Bardere: Difference between revisions

Bardera City (Somali Baardheere) is an important agricultural and academic city in the Gedo region of Somalia. Sayed Muhammad Abdulle Hassan, "The Mad Mullah of Somaliland", is said to have studied the Arabic grammar and syntax in Bardera in the early 1870s.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1930s, there were about 8,000 inhabitants in the city, which lies on either bank of the Jubba River north of Kismayo City, Somalia's second-largest city. The Juba divides Bardera into northern and southern sides. Bardera is probably the fifth or sixth largest city in Somalia.

On the eve of the European conquest of the continent, the British and the Italians saw the strategic importance of Bardera. The two fought over the city during the early 1940s.

The Somalis who lived in this city had a system of governance based on a fiefdom led by the tribal chief (ugaas in Somali). The ugaas is often a well-respected intellectual man with deep knowledge of Islam.

Bardera had about 20,000 citizens from mid 1970s. The most recent demographics were compiled in 1988. There are important religious schools, as well as an important center which was connected to the Somali National University in Mogadishu. Government agencies, students and teachers used to visit Bardera for research projects, particularly those dealing with agriculture.

• Looking Towards the Arc
  Looking Towards the Arc
• Bardera Bridge from Geedka Talaalka
  Bardera Bridge from Geedka Talaalka

Bardera is the most populated county (degmo or beel in Somali) in Gedo region. Agricultural products from Bardera area are sold in many parts of the country. Sorghum, different types of onions, maize, potatoes, and sesame from Bardera farms reach as far as Djibouti, about 3000 km away to the north of Somalia.

The outbreak of the civil war in 1991 changed the dynamics of the city. The population of the city swelled to 120,000 people. At one point, it reached 230,000 before many families moved northward to Beled Hawo near the border with NFD in Kenya.

At the end of the 1990s and early 2000, Bardera developed into even more important town for its inhabitants and business people alike. There is a new route to Kismaayo. And this well-traveled road brings a lot of business for the city and the surrounding areas.

Bardera is currently governed by a Council of Elders (Odayaal Dhaqameedyo). The Bardera Council of Elders comprises 21 prominent religious leaders and respected elders from different Somali clans (Marehan, Rahaweyn, Ajuran, Banadiri, and Awramala) that live in the city. The council undertakes to settle disputes over land, property, and blood (fatal accidents) in a peaceful and traditional manner. As of February 2002, Chief Fanax Barre Warsame (of Ugas Sharmaarke Clan, of Bahtanado family lineage) is the chairman of the Council of Elders.

Hussein Ali Bihi was elected on June 2006 as the head of Council of Elders. This body of council has had a long history of serving the community in all matters relating to disputes in blood, property and land.

Barderians, having a long history of amity and cordial relations with other cities, enjoy a very peaceful coexistence and tranquility with the neighboring populations and villages.^{[citation needed]}

On the education front, there are two middle schools and one high school and another one is to be opened soon probably by mid 2004 school year. There are also plans for building higher institutions besides the technical school operated by Hirda which is a non-profit Somali development group. Hirda based in the Netherland, also operates an agricultural seminary school in a co-operative farm purchased by HIRDA some years ago. This non-profit agency undertook another important educational project in the city of Baardheere. It started a medical school which trains about 60 students a year for various medical services skills. This has always been badly needed skills throughout Somalia ever since the The National University system was demolished back in 1991.

In mid 2006, SEHO (Somali Education and Health Organization), a nonprofit organization started to operate the only hospital in the city. East Bardera Mothers' and Children's hospital. Lul Abdullahi Barre is the only nurse and she serves as the head of the EBMCH. Aside from the hospital, SEHO also is the sole funding body of the Bardera Water and Sanitation Authority. A citywide cleaning campaign is conducted three times a month. The Water and Sanitation Office plans to implement a clean tap-water services for the city in the near future.

2°20′N 42°17′E / 2.333°N 42.283°E / 2.333; 42.283