STORY: SOMALIS PREPARE TO OBSERVE

THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN

DURATION: 4:28
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC
INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 2015/04/17 MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOTLIST
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Wide shot, Hamarweyne (Old Mogadishu) district

Close up, advertising banner
Med shot, people in the streets of Hamarweyne
Close up, people in the streets of Hamarweyne
SOUNDBITE (Somali) Mogadishu Resident Leylo:
This is the holiest month and we have been waiting for it. We
believe it will start either on Wednesday or Thursday but many
people say it will be on Thursday if God wills. We hope to have
a peaceful Ramadaan celebration because we have been for
11 months and are now ready to fast this holy month and we
pray to God to make it easy for us.
6. Med shot, lady packing vegetables for her customer, Hamarweyne
market
7. Close up, lady packing vegetables for her customer, Hamarweyne
market
8. Close up, hands of lady packing the vegetables
9. Wide shot, Lady at her vegetable stall, Hamarweyne market
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Close up, various vegetables
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Close up, hand counting money
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Wide shot, lady serving customers at her vegetable stall
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SOUNDBITE (Somali), Fruits and vegetable vendor
Diday Maalim Salad: People are shopping a lot this week buying
fruits and vegetables for the holy month of Ramadhan like onions for
preparing samosas, bananas for breaking the fast, mangoes to
prepare juice, grapefruit and coconut which is used to prepare food
as well as samosa,
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Wide shot, lady at Hamarweyne market shopping for
vegetables

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Med shot, lady at Hamarweyne market shopping for
vegetables
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Close up, lady placing potatoes in a basket
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SOUND BITE (Somali), Mogadishu resident Ayan Abdi
Ahmed:
I came to welcome Ramadhan and to buy foodstuff for our
family. We wish all Muslims Ramadhan kareem. Our country is
peaceful and hope to get the blessings of Ramadhan and we
welcome it.
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Wide shot, Hamarweyne (Old Mogadishu) district
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Med shot, Hamarweyne (Old Mogadishu) district
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Wide shot, Isbaheeysiga Mosque
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Med shot, Isbaheeysiga Mosque
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SOUNDBITE (Somali) Director General of the Ministry of
Religious Affairs and Endowment Mohamed Kheyre, The
Ministry is responsible for such religious programs like Ramadan and
to serve the people and inform them to start fasting when the moon
is sighted and communicating with all regions to check if the moon
was sighted anywhere and afterwards inform the public. We are also
required to ensure those fasting go about their religious obligation in
a free and peaceful environment by working closely with security
agencies to make sure people observe Ramadhan in peace,
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Wide shot, Mogadishu fish market
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Close up, hands cutting fish
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Med shot, Fishmonger cutting fish
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Wide shot, Fishmonger cutting fish
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Close up, hands cutting fish
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SOUND BITE (Somali) fish monger Mustaf Haji Maki,
People buy a lot of fish. We sell 10-15 tons of fish and it is sold out.
Our people have realized the nutritious value of fish and eat even
the head because fish has many benefits.
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Wide shot, Hamarweyne (Old Mogadishu) district
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Med shot, Hamarweyne (Old Mogadishu) district

SCRIPT
FEATURE-Somalis prepare to observe Holy month of Ramadhan
Mogadishu, June 17 The Muslim Holy month of Ramadhan is here
again and Mogadishu today saw a buzz of activity, as Somalis did
shopping to stock up food and supplies for the month long fasting.
Traders have reported brisk business and say they have prepared
abundant supplies to cater for the thousands of residents seen

flocking grocery, fruits, meat and fish markets to stock up food and
supplies.
Ramadhan is the holiest Islamic month when Muslims abstain from
eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset as well as avoid engaging
in shameful and immoral acts. This is the month when the Holy
Quran was revealed and Muslims are encouraged to read the Quran
and engage in good deeds like giving alms and helping the needy.
Somalis interviewed on the streets of Mogadishu expressed hope
that this years Ramadhan will be their best as security of
Mogadishu continues to improve, thanks to the vigilance of Somalia
security forces and African Union peacekeepers.
This is the holiest month and we have been waiting for it. We
believe it will start either on Wednesday or Thursday but many
people say it will be on Thursday if God wills. We hope to have a
peaceful Ramadhan celebration because we have been for 11
months and are now ready to fast this holy month and we pray to
God to make it easy for us, Mogadishu resident Leylo said, while
shopping for Ramadhan at Hamarweyne market.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment is the government
agency responsible for implementing and overseeing all Islamic
religious issues including announcement of the onset of the Holy
month subject to the citation of the moon. Mohamed Kheyre,
Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment
says that the government has put measures in place to allow
Somalis to observe the holy month in peace and tranquillity.
The Ministry is responsible for such religious programs like
Ramadan and to serve the people and inform them to start fasting
when the moon is sighted and communicating with all regions to
check if the moon was sighted anywhere and afterwards inform the
public. We are also required to ensure those fasting go about their
religious obligation in a free and peaceful environment by working
closely with security agencies to make sure people observe
Ramadhan in peace, Mohamed Kheyre, Director General of the
Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment said.
BOOMING BUSINESS
At the picturesque seaside district of Hamarweyne or old Mogadishu
as it is known, the main market was abuzz with activity as locals
were seen buying dates, fruits, food, meat and fish used to prepare
the Ramadan menu. Taxi drivers and other transporters made a kill
too as people hired them for long hours crisscrossing the city while
shopping.

Fruits and vegetable vendor Diday Maalim Salad said her business
has picked up the last few days thanks to Ramadhan.
People are shopping a lot this week buying fruits and vegetables
for the holy month of Ramadhan like onions for preparing samosas,
bananas for breaking the fast, mangoes to prepare juice, grape fruit
and coconut which is used to prepare food as well as samosa, she
added, as busy clients put their orders.
Ayan Abdi Ahmed is among the many people shopping for
Ramadhan.
I came to welcome Ramadhan and to buy foodstuff for our family.
We wish all Muslims Ramadhan kareem. Our country is peaceful and
hope to get the blessings of Ramadhan and we welcome it, she
said.
At the main fish market, fish mongers had a busy day as people
flocked into the market overlooking the Indian Ocean where fresh
fish from the sea is weighed and cut into fish fillets for clients. A
host of busy youthful fish mongers are ready to slice the big fish
catch into smaller fillets after scaling it and removing the fins and
stomach using sharp knives.
Business is good and has slowly started to pick up because it is
Ramadhan, said fish monger Mustaf Haji Maki wants Somalis to eat
fish during Ramadhan because it is nourishing after a daylong fast.
People buy a lot of fish. We sell 10-15 tons of fish and it is sold out.
Our people have realized the nutritious value of fish and eat even
the head because fish has many benefits, he added, with a smile
as echoes of knives being sharpened and the ear piercing sound of
the wood used to chop off the fish reverberated in the background.
The AMISOM and Somali security forces have pledged vigilance to
ward off any threats to peaceful observance of Ramadan.
END.