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Somalia Bans Christmas and New Year's Celebrations

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Wed Dec 23, 2015 at 06:40:23 PM EST
Tags: Somalia (all tags)
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The Somalian Government has banned Christmas and New Years' celebrations on the ground they have nothing to do with Islam.

"We warn against celebration of Christmas, which is only for Christians," Sheikh Mohamed Kheyrow, director of Somalia’s ministry of religion, said on state radio. "This is a matter of faith. The Christmas holiday and its drum beatings have nothing to with Islam."

He said the ministry has sent letters to the police, national security intelligence and officials in the capital Mogadishu instructing them to "prevent Christmas celebrations."

al-Shabab, which controlled Mogadishu until 2011, used to do the same thing. Since Somalia is almost entirely Muslim, what's behind the new ban? It's not entirely clear, but one theory: Fear of attacks.[More...]

"Christmas will not be celebrated in Somalia for two reasons; all Somalis are Muslims and there is no Christian community here. The other reason is for security," Abdifatah Halane, spokesman for Mogadishu mayor, told Reuters. "Christmas is for Christians. Not for Muslims." (my emphasis.)

...Last Dec. 25, al Shabaab claimed responsibility for an attack on the main AU base in Mogadishu, which lasted several hours and left three peacekeepers and a civilian contractor dead.

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    Somalia Bans Christmas and New Year's Celebrations | 25 comments (25 topical)

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    How about that (5.00 / 7) (#2)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Dec 23, 2015 at 07:23:19 PM EST
    An actual war on Christmas

    My question is if-

    "Christmas will not be celebrated in Somalia for two reasons; all Somalis are Muslims and there is no Christian community here.

    Why is banning it necessary?

    I celebrate... (5.00 / 3) (#14)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 08:24:31 AM EST
    the sh*t out of Christmas, and I'm no Christian.  

    Parent
    But then, you've known to celebrate (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by jondee on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 01:32:32 PM EST
    Bastille Day and Martin Van Buren's birthday..
    ;-)

    "When shall we go beyond the mountains and the shores, to greet the birth of new toil, of new wisdom, the flight of tyrants, of demons, the end of superstition, to adore! the first to adore! Christmas on the earth."

            Rimbaud


    Parent

    When we were in Poland we (none / 0) (#23)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 11:58:18 AM EST
    We're discussing Holidays. Polish retailers are trying to promote black Friday, also in Germany. In Poland black Friday is very unpopular.

    Halloween in Poland is of course very Catholic and somber. It's a national day of saddness. But Americanization is sneaking in so a young group is beginning to dress up and make parties and act completely intolerable, bizarre, and disrespectful :)

    Parent

    mmmm.... (none / 0) (#25)
    by sj on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 12:19:46 PM EST
    Love Poland.

    Parent
    We must bomb them immediatly... (5.00 / 5) (#3)
    %%norm