BORDER WALLS

THEIR AIM:TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT

Jena Leeauthor, artist, associate art appraiser

and consultant

Prof. Ruth Sieglinde Jara Kittelmaster in criminology, editor

Maître Hazem Ksourilawyer

Why? Built to protect from perceived military, economic,

social or cultural threats, border walls represent geographic national and territorial boundaries.

Unlike an open border, their intent is to keep others out.

As they cut across and wind their way over the land, these walls trace the symbolic lines that exist

between customs, values and beliefs adopted by people of particular regions.

However, in many cases the lines do not differentiate, dividing whole communities and

cultural groups in the process. The construction of a wall makes tangible the very

abstract notion of sovereignty, particularly for those caught living on the border…. 

Pre-modern State WallsThese walls were built on the boundaries of pre-modern states with centralized governments. They defined the geographic reach of imperial

territories against lands occupied by decentralized tribes.

This differs from our understanding of state boundaries in the modern world in which most of the entire globe lies within the territories of one

state or another.

Great Wall of China

Building Begun: 7th Century BC, continued over several centuries, primarily during the Ming Dynasty (1368-

1644)

Construction: Stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and other

materialsTotal distance: approx. 13,171

miles

Over the time of the Great Wall's construction, the

state we recognize today as China was surrounded by marauding nomadic

tribes. The Great Wall protected the people and resources of the state from invasion

by these tribes while regulating trade and

immigration.

Hadrian's Wall

Building Begun: AD 122Construction: Stone and turf

This defensive fortification in Roman Britain was begun during the rule of Emperor

Hadrian. Like the Great Wall of China, it was built to keep barbarians out of the Roman Empire and

also to provide customs checkpoints for the movement

of goods and people.

Demilitarized Borders:

Demilitarized borders exist between states that no longer view one another as a threat.

Both countries have since withdrawn military presence and activity from their shared boundary.

Maginot LineBuilding Begun: 1930

Construction: Concrete, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun postsTotal Distance: approx. 240 miles (estimates vary greatly)

Named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, France constructed this permanent system of fortifications along the German

and Italian borders in the run-up to World War II.

The wall was mostly demilitarized after 1966. Many of the original fortifications have since been converted for other

uses, including several wine cellars, a mushroom farm and a disco

The Maginot Line was built to fulfill several purposes:

To avoid a surprise attack and to give the alarmTo cover the mobilisation of the French Army (which took between two and three weeks)

To save manpower (France counted 39,000,000 inhabitants, Germany 70,000,000)

To protect Alsace and Lorraine (returned to France in 1918) and their industrial basin

To be used as a basis for a counter-offensiveTo push the enemy to circumvent it while passing

by Switzerland or BelgiumTo hold the enemy while the main army could be

brought up to reinforce the lineTo show non-aggressive posture, and compel the

British to help France if Germany invaded BelgiumTo push Belgium into the war, by leaving it open to

an attack from Germany

The Demilitarized Zone between

North and South Vietnam,

March, 1968, looking west toward

Laos.

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The contentious no-man's-land that has divided the two Koreas for

50 years.

To this day, South Korea and North Korea do not recognize each other as sovereign nations.

In fact the two Koreas are officially still at war. And often they act like it, keeping tensions sharp as a blade

throughout the peninsula and especially along the DMZ.

Berlin WallBuilding Began: 1961

Construction: Concrete reinforced with mesh fencing, signal fencing, anti-vehicle trenches, barbed wire, dogs on long lines,

"beds of nails", over 116 watchtowers, and 20 bunkers

Total Distance: approx. 96 milesThe Berlin Wall, officially referred to by the German

Democratic Republic (GDR) as the "Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart," was constructed to protect

the East German population from perceived fascist elements conspiring to prevent a new socialist

state.

On November 9, 1989, after several weeks of increasing civil unrest, the East German government announced that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin.

Over the months that followed, citizens from both sides began to dismantle the wall piece by piece.

Today only a small section remains as a historical marker.

Fall of Berlin Wall

Modern Nation-to-Nation Walls

Nation-to-nation barriers are those that were constructed on the national boundary of two or

more present day countries and are ongoing sources of conflict.

Walls are extraordinary statements of purpose. They create a physical line in the sand demarcating those on the inside and

those who are firmly on the outside.

If we look at it from another perspective, the world is witnessing one of the greatest migrations in

human history. From economic migrants to political refugees, people are flooding across borders in

unprecedented numbers. …

U.S. - Mexico Border WallBuilding Began: 2006

Construction: Steel and concrete (double fence in

some sections)Total Distance: approx. 640

miles (construction suspended)

In an attempt to quell the world's highest rate of illegal border crossing, increases in drug and

weapons trafficking, and related violence, President George W. Bush ordered

the construction of several strategically placed

sections of wall along the U.S/Mexico international

border. In 2010, President Barack Obama halted

construction and reallocated all funding

towards researching and upgrading border

technology. The state of Arizona has vowed to

continue construction of its portion of the fence

through private online donations

Botswana-Zimbabwe BorderBuilding Began: 2003

Construction: Electric fenceTotal Distance: approx. 300 miles

The official reason Botswana began building a fence along its western

border with Zimbabwe is purportedly to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease among

livestock. However, Zimbabweans believe that it is really intended to keep

people from migrating into Botswana since the 2000 land

reform policy in Zimbabwe resulted in an economic crisis, leaving many

desperate and in search of employment.

