Bardera

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official_name = Bardera
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native_name = Baardheere
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image_caption = Bardera: Looking Towards The Arc


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pushpin_map_caption =Location in Somalia
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subdivision_name = flag|Somalia
subdivision_type1 = Somalia
subdivision_name1 = Gedo
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leader_title = Bardera District Commissioner
leader_name = Mohamedsharif Hirsi Dhudi
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longd=42 |longm=17 |longs= |longEW=E
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Bardera City (Somali Baardheere ) is an important agricultural and academic city in the Gedo region of Somalia. Bardera is the second most important city in the larger Jubba Region of Somalia or "Soomaaliya". Kismayo being most populous and the largest metropolitan city in the Jubba Valley region. But Garbahaarreey is Gedo region's capital. The name Baardheere is a combination of two words "Baar-dheere", "Baar" meaning "palm tree" and "dheere" meaning "tall". Baardheere or Bardera is synonymous with Islamic scholarly centers and agricultural production.

History

Baardheere has a long history and it's comparable to that of the oldest noncoastal Somali cities. In southern Somalia, Ajuran kingdom rained for 300 years from 1400-1700, and Bardera was one of its main cities. Bardera was a well-established farming community at the start of 19th century.

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.

In the 1930s, there were about 8,000 inhabitants in the city, which lies on both banks of the Jubba River west of Kismayo City, Somalia's second-largest city. The Juba divides Bardera into eastern and western sides. Bardera is probably the fifth or sixth largest city in Somalia.

Bardera As A Religious Scholarly Center

On the academic front, Baardheere has been the Mecca for religious based scholarly settings for ages. Currently, there are over dozen "Halaqa" or Islamic scholarly circles taking place in this famous riverine city of southwestern Somalia. Sayid Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, the man who during the colonial era was nicknamed "The Mad Mullah of Somaliland", by the British, is said to have studied the Arabic grammar and syntax in Bardera in the early 1870s.fact|date=March 2007

Bardera is the most populated county ("degmo" or "beel" in Somali) in Gedo region. Bardera had about 20,000 citizens from mid 1970s. The most recent demographics were compiled in 1988. As of 2006, Bardera population is estimated to be around 106,000. 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, forestery and livestock management.

Agricultural Production In Bardera

Large numbers of Bardera's residents make their living working in the many small and large farms on the span of the Jubb River in Bardera District. Agricultural products from farms in Bardera area are sold in many parts of the country. Sorghum, corn or maize, different types of onions, beans, sesame, tobacco, and various fruits such as bananas , watermellon, oranges, papayas, and mangoes, from Bardera farms reach markets as far as Djibouti, about 3000km away to the north of Somalia.

There are two types of farming which exist in Bardera area: Irrigated farming and seasonal farming. Many medium and small scale farms near the river use water pumping machines. These motors irrigate vast lands with canals and farmers produce variety of crops and produce. Majority of farmers utilise the low tech farming method of farming during the two rainy seasons of "gu"' and "deyr". Small operation farms are found throughout Gedo region, far away from the river banks where families plant different crops such sorghum, maize and beans on any land that is suitable for farming. These farming plots are located on sandy soft earth often with muddy combinations. The locals call this type of earth "adable".

Mogadishu's fruit and vegetable market used to have a section containing Bardera's famous onion product. Since the start of the civil war in Somalia, produce from Bardera to large cities like Mogadishu, Kismayo or Baidoa were diverted to Kenyan markets such as Wajir, Garissa, Mombasa and Nairobi.
Palmtree being part of the name Bardera, there are many beautiful palm trees along the river bank and almost every farm has one or two palm trees.

Recent history

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, Bardera District population 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.

Tradition in Peace Minded Elders

Bardera is currently governed by The Council of Elders (Odey Dhaqameedyo). The Bardera Council of Elders comprises 21 prominent religious leaders and respected elders from different Somali clans (Ajuran, Awramala, Banadiri, Facaye, Marehan, and Rahaweyn) 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, Fanah Barre Warsame is the chairman of the Council of Elders. The post is a rotating one. All local tribes partcipate the selection process.

