Saviour of Iraq's antiquities flees to Syria

[Barrett808]

Saviour of Iraq's antiquities flees to Syria
· Violence and Sadrists drive away archaeologist
· Looting fear as funds run out to pay protection force

Michael Howard in Irbil
Saturday August 26, 2006
The Guardian

Iraq's most prominent archaeologist has resigned and fled the country, saying the dire security situation, an acute shortage of funds, and the interference of supporters of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr had made his position intolerable.

Donny George, who was president of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, achieved international recognition for his efforts to track down and recover the priceless antiquities looted from Iraq's National Museum in the mayhem that followed the fall of Baghdad in 2003.

But this week he revealed that he had resigned and was in hiding with his family in the Syrian capital Damascus. In an interview with the Art Newspaper, Dr George said Baghdad was now so dangerous that the National Museum, which houses a trove of Sumerian and Babylonian artefacts, had been sealed off by concrete walls to protect it from insurgent attacks and further looting.

The museum, established by the British in the 1920s, is situated near to Baghdad's notorious Haifa Street, an area that sees regular outbreaks of violence. It lost some 15,000 pieces during the looting in 2003, but about half of them have been recovered. Museum officials say the collections have been walled off four times since the invasion, most recently after a mass kidnapping near the museum building.

"It was the only way to guarantee the museum's safety," said Dr George, who said he had taken the decision despite opposition from the culture ministry. An indefinite delay in the reopening of the museum had been ordered by the ministry.

(more)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1858880,00.html

[Thickasabrick]

1. That is so sad. The NYT had an article about him a couple of

years ago. Really dedicated guy.

[acmavm]

2. More progress george?

[IndianaGreen]

3. The Iraqi middle class is voting with their feet

Thousands of Iraqi professionals and small business owners have either left, or are awaiting their visa papers to leave Iraq for good. Many have gone to Jordan and Syria. Their loss is immeasurable to Iraqi society.

[Benhurst]

4. Good people fleeing Iraq who had managed to survive even

under Saddam Husssein. Tells you something about BushIraq, doesn't it?

[rodeodance]

8. I prob. would have so also (if I were in their shoes).

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Sad K&R.

[sabra]

6. kick

:kick:

[w4rma]

7. These are the types of people who need to be in Iraq for it to become a

democracy. The fact that these are the types of people who are being forced to leave should give further evidence as to the neo-cons' plans of turning Iraq into a "democracy".

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. He says his family was threatened

They sent an AK-47 bullet in an envelope to his 17-year old son, accusing him of denigrating Islam. Report from Channel 4 News in the UK: http://www.channel4.com/news/special-reports/special-reports-storypage.jsp?id=3117