Indo-Bangladeshi BarrierBuilding Began: 2005

Construction: Barbed wire and concreteTotal Distance (Goal): I2,116 miles

India is constructing a barrier to prevent illegal immigration and the smuggling of weapons and narcotics from Bangladesh to the Indian state of

Assam. In recent years, it has been a site of particular focus for Human Rights Watch (HRW) because of the border patrol's controversial shoot on

sight policy. HRW reported in 2010 that over 900 Bengladeshi, including children, had

been killed by both sides along the border in the last decade alone.

Kuwait-Iraq BarrierBuilding Began: 1991

Construction: Electrified fencing, concertina wire, trenches and dirt bermsTotal Distance: approx. 120 miles

After the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, international military intervention and the defeat of Iraq, the Kuwait-Iraq barrier was constructed by the United Nations Security Council to prevent future invasion by

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The separation barrier extends six miles into Iraq, three miles into Kuwait, across the full length of their mutual border from Saudi Arabia to the Persian Gulf and is guarded by hundreds of soldiers, several patrol

boats, and helicopters.

Iran Border Walls:In July 2010,

the Iranian Interior Minister, Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar announced that the country would be building

walls along its entire border with

Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The government has purportedly allocated 150 million dollars for this purpose.

Pakistan-Iran BarrierBuilding Began: 2007

Construction: Reinforced concrete, earth and stone

embankments, deep ditches, observation towers and garrisonsTotal Distance: approx. 435 milesThe Iran-Pakistan barrier is a separation

barrier which Iran in the process of reconstructing and fortifying along its

border with Pakistan. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry has said that Iran has the right to erect border fencing in its territory to deter drug smuggling and

illegal crossings. However, the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan (Pakistan)

opposes the wall. They maintain that it will create problems for the Baloch

people, whose lands straddle the border region, dividing them politically and impeding trade and social activities.

Iran-Iraq BarrierBuilding Began: 2007

Construction: Concrete and electric wireTotal Distance: approximately 3 miles

The Iranian government has built a long wall on its border with Iraq to stop drug and weapons smuggling. However, according to Iraqis and Iranians living near the border, the wall has created employment problems for the Iraqis. It is also reported that Iran has issued IDs to Iranian smugglers to regulate their activities.

Green Lines and Territory Walls

Green line and territory walls refer

to those that separate nations from occupied territories or

lands that are claimed by one and disputed by another…

West Bank Separation Barrier

Building Began: 2002Construction: fences, barbed wire, ditches and concrete slabs up to 26ft high sensors, sand (to help identify footprints), patrol roads and buffer zones up to 200 feet

wideTotal Distance: approx. 436 miles

The Israeli-built barrier along the West Bank is primarily located within Palestinian lands. Only 15% of the barrier follows the so-called "Green Line", the internationally recognized border. Israel built the "security fence" as a military measure in the conflict with Palestinians. In 2004, the International Court of Justice in The Hague deemed the barrier was illegal.

Palestinians view it as an "apartheid wall" which threatens their human rights, and believe that its true aim is to expand Israeli territory. Israel has also constructed fencing along its borders with Lebanon and Gaza, and is going ahead with plans to complete barriers at its boundaries with Egypt, Syria and part of Jordan.

Indian Line of Control FencingBuilding Began: 1990s

Construction: Double-row of electrified fencing and concertina wire 8-12 feet high, landmines, and

surveillance systemsTotal Distance: 340 miles along the 460 mile disputed

border

The Line of Control (LoC) established in 1972 separates the Indian states of

Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan's Azad Kashmir--all of which were once part of the "five Northern states of India" that

both countries would like to claim as their own.

The fence, constructed by India, is situated 150 yards inside Indian-controlled territory. Its stated purpose is to exclude arms smuggling and infiltration by Pakistani-based separatist militants.

The Berm (Moroccan Wall)

Building Began: 1980Construction: 10 foot high sand walls, landmines

Total Distance: at least 1,550 miles long

The Moroccan Wall, or The Berm, divides the entire area of Western Sahara. Morocco built

the wall in response to Polisario efforts to establish Western Sahara's independence.

The wall initially contained just a small northwestern part of the territory, but by building a succession of six different

walls, the Moroccans expanded their occupation to the majority of the contested land.

Ceuta and Melilla Borders (Spain-Morocco)

Building Began: circa 2000Construction: three rows of high wire barricades ranging 10 - 20 feet high

Total Distance: approximately 6 miles total (surrounding both cities)

Ceuta and Melilla are free port cities on the northern tip of Africa under Spanish control since 1986. Both cities are surrounded by Morocco, which disputes Spanish sovereignty over them. Spain built the fences to deter Africans from migrating to Iberia through these ports. In 2005, fifteen people were killed trying to cross over the barrier.

Still many try to make it over, some getting caught in the process or drowning while attempting to make the sea crossing.

Human trafficking is common.

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