Main content

The Destruction of Iraq's Marshes

History series. This episode looks at the destruction of southern Iraq's great marshes, the ancient homeland of the Marsh Arabs, where many believe writing and agriculture began.

In the early 1990s, Saddam Hussein ordered the draining of southern Iraq's great marshes. It was one of the biggest environmental disasters of the twentieth century, and with it, an ancient way of life - dating back thousands of years - was almost wiped out. We hear from the Iraqi environmentalist Azzam Alwash, who has been trying to restore the marshes, and to the journalist Shyam Bhatia, who saw the destruction.

Available now

15 minutes

Last on

Wed 26 Aug 2015 09:30

Broadcast

  • Wed 26 Aug 2015 09:30

Podcast