Local Government In Bardera

Hussein Ali Bihi, Xuseen Cali Biixi, (varying spelling), 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.However the real head of council of elder was a man named Gaiye Shide.

A new leader was chosen today for a different level of local government in Bardera. The Bardera population has elected Mohamedsharif Hirsi Dudi on February 12 2008 as the new Bardera District Commissioner. [http://www.gedonet.com/index.php?news=2557] Mr. Dudi was among four candidates for the position of District Commissioner.

The process lasted for three months until voting day arrived on February 12. Previous Bardera District Commissioner was not running this time.

The DC position in Bardera District used to be powerful one but ever since the civil war, these sorts of governments are limited in terms of the scope of their position given the current Somali political situation. Calls of congratulations are pouring in for Mr. Dudi. Barderians who live abroad are applauding for the new Bardera District Commissioner. Everyone is wishing him well and hope that he fulfills his new responsibilities to the residents of Bardera District. They are also wishing the Bardera population for a pleasant future.

Business and Commerce

Bardera is commercially connected to the port city of Kismayo. Everything from building materials to medicines come from Kismayo. There is another commercial route to Wajir in the North East Province of Kenya. There is also well-establishsed Gedo inter-regional commercial activity zone between Bardera and Belad Hawo. People and goods move freely between these two destinations.

For decades, the main business route for Bardera was to and from Mogadishu via Baidoa.However, this travel route was greatly distrupted during the height of the Somali civil war in early 1990s. Nevertheless, some trucks bring goods from ever floushiring Mogadishu trade activities.

The economy of Bardera District is largely based on farming productions. Secondary backbone of the economy is derived from livestock for meat, milk, and butter. During the development years of the 1970s, animal skins such as leather and hide was a currency earning commodity for Bardera and surrounding districts and Gedo region as a whole.

Education

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. [http://www.hirda.org/index.php? HIRDA] based in the Netherlands, 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 Somali National University system was demolished back in 1991.

As of 2008, there are half a dozen linguistic private schools. The most well-known language schools operating in Bardera is Wisdom School of Languages. Recently established Bardera Polytechnic is offering tertiary education. Curriculam in HIRDA funded schools, as well as Markabley schools teach af Soomaali, Arabic and English languages.

Transportation

Land

Population in Bardera District use basic modes of transportation. Small percentage of the district residents own motor vehicles. People mostly get from point A to point B on foot. Each morning scores of people enter the city on foot from all directions. These are people who bring in livestock to the animal market, and those who on daily basis bring milk, butter, hide, wood for cooking and other products for sale.

Air

There is no regularly scheduled flights in or out of Bardera Airport . Occasional charter flights of small planes land the unpaved airstrip on the northeast of the of the city. The airport was the hub for UN and US operations during 1993-1996 intervation mission.

Waterways

The Jubba River divides the city in half but there are no any for hire boats on the river, either to cross from one bank to the other, or along the river on either direction.

ports

Bardera has organized and thriving sports scene. The sport of football or soccer has large following. The professional football team from Bardera takes part in competitions of Jubba Cup and Gedo District's Cup. Bardera Football team is the winner of 2002 South Somalia Regional Cup Champions. Badera played and won against Kismayo and Baido teams. The trophy from this championship is displayed at office of the Bardera Football Team.

Longtime team coach and director was Yahya Farah Jama who hails from Kismayo, a town known for its famous football love affair. The current Bardera Football Team coach, who also serves as Bardera District Sports Director, is coach Xasan Sheekh (Mamazu).

Bardera City Public Services

Baadheere Street Cleaning

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.

Public services which have existed in Bardera, mostly in the public health and education sectors were maintained by mainly two NGOs. HIRDA, an organization started by a diaspora friends of Bardera and they are based in the Netherlands. HIRDA, short for Himila Relief and Development Association, has for almost a decade made their mission to lift the education opportunities available to Gedo region's largest city, Bardera. The other organization that has done some notable services is the Somali Red Crescent's Bardera branch. This center collects medicines, supplements and medical information booklets and distributes them to local mother and child hospitals (MCHs). References: