Werder (woreda)

Werder is one of the woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, named after its administrative center, Werder. Part of the Werder Zone Werder is bordered on the southwest by the Korahe Zone, on the north by Danot, and on the east by Geladin.

The average elevation in this woreda is 943 meters above sea level. As of 2008^[update], Werder has no all-weather gravel road nor any community roads; about 7.25% of the total population has access to drinking water.

Before 1960, the only water available during the dry season in Werder woreda were the Werder wells and those in its vicinity: Welwel, Gerlogube, Afyerado, Ubatale, Wafdug and Yo'ub. Ogaden, Dhulbahante, Majeerteen and Isaaq pastoralists watered from these wells. In the years after 1960 the construction of private birkas (underground concrete water tanks), which greatly increased after 1970. While this allowed the area that was previously grazed mainly in the wet season to now be grazed throughout the dry season, it has also led to a serious decline in the native species most favored for fodder and grazing in this woreda.

The woreda was greatly affected by Ethiopian military actions. According to Human Rights Watch, in late May and June 2007, the Ethiopian army and Regional authorities forced the inhabitants of numerous villages within a 60-kilometer radius of the administrative center, including Aado (Caado), Arowela, Daratoole, Dhurwaa-Hararaf, Lahelow, Neef-Kuceliye, Qamuuda, Ubatale, Wa’di, Ubatale, Wafdug and Yo'ub. Over the following weeks, many of these villages were then burned: Daratoole in mid-June; Lahelow in late June; Neef-Kuceliye on 23 June; Aado and Wa’di in mid-July.

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