Bardera

Bardera (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.

In the 1930s, there were about 8,000 inhabitants in this city famous city which lies on either banks of the Juba River. Baardheere lies on the Juba River, north of Kismayo City, Somali's second largest city. The Juba river cuts through the city and divides it into north-south sides. Bardera is probably the fifth or sixth largest city in Somalia.

On the eve of the European concur of the continent, the British and the Italians saw the strategic importance of Baardheere. The two fought over the city couple of times in the early 1940s.

The Somalis who lived in this city had system of governance, primarily Fiefdom (Ugaas in Somali) or the chief of the tribe. The Ugaas is often a well-respected intellectual man with deep knowledge of the religion, Islam.

Baardheere had about 20,000 citizens from mid 1970s. The last known statistics in population and other factors were conducted in 1988. There are important religious schools as well as an important center which was connected to the National University in Mogadishu. Government agencies, students and teachers used to visit Baardheere for research projects, especially agricultural ones.

Bardera is the most populated county (degmo or beel in Somali) in Gedo; the region which the city of Baardheere is part of. Agricultural bounty from this fertile land is marketed in many parts of the country. Sorghum, different types of onions, maize, potatoes, and sesame from Bardera (Baardheere) farms reach as far as Jabuti on the Gulf of Aden which is 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-travelede road brings a lot of business for the city and the surrounding areas.

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 puchased 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.

On the governing side, Bardera is currently headed by Council of Elders. (Odayaal Dhaqameedyo) The Bardera Council of Elders is comprised of 21 prominent religious leaders and respected elders from different Somali clans [Marehan, Rahaweyn, and Awliahan] that live in the city. The council undertakes to settle the disputes in the community that can from time to time occour over land, property, and blood [fatal accidents] in a peaceful and traditional manner. As of February 2002 Chief Fanax Barre Warsame [of Ugaas Sharmaarke dynasty] is the chairman of the Council of Elders.

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.

Xarunta Keydka Ummada, 2002 Baardheere