Friday, June 16, 2017
Problematic MOU Request
The State Department has notified the public of its receipt of a request for a MOU with Libya. It remains to be seen how a country with two competing governments, that is over-run by militias and which remains in danger from ISIS can meet its obligations under UNESCO and the CPIA to protect and preserve is own cultural property let alone that which may be repatriated from the US under the terms of any agreement. Libya needs our help, but that help should be focused on protecting its world class archaeological sites from