The Basra governor was present to launch the initiative to remove the estimated thousands of tons of scrap metal that litter the province.
"We want to get rid of all the scrap metal scattered throughout the province,” said Gov. Sheltag Aboud al-Mayah. “I thank our American friends, our military and all the government institutions who contributed to these efforts.”
Though he admitted the process will take time, he said he was optimistic the goal could be accomplished with continued support and assistance from the U.S. government and Iraqi agencies.
"The scrap metal problem is probably the biggest and most visible eyesore the city has,” said Maj. Stanley Hutchison, civil liaison team leader, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “It’s one of the toughest problems for the city to deal with because of the sheer volume of the scrap metal. You can’t just pick it up and move it without a lot of effort.”
Prior to U.S. assistance, the city lacked the resources to test and move the scrap metal, he said.
Children and families watch as a large piece of scrap metal is hoisted onto the back of a truck in the Hyyaniya District of Basra July 7.
“The log jam appears to be broken and we can move forward with clearing up the scrap metal in Basra,” added Hutchison.
"The majority of the scrap metal is from damaged military equipment from the Gulf War,” he explained. “The fear of the people is that the metal is contaminated.”
Hutchison said the project is part of a larger campaign to rid the province of trash, scrap metal and rubble that plague the area. To date, the U.S. has contributed approximately $8 million for the cleanup efforts in Basra.
Much of that money flows into the local economy with the hiring of local contractors and workers, he said. Also, the salvageable metal will be recycled in government plants to be used as a valuable resource for the country.
“The scrap metal piles pose problems predominantly in the city in many different locations, taking up real estate that could be used for other things,” said Hutchison. The government has plans to convert the lot in Hyyaniya into a playground after all of the scrap metal has been removed.
Children said they once played amidst the twisted heaps of rusted metal because there was no other close place to play. The rubble filled the lot, reaching close to the doors and walls of some of the surrounding homes. They risked getting sliced on a multitude of sharp edges or being crushed by shifting piles.
“We appreciate what is being done here because it will make it safer and we can use the space to play in,” said 11-year-old Haider. Instantly, a group of his friends started to yell excitedly and mimicked the actions of playing soccer.
As workers used cranes to hoist tons of metal onto trucks, families gathered to watch the removal of what many said they thought would still be there when their children had children.
“All the people here are happy to see the government remove all of this scrap metal,” said local a resident, Abdul. “It is good for the families, the children.”
