Abudwak City
Introduction
Abudwak or (Caabudwaaq in Soomaali) is one of the largest towns in the Galgadud region in central Somalia. Galguduud (Galguduud is an administrative region ( gobolka) in central Somalia. The city of Abudwak lies on the 6°10'19"N 46°21'5"E coordinates. The town is physically situated about 20KM west of the main corridor road that connects south-north regions of Somalia.
| Caabudwaaq | |
  Caabudwaaq
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Regions of Somalia | Galgaduud |
| Population (2008) | |
| - City | 85,000 |
| - Metro | 115,000 |
The residents of Abudwak have had their changing history in modern day Somalia with its civil war and endless local conflicts. Galguduud (Galguduud is an administrative region ( gobolka) in central Somalia. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Abudwak City has seen enormous growth in terms of population. Abudwak is the seat of the Abudwak District of Galgadud Region.
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Recent History
In the absence of strong local government, Abudwak's residents have had their share of Somali political unrest througout the 1990s and recent times. The city's most memorable times were during 1992-1996 when it became the hub for business and trade in central Somalia. The residents then developed well-organized peace system where it was possible for merchants from neighboring regions such as Hiiraan on the south to all the way to northern cities of Hargeisa and Bari, Somalia were able to sell or exchange their commodities at the Abudwak Market. Hiiraan (Hiiraan is an administrative region ( gobolka) in central Somalia. History Prehistoric inhabitants The city is home to Neolithic Cave paintings recently discovered named Laas Geel.
Abudwak allowed safe passages for transport trucks and small vehicles to freely move on either direction, south or north. The city's population more than trippled from around 30,000 inhabitants to over 100,000 residents.
During those years of plenty, people of Abudwak enjoyed life of luxury. The rest of Somalia was suffering starvation and insecurity. Those years where known throughout Somalia as Sanadadii Cagobararka or Years of Swollen Feet. This was due to lack of nutritional meals for days at a time. It was at the hight of the civil war from 1991 -1994 when people went without any food for days at a time. Interior regions and the capital were the most affected areas by this phenomenon of swollen feet. Images of starving Baidoa residents were beamed to television screens around the world. Baidoa ( Baydhabo) is a city in south-central Somalia, situated 256 kilometers (159 miles by road northwest of the capital Mogadishu. Only then, UN and international aid agencies came to the rescue of Somali people in chaos left by the warlords, who overthrew the government of Mohamed Siad Barre then to turned on each other. Mohamed Siad Barre (Maxamed Siyaad Barre محمّد سياد بري) (b
Commerce in Abudwak
Abudwak region has some of the richest grazing lands in the region. Economy mostly depends on livestock, food commodities and household products trading. All four main livestock types camel, cattle, sheep and goats herded here. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family The domestic goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat Domesticated from the Wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe Various Abudwak markets are also supported by smaller towns such as Balanbal and Dhusa Mareb. Dhuusamareeb ( Dhuusamareeb) Dhusa Mareb, Dusta Mareb is the capital town of Galguduud region a former Italian commissariat Mudugh Somalia Another economic sector which has been growing over the years is the construction and building sector. Construction activities in Abudwak for office spaces, warehouses and private homes have been on the rise.
The most stable currency earner for Abudwak residents was the stream of activities at local Abudwak livestock markets. Consumers buy plenty of livestock byproducts such as milk, butter, hide and skins for sale. The largest market in Abudwak is nicknamed Jubba Jawaan.
On the fledgling agriculture sector, there are family farms on the outskirts of Abudwak city. These farmers grow many of the basic vegetables and fruits such as onions, tomatoes, hot peppers, green peppers, carrots, watermelon, and beans. Organicsalsajpg||thumb|right|Onions used in salsa.]]Cooked onions in frying pan The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family The chili pepper, chilli pepper, or chili, is the fruit of the plants from the Genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade "Green pepper" redirects here For green peppercorns see Black pepper. The carrot ( Daucus carota subsp sativus, Etymology: Middle French carotte, from Late Latin carōta, from Greek karōton Watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus ( Thunb) Matsum & Nakai family Cucurbitaceae) refers to both Fruit and Plant of a vine-like (climber Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal The closest river is hundereds of kilometers away so residents cultivate small farms for own comsumption and sometimes for sale at the vegetable and fruit market.
Drought of 2008
As food shortages are hurting people across the globe, Somalia is even in worse situation as there is no government to come to the people's rescue. Regions with low water supply have been hit the hardest. People as well as farm animals are affected by the lack of water and food. Abudwak area people are suffering greatly during this draught season. Food prices have skyrocketed and many households are left to fend for their families.
Friends of Abudwak in the United States have organised a drive to send some cash and food donations to families back in Abudwak and Balanbal areas.
Rainy seasons in Somalia have been changing drastically. For example, the deyr rainy season of 2007 rained more than usuall. The rains left this sandy city in puddles and natural pools everywhere.
Until the gu' rains arrive, the situation will not change much. Aid agencies which operate inside Somalia are not known to do anything tangible outside of the capital Mogadishu or Baidoa, the seat of the defunct Federal Transitional Government which hasn't been able to do anything for the masses ever since it came to Baido back in 2004.
Education
Ever since the national education system was rendered nonexistent, the local educators and business people in Abudwak with the help of Abudwak Diaspora, have established small but growing education system. Currently there are two primary and middle Schools.
Koranic study circles are most reliable education system throughout Somalia. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Children ages 5 to 14 attend either morning or afternoon Quranic dugsi or Madrasa. Parents register their whenever parents can afford to pay the fees associated primary to high schools.
The school system is supported by NGOs who are based overseas and they are IQRA and HIRDA. There is also one high school with brand new building completed together by IRQA, [HIRDA] and SDF Foundation.
Government
Like most other places in Somalia today,Caabudwaaq has no formal local government or strong authority to keep law and order and to provide essential services to the community. But there is at least, clan based counselling assembly to solve in a traditional way of day to day disputes arguments.
Caabudwaaq's clan elders and business community are the closest thing to government, mediating a range of disputes from criminal acts to traffic arguments. If in case,one resident slays another, elders from various subclans who are well respected wisemen in the region, decide whether the aggrieved family will receive a payment of camels or cash equivalenet or whether the accused will be executed.
The Caabudwaaq council elders are doing whatever necessary to punish the criminals and to encourage more execution in order to minimaze people from killing. Yet the elders acknowledged they cannot carry the society on their shoulders a local government needed, because the elders are confined only to solving family problems.
Geography
Abudwak and surrounding area is red sandy with semi desert look. Further into the grazing lands near the border with Ethiopia's Somali Province, one finds forest and mountains where mostly camels are herded.
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