The Norwegian Lutheran Mission started a missionary station at Yabelo in 1950, although the staff was reported to have made little headway in converting the locals, similar to the other Christian missionaries. In 1992, Yabelo was the site of a feeding station to combat a local famine. Conditions had grown so severe that the local Borena Oromo decided to eliminate competition from their neighbors the Gabbra. The Gabbra were killed, their livestock was stolen, and the survivors were moved from the area by CARE. In June 2004, a Rally of Pastoral Clans was held under the acacia trees of the SARDU compound in Yabelo, which included representatives from the Borena, Guji, Gabbra, Arsi and Marian clans in Dire, Liben and Moyale woredas; other attendees included government officials such as Obbo Kibre Jimmera, deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Pastoralist Affairs Standing Committee. Economic and social issues were discussed, with an emphasis of finding areas of agreement rather than discussing specific disputes.