Cultural Rights and Public Spaces in Iraq Submission for the United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights About us RASHID International e.V. is a worldwide network of archaeologists, cultural heritage experts and professionals dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the cultural heritage of Iraq, ancient Mesopotamia. e are committed to de!eloping the histor" and archaeology of Iraqi cultures, for we belie!e that understanding the past is ke" to addressing the present and to building a prosperous future. Much of Iraq’s heritage has been lost fore!er. Militant groups ha!e destroyed mosques, churches and shrines, smashed artifacts, bulldo$ed archaeological sites and illegall" trafficked antiquities on an almost industrial scale. Iraqi cultural heritage has suffered grie!ous and in man" cases irre!ersible harm. To assist our Iraqi colleagues, we collect and share information, research and expert knowledge, work to raise public awareness, and both de!elop and execute strategies to protect heritage sites and other cultural propert" through international cooperation, advocac" and technical assistance. R&SHID International e.). Postfach ++, Institute for &ncient Near -astern &rcheology .udwig-Maximilians/Uni!ersit" of Munich 0eschwister/Scholl-Plat$ + (/,1234 Munich 0erman" https566www.rashid-international.org [email protected] Copyright Published by R&SHID International 8Ma" 91+4: This document is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution .! International license. ;ou are free to copy and redistribute the material in an" medium or format, remix, transform, and build upon the material for an" purpose, e!en commerciall". 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This is without prejudice to cases where gross negligence on behalf of R&SHI( International e.). can be proven and/or loss of life or limb is at stake and the extent of liabilit" ma" not be limited under the applicable law. &n" disputes shall be subject to the law of the >ederal Republic of 0erman". Cover image Photo5 )iew of the fire walk for the Newroz festi!al in &kre in 91+, ?"5 Le!" @lanc" – @opyright status5 *ublic Domain 2 @ontributors Dr. Rozhen $amal %ohammed&Amin Member of the ?oard of (irectors of R&S'I( International e.V. 'ead of (igital @ultural 'eritage Research 0roup Sulaimani *olytechnic Uni!ersit" Se'n (obbe @hief .egal Bfficer R&S'I( international e.V. %)nica Palmero (ernánde# Researcher Uni!ersit" of Reading Professor Dr. $arel +ová,e- &ssociate *rofessor of &rchaeolog" *alacký Uni!ersity Blomouc 3 Table of Contents I. What are Public Spaces?.......................................................................................................5 II. Public Spaces and Politics....................................................................................................5 1. Public spaces and Dominant Ideology............................................................................5 2. Public Spaces and Dissatisfaction...................................................................................6 3. Public Spaces as Targets.................................................................................................7 III. Public Spaces and Accessibility...........................................................................................7 1. Persons with Disabilities.................................................................................................7 2. Women and Children......................................................................................................8 3. Green Zone.....................................................................................................................8 4. Private Business and Public Spaces................................................................................8 5. Permit Requirements in Public Spaces...........................................................................9 IV. Cultural Facilities as Public Spaces.....................................................................................9 1. Museums in Iraq...........................................................................................................10 2. Amedi............................................................................................................................10 V. Internet and Social Media as Public Spaces......................................................................11 1. Facebook as a Platform.................................................................................................11 2. Shadow Pages...............................................................................................................11 3. Internet Blackouts to Quell Riots..................................................................................11 4. Online Game Bans.........................................................................................................12 5. Sharing of Archival Photos............................................................................................12 VI. Recommendations...........................................................................................................13 4 Cultural Rights and Public Spaces I. .hat are Public Spaces/ *ublic spaces are inclusi!e spaces that can be accessed, used, and en=oyed b" all the members of the general public, including the marginali$ed.+ The" include public pla$as, squares, parks, and e!en streets. Some urban planners and designers describe these public realms as the li!ing rooms of cities.9 The" ha!e important roles in “fostering integration between different socio-economic groups”.3 The increasing integration of Information and @ommunication Technologies 8I@%: in people#s dail" acti!ities and interactions in the current information age ha!e extended the boundaries of rigid physical public spaces to d"namic !irtual spaces within the internet, computers, handheld de!ices, and wearable technologies.< (espite this definition, not all public spaces e!erywhere and at e!er" time are created and6or accessed, used, and en=oyed equally. The same applies to Iraq#s public spaces across different areas and times. The rapid sociopolitical changes in the histor" of this !olatile countr" can be obser!ed in the access, use, and en=oyment of these spaces. II. Public Spaces and Politics 1. Public spaces and Dominant Ideology In Iraq, as in man" other de!eloping countries, important public spaces are often politici$ed or polari$ed with representations or symbols of current rulers, prominent political and religious figures and e!ents, and6or dominant ideologies. The placement of the statue of Saddam 'ussein in the middle of >irdous Square in central ?aghdad during the peak of his rule and the celebration of Iraq#s supposed F!ictor"F over Iran b" building a <1 meter FVictor" &rchF 8also known as the F'ands of )ictor"F or the F@rossed Swords' monument: at the entrance of Gawra park testify to this trend of politici$ation and polari$ation.2 While the demolition of the 'ussein statue in a public space by Iraqis with the help of US militar" forces depicted the end of a regime era in Iraq, the fate of + @arr, S., Stephen, @., >rancis, M., Ri!lin, .. 0., H Stone, &. M. 8+449:. Public Space. @ambridge Uni!ersit" PressI see also: http566www.urbanoctober.org/downloads6UrbanBctober?ackgroundPaper.pdf 9 http566www.urbandesign.org/publicspace.html 3 http566www.urbanoctober.org/downloads6UrbanBctober?ackgroundPaper.pdf < http566alumni.media.mit.edu6Jfla!ia6Papers6Narrati!eSpaces.pdf 2 >or further information on the )ictor" &rch, see Maki"a, K. 8911<:, The Monument: Art and Vulgarity in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, I.?. Tauris. 5 the 'ands of Victor" remains uncertain.L Standing on a base populated with the helmets of Iranian soldiers who fell during the war, the monument has di!ided public opinion. Some see it as a symbol of provocation and hostilit" towards a neighboring countr" and the Shia ma=orit" in Iraq, others !iew it as an inclusi!e symbol honoring Iraqis who fell in the countr"#s wars throughout history. The ancient cit" of ?abylon took center stage as a public politici$ed space during Saddam 'ussein#s regime when he portrayed himself as the reincarnation of the ancient Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadne$$ar II and carried out his F&rchaeological Restoration of ?abylon *rojectF. The project included a new palace built over the ruins of an ancient one and a small reproduction of the famous Ishtar gate, as the original was dismantled and is currentl" displayed in the *ergamon museum in ?erlin. 'e attempted to emulate the Neo-Babylonian Kings b" ha!ing his name inscribed on man" of the bricks used during construction. The initati!e was critici$ed for its disruption of the archaeological remains, as well