Camp Bucca

Camp Bucca was a detention facility maintained by the United States military in the vicinity of Umm Qasr, Iraq. As of June 2011, a group of entrepreneurial Iraqis and Americans are re-building Camp Bucca as Basra Gateway, a logistic center. The facility was initially called Camp Freddy and used by British Forces to hold Iraqi prisoners of war. After being taken over by the U.S. military in April 2003, it was renamed after Ronald Bucca, a NYC Fire Marshal who died in the 11 September 2001 attacks.Camp Bucca was built on a site where before the tallest structure of Iraq, a 492 metres high TV mast stood, which might have been used for propaganda TV to Iran.After the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, many detainees from Abu Ghraib were transferred to Camp Bucca. After a substantial turn-over in the chain of command at Camp Bucca and substantial amendments to camp policy, the US military held up Camp Bucca as an example of how a model detention facility should be run. A majority of the detainees were reportedly housed in cinder block housing units with wooden roofing rather than tents, while other detainees were held in hasty tent compounds until 2009.. Cigarettes, tea, and the opportunity to listen to radio and T.V. programs were used as incentives for good behavior. Some detainees were allowed family visitation from Iraqi relatives not held at the facility. Detainees were provided the opportunity for basic education including reading, writing, arithmetic, basic geography and art. Detainees organized and administered their own classes in subjects like literacy and religion, and competed in soccer matches. Soccer matches were encouraged to attempt to promote cooperation and trust between every aspect involved in the camp.