Protests have escalated in Iraq’s southern city of Basra, after hundreds of people fell ill from drinking contaminated water. The city has seen weeks of demonstrations over poor public services, especially water and power shortages. Many are suffering through intense summer heat with only a few hours of electricity every day. The government says it’s now investigating the cause of the polluted water in the country’s second-largest city.
Basra, once called the “Venice of the East” given its rich history and location, is home to Iraq’s only port and its main gateway to Iran. However, it is facing reconstruction problems after the Iraq war in 2003. How is the chronic water shortage impacting the country's reconstruction process?
“Water shortage will slow down reconstruction efforts in Iraq. It will also force mass migration and create subsequent security problems even for Iran. Without water and electricity, Iraq will have no future. That’s why Iran is helping,” Ghanbar Naderi, a journalist and columnist with the Kayhan International Newspaper in Iran’s capital Tehran, told CGTN.
He also said the Iranian government has to shut down water reserves in the country, and has to stop exporting electricity and water to Iraq. And that’s why we see some problems in the city of Basra.
Iraq is said to be where civilization first emerged, and this has much to do with the massive Tigris-Euphrates River System, which has serviced its water needs for centuries. However, these rivers don't originate in Iraq, leaving the country vulnerable to the actions of its upstream neighbors, Iran, Turkey and Syria.
In the past, conflicts over water between Iran and Iraq have pitched the neighbors into war. When asked how both governments can cooperate in sharing water resources to avoid escalating tensions, Naderi said Iran is acting as a responsible neighbor when it comes to helping Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
“Iran is now even exporting electricity and food to Iraq, because instability in Iraq will pave the way for instability in Iran. The water shortage is the new problem for the entire region, and not just Iran or Iraq," Naderi said.
"Turkey is also to blame. Before, at times, it refused to allow water flow into Iraq, causing terrible environmental problems for Iran like sandstorms and pollution. Without regional cooperation, the problem will continue to affect everyone in this part of the world,” Naderi said.
（Asia Today is a 30-minute daily news magazine program airing at 1100 GMT and 1900 BJT. Aiming to tell Asian stories from an Asian perspective, Asia Today provides news and in-depth coverage on various topics from across the continent. Asia Today also runs special series covering a wide range of issues of concern to people in Asia.）