UK CENSUS 2021 CREATES DUAL IDENTITIES FOR SOMALI CITIZENS

[Deeq A.]

London ( PP News Desk) — Somalis in the United Kingdom have drawn attention to the two options for people who select Somalia as their counrty of origin.  People who identify Somalia as their country of origin get asked if they are Somali or Somalilander.

“This confuses parents whose children fill out the census because they might think that Somali and Somalilander are interchangeable” said Adan Ali, a community worker in West London.

UK Census 2021 contains dual identities for Somali citizens — Somali and Somalilander.

The British Government  recognises Somalia as one country with Mogadishu as its capital city. Somalis who identify themselves as Somalilanders claim to belong to Somaliland, a “self-proclaimed republic.”

“Subnational identities such as Somaliland, Puntland, Juballand, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, South West State and Jubalad do not constitute citizenship. It like asking a person who identifies his/her country of origin as China  whether he/she is Chinese or Honkonger” said Faysal Yusuf, a business adviser in London.

“The Census has a built-in predictive software. If you type Somal it gives you two options: “Somali or Somalilander. It’s very confusing” said a person who filled out the census form online.

© Puntland Post, 2021

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