Research Paper - Water Security in Southeast Iraq

The Role of Iran in Environmental Degradation and Subsequent Socio-Economic Consequences on the Marsh Arabs of Southeast Iraq
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Over the summer, I, in conjunction with my supervisor, Dr Bahar Baser, wrote a research paper exploring the role Iran plays in the water security crisis in southeast Iraq, and the environmental and socio-economic consequences this has on the Marsh Arab population. This, was, if you see the research proposal I published back in May, a relatively different focus, with the case study planned for that project (Iranian dam construction) taking the centre-stage in this project, with the Marsh Arabs now as the case study to understand the impacts of Iran-Iraq diplomacy and the domestic political contexts which worsen this. In order to do this, I drew upon literature from political theory, international relations, local media articles from Iraq, and anthropology.

During my research, I found three key factors causing environmental damage in southeast Iraq. These were (1) A ‘water mafia’ in Iran that successfully lobbies the Iranian government to construct unnecessary and environmentally destructive dams to increase the wealth and authority of their members, (2) Iran’s foreign policy which aims to manipulate the flow and provision of water for political influence in Iraq, by installing pro-Iranian politicians, and (3) local corrupt politicians in Iraq who manipulate the flow of water to gain power by blaming opposition and incumbent politicians for the water security crisis.

I then focused in on wealth-creation patterns of the Marsh Arabs and how these have changed as agricultural and pastoral practices becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as a result of saline, sewage-ridden water, and general lower water levels. I follow on from this, exploring the difficulties Marsh Arabs have in migrating to Basra (the largest city in the region), who are influenced by militia (who are often financed by Iran or local opposition politicians) to damage water pipelines in protest against poor water management, perpetuating the cycle of environmental degradation, water insecurity, and political instability.

I conclude that, without a radical change in diplomatic processes between Iran and Iraq, environmental degradation will continue due to poor forms of accountability and responsibility over the supposed shared governance over the Shatt al-Arab - a key river in southeast Iraq, providing water for Basra and the marshlands, where the majority of Iraq's water reserves lie.

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