Shafaq News / Only a handful of years prior, this very location was imbued with the scent of blood, gaining the grim moniker of "graveyard for victims of sectarian battles" as whispered tales told in the half-decade post-2003. Yet today, this erstwhile "haunting" site has transformed into an essential arterial route, bridging Sadr City, situated east of Baghdad, with the northern sectors of the capital, thereby liberating its inhabitants from the tyranny of protracted traffic congestion.
The locale in question is al-Saddah, or the dam—a raised embankment measuring approximately 10-15 meters in height, stretching a length of 5 kilometers, and spanning a width of 400 meters. This imposing structure stands sentinel at the easternmost fringe of Sadr City, demarcating it from the neighboring districts of Tariq, Dessim, and al-Hamidiya.
Originally erected in 1963, the dam's primary function was safeguarding Baghdad from the routine springtime deluges to which the metropolis had grown accustomed. A number of these violent flood events precipitated fatal casualties and severe infrastructural damage. Designated as the Eastern Dam, its role persisted despite the emergence of drought as Iraq's prevailing climate pattern, thus rendering any flooding by the Tigris River a distant threat.
In a more specific context, the area ensconced behind the dam served a morbid purpose as an improvised burial ground for infants who tragically succumbed shortly after birth or within their first months of life. This practice continued until the 1980s but gradually waned thereafter.
Al-Saddah, akin to Sadr City, experienced functional metamorphosis. Following the cessation of its flood protection role, it assumed the grim duty of an infant cemetery. Then in the 1990s, in the wake of the United Nations Security Council's economic embargo on Iraq, which thrust the majority of Iraqis into dire financial straits, al-Saddah provided sanctuary for an assortment of trades, most notably scrap metal dealers.
The dam evolved into a repository for metallic and non-metallic refuse, along with other waste varieties, reflecting the shift in its central role at the time. Consequently, the vicinity and its main thoroughfare degenerated into quagmires during the winter months, impeding vehicular passage and compelling numerous families residing opposite the dam to relocate.
Victims of Sectarianism and Unidentified Bodies:
Post-2003, the state of al-Saddah remained largely stagnant, with its economic endeavors persisting unabated. However, it also became a final resting place for victims of sectarian violence, which spanned from 2004 until late 2010, including unidentified victims who perished in sectarian confrontations or under other circumstances.
With the ascendancy of ISIS, and the subsequent concerted efforts to liberate Iraq from its clutches, the period of sectarian bloodshed drew to a close. Preceding this, drug use had burgeoned into a pervasive and perilous societal issue. Drug peddlers and felons were lured to exploit al-Saddah as a conduit for drug distribution and a refuge.
Hakim al-Zamili, a prominent figure in the Sadrist movement and former first deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, resolved to embark upon a venture to al-Saddah and its adjacent region. His vision was to transform it into a pivotal roadway, connecting Sadr City with the northern regions of Baghdad, thereby circumventing the capital's congestion and reducing time wasted in traffic.
As reported by the correspondent of Shafaq News Agency, the project entailed partitioning the al-Saddah region, laying the foundation stone for the venture, and initiating the construction of parks, a health center, and schools. Moreover, it sought to dismantle criminal hideouts in coordination with the Baghdad Municipality and the first and second municipal departments of Sadr City.
Additionally, the al-Hamidiya Corniche, alternatively referred to as the Sadr City Corniche, was conceived. This promenade, which skirts a man-made lake replenished by a tributary of the Tigris River, was meticulously landscaped. Stones were laid and trees planted, signifying a transformative endeavor aimed at converting the area from a burial ground for infants and unidentified bodies, and a repository for scrap and waste, into a verdant space. The new green lung of the city, frequented by families for leisurely pursuits, stands in stark contrast to its former, somber identity.
