Saddam Beach
Encyclopedia
Saddam Beach is a fishing village in the Malappuram district of the India
n state of Kerala
. The village is made up of a two kilometre (1¼ mi) coastal belt between Puthenkadapuram and Kettungal in Parappanangadi
. The village is named after former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
, in an act of solidarity during the 1991 Gulf War
.
king Tippu Sultan who took an aggressive stance against the British
colonial forces during the late 18th century. Since the Gulf War
of 1991, the villagers have decided to rename the village to its present name, expressing solidarity with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The villagers, mostly Muslim
, claim to be inspired by Saddam and his fight against policies" of the United States
.
-led invasion of Iraq
was received with much condemnation. In 2003, expressing anguish over the renaming of "Saddam International Airport" to "Baghdad International Airport
", some Saddam fans raised a large signpost on the beach with the message "Welcome to Saddam Beach". During the course of the invasion of Baghdad
, the village witnessed many anti-American and anti-British demonstrations. Goods made in these countries were generally boycotted and even thrown into the sea. Many of the villagers who had work in Gulf countries were forced to return to Saddam Beach as their jobs were lost due to the aftereffects of the Gulf War, further increasing animosity to the West. Large cut-outs and posters of Saddam, along with Iraqi flags were erected along the roadside by the locals, marking their protest.
In November 2006, villagers reacted to the death sentence
of Saddam Hussein by staging a protest rally, mouthing slogans against American President George W. Bush
. Around fifty people, including women and children, participated in the march.
On December 30, 2006, angry supporters of Saddam Hussain gathered at the beach, and shouted slogans denouncing US President George W. Bush, describing the execution of Saddam Hussein
as "cruel"
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. The village is made up of a two kilometre (1¼ mi) coastal belt between Puthenkadapuram and Kettungal in Parappanangadi
Parappanangadi
Parappanangadi is a small town in Tirurangadi taluk of Malappuram district, Kerala, India. It is a town located very near to the Arabian sea. Parappanangadi Railway station is one of the oldest railway stations in Kerala. It was a part of first Rail Route in kerala....
. The village is named after former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, in an act of solidarity during the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
Name
The village used to be called Tipu Sultan Beach after the MysoreKingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
king Tippu Sultan who took an aggressive stance against the British
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
colonial forces during the late 18th century. Since the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
of 1991, the villagers have decided to rename the village to its present name, expressing solidarity with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The villagers, mostly Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, claim to be inspired by Saddam and his fight against policies" of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The coastal hamlet that is now Saddam Beach shot into prominence when it was renamed after the Iraqi leader. The villagers of the region have since been particularly vocal about their admiration of Saddam and his anti-imperialistic stance. The United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
was received with much condemnation. In 2003, expressing anguish over the renaming of "Saddam International Airport" to "Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport, originally Saddam International Airport, , BIAP is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate...
", some Saddam fans raised a large signpost on the beach with the message "Welcome to Saddam Beach". During the course of the invasion of Baghdad
2003 invasion of Baghdad
The Battle of Baghdad also known as the Fall of Baghdad was a military invasion of Baghdad that took place in early April 2003, as part of the invasion of Iraq....
, the village witnessed many anti-American and anti-British demonstrations. Goods made in these countries were generally boycotted and even thrown into the sea. Many of the villagers who had work in Gulf countries were forced to return to Saddam Beach as their jobs were lost due to the aftereffects of the Gulf War, further increasing animosity to the West. Large cut-outs and posters of Saddam, along with Iraqi flags were erected along the roadside by the locals, marking their protest.
In November 2006, villagers reacted to the death sentence
Trial of Saddam Hussein
thumb|300 px| Saddam Hussein sits before an Iraqi judge at a courthouse in Baghdad, 1 July 2004.The Trial of Saddam Hussein was the trial of the deposed President of Iraq Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi Interim Government for crimes against humanity during his time in office.The Coalition Provisional...
of Saddam Hussein by staging a protest rally, mouthing slogans against American President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Around fifty people, including women and children, participated in the march.
On December 30, 2006, angry supporters of Saddam Hussain gathered at the beach, and shouted slogans denouncing US President George W. Bush, describing the execution of Saddam Hussein
Execution of Saddam Hussein
The execution of Saddam Hussein took place on December 30, 2006 . Saddam was sentenced to death by hanging, after being found guilty and convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for the murder of 148 Iraqi Shi'ite in the town of Dujail in 1982, in retaliation for an...
as "cruel"