Nouvelle(s) 6 de 6

Iraq's marshlands (source: The IraqFoundation website www.iraqfoundation.org)

Background

Bordered by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the marshlands in southern Iraq once covered over 20,000 (or even 30,000) square kilometres of interconnected lakes, mudflats, and wetlands within Iraq and Iran.  The marshlands are considered by many to be the 'cradle of Western civilization' and are often referred to as the ‘Garden of Eden’. 

Historic Ecosystem of the Marshlands

The Mesopotamian marshlands used to constitute the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and Western Eurasia. They were once the permanent habitat for millions of birds and a flyway for millions more migrating between Siberia and Africa. They play a key role in the support of endangered species and sustaining freshwater fisheries. In addition to these important ecological benefits, these marshlands represent a unique element of our global heritage and resources.

Culture of the Marsh Arabs

The Marsh Arabs (also known as the ma’dan) trace their origins back to 3000 BC to the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians and are probably the oldest people in the world. (it is known that they  predate the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks!). They invented writing and, according to their myths, emerged from a mix of air and water six or seven thousand years ago. Throughout the history of the area, the Marsh Arabs have maintained their separate identity and their ancient traditions, protected by the wildness of the marshes.

The Marsh Arabs' distinct culture is inextricably linked to their environment; their dwellings are made from papyrus and mud and they travel by reed canoe. They live exclusively by tending water buffalo, farming, fishing and hunting in the marshes.

Desiccation of the Marshes

In the past thirty years, and during Saddam’s regime, over 90% of the marshlands have been desiccated through the combined actions of upstream damming in Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq as well as the development of extensive downstream drainage projects. Saddam had attacked the environment as a way to attack the Arab Marshes. Large amounts of toxic chemicals have been dumped into the marshes.

Ecosystem Destruction

These actions led to transforming a unique eco-system into a man-made desert, destroying the ancient home of the Marsh Arabs, and leading to: 

Destruction of a 5,000 year old cultural heritage that represents the modern world's link to the roots of its civilization;

• Extinction of several endemic animal and botanical species that depended on the habitat of the marshes;
• Disappearance of the way-station for migratory birds, with adverse effects potentially spanning the continents of Eurasia and Africa;
• Saltwater intrusion into the Shatt al-Arab, causing disruption of fisheries in the Persian Gulf;
• Higher soil salinity in the marshes and adjacent areas, depriving Iraq of much needed agricultural land;
• Considerable disruption to the agricultural and food supply of the whole of southern Iraq, especially in the loss of dairy products, fish, and rice cultivation;
• Desertification of more than 20,000 square kilometres, and adverse indirect climatic impacts to adjacent land; and
• Displacement of the Arab Marsh population of over 300,000 forced to flee the marshes and become refugees in Iran or internally displaced in Iraq.

Human Rights

The international community believed that what is happening in the Iraqi marshes is genocide (the destruction of a people). Several thousand people have been killed since 1991 and tens of thousands made homeless. The United Nations has investigated reports of the use of chemical weapons. These ancient people, who have lived in the marshes since the dawn of history, are being subjected to a genocidal attack.

Thousands of refugees have arrived at the Iranian border with reports of continuous artillery bombardments of their villages and settlements. Doctors report that epidemics of cholera and chronic diarrhoea are spreading among the remaining Marsh Arabs, who are now deprived of clean water by the drainage projects.

The ‘Eden Again’ Project

The Iraq Foundation, with funding by the U.S. Department of State, has undertaken a project to determine a viable method of restoring the Iraqi marshlands. The project includes development of a hydrologic model of the marshes to determine the quantity of water necessary to restore various areas of the marshlands.

Restoration of the Marshlands

Initial results suggest that enough water is present in southern Iraq indicating that at least partial restoration is possible, if primarily, the water diversion structures constructed during the regime of Saddam are removed. Scientific analyses and data will be used to prioritize specific areas of the marshlands for a phased restoration and to determine the desired water coverage and habitat type within each area indicate that multiple benefits will occur from restoration of the marshlands on a local, regional and global scale. 

Benefits of Restoration

Scientific assessments indicate that multiple ecological, economic, and socio-cultural benefits will occur from restoration of the marshlands on a local, regional and global scale These benefits include flood abatement, water quality improvement, moderation of climatic extremes, limiting the rate of desertification, improvement of fish, wildlife, plant, and endangered species habitat, increased biodiversity, maintenance and recovery of sensitive species populations, increased wet agricultural productivity, resettlement of displaced communities, and expanded cultural resource benefits. 

Water Considerations 

Water supply is a major constraint on the potential to restore the marsh wetlands.  A recent study reviewed existing hydrologic conditions in Iraq and assumed that no or minimum additional water would be released from countries upstream. 

This preliminary study suggests that there is sufficient water available in the Tigris-Euphrates system within Iraq to undertake some restoration activities, (this requires precise determination of floodwater).

Upon review of the study, three steps are required to allow more water to flow into the wetlands:

First, a large portion of the current flow of the Tigris and Euphrates could be re-introduced to the marshlands by partially modifying existing hydro-engineering structures. (built in the last two decades and greatly affect water flow throughout the marshlands). 

Second, water management practices in other countries that share the Tigris-Euphrates basin, including Turkey, Iran and Syria. 

Third (interesting), exploring the possibility of an integrated water management approach capable of accounting for water resources utilization in Iraq and in the other countries upstream in the watershed to help develop an equitable water allocation plan which would include the maintenance of the marshes.

Developing a basin-wide water budget model

This goal could be accomplished by developing a basin-wide water budget model to quantify the regional hydrology, including the river and marshlands reservoir usage and irrigation schemes. This tool would provide vital information for preliminary restoration and in the long term, would facilitate planning of water usage in Iraq and could provide a scientific basis to support development of water release strategies.

National and Regional Benefits of Marshes’ Restoration

Restoration will promote a return to original conditions in the marshlands and the long-term benefits would be:

-         Foster natural recruitment of native plant and animal species;

-         Protect and expand remnant marsh patches to provide refuge for plant and animal species;

-         Conserve and enhance marsh biodiversity and sustainable native marsh species, prioritizing endemic and globally threatened fish, animals and plants;

-         Manage and increase populations of both the freshwater fish species;

-         Enhance and re-hydrate permanent emergent wetlands and small open freshwater lakes to provide the highest quality habitat for wintering and migratory waterfowl within the flyway;

-         Facilitate implementation of treatment of wastewater from domestic, industrial and agricultural sources to provide human health benefits such as water for drinking and other beneficial uses;

-         Establish adequate reedbed area and vegetal biomass production to support traditional resource management of the reedbed ecosystem and enhance cultural uses such as provision of fodder for water buffalo and reeds for house-building, and reed mat production;

-         Reinstate and expand opportunities for economic development activities and poverty alleviation according to the identified needs and opportunities of the local stakeholder groups;

-         Improve hydrological conditions sufficient to restore biota, biogeochemical functioning, water quality, and groundwater exchange;

-         Arrest land degradation and desertification.

Prepared by Doaa Arafa

References from:

www.iraqfoundation.org

www.unep.org

07-Mar-2005

Nouvelle(s) 6 de 6