A world full of walls

by | Jan 8, 2008


Iran has taken a leaf out of its sworn enemies’ book by building a wall to keep out the PJAK, the PKK’s Iranian wing whose emergence I mentioned on here a couple of months back. Unlike the downright ugly walls America and Israel have built to keep out their enemies, Iran has at least decorated its wall, albeit with large photographs of frowning mullahs.

Iraq’s Kurds, not surprisingly, are upset that every time they glance east they will be met with the hostile glare of Ayatollah Khomeini, but the latter’s successors presumably think that what’s good enough for Israel is good enough for them. Trouble is, as this succinct analysis of the West Bank monstrosity shows, people find ways to get around, over or under walls. If it wants a long-term solution to the problem, Iran, like Israel and America, will have to confront the grievances of those it is trying to keep out. Planting bricks in the desert will solve nothing.

Author

  • Mark Weston is a writer, researcher and consultant working on public health, justice, youth employability and other global issues. He lives in Sudan, and is the author of two books on Africa – The Ringtone and the Drum and African Beauty.


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