By Babylonian Society
November 11, 2007
In an op-ed published in sot al-iraq website, Hussien Baqir Jassim called for a rebirth of the Sumerian and Akkadian region in the Southern part of the modern state of Iraq.
The writer who strongly in favor of federalism in Iraq emphasizes the importance of maintaining a unified federal region for all Shiites in South and South Central Iraq encouraging the Shiite leader Ammar al-Hakim to employ the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian symbols in the newly-born federal region. According to the writer, ancient Mesopotamian symbols like the Sumerian Star, Lion of Babylon, Ishtar Gate and the Sun of Uruk have local connotation and they would reflect the fact that the Region of the South has no connections with outsiders; rather it reflects the uniqueness of the people who have lived that region for more than 5000 years.
The constitution of Iraq which embraces federalism allowed the Kurds in the north to establish their federal region and encourages the Shiites in the south to follow the Kurds’ steps. Both ethnic groups faced decades of discrimination that led them to be suspicious of the central government in Baghdad.
