
14 |
Sri Lanka |
Tamils, Muslims |
|
15 |
Haiti |
Political/social targets |
|
16 |
Ivory Coast |
Northern Mande (Dioula), Senoufo, Bete, newly settled groups |
|
17 |
Rwanda |
Hutu, Tutsi, Twa |
|
18 |
Nepal |
Political/social targets, Dalits |
|
19 |
Philippines |
Indigenous people, Moros (Muslims) |
|
20 |
Iran |
Arabs, Azeris, Baha’is, Baluchis, Kurds, Turkomans |
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Source: Reuters AlertNet, Mar 21, 2007