The Legality of the Adhamiya Wall in Baghdad, Iraq
The Baghdad Wall in Iraq is a 5km, 3.6m high concrete wall that surrounds the Adhamiya district in the Iraqi capital. A product of the American army, construction began on 10th April 2007, and is still currently being built.
The wall’s purpose is to separate the mostly Sunni Adhamiya from the Shiite neighbourhoods in an attempt to end the sectarian violence in the region, and is described as a ‘temporary solution’. Despite the intentions, the build up to the wall went off to a bad start. Several high-ranking military officials were unaware of the orders given to construct the wall, and the Adhamiya council, although asked for permission to build the wall, were surprised to find that the army had begun construction before a decision was made. The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been amongst those opposed to the establishment of the wall.
Most significantly, there has been mass controversy over the construction of this wall, with many people echoing its likeness to the Berlin wall, the Israeli-Palestinian wall and many other so-called ‘security fences’. Concern has erupted that the wall will not ease tensions in any way, and in fact will only divide Baghdad and Iraq even more. The partitioning of this territory may have profound implications on the progress of the Iraqi war, its future, and all nations involved in this conflict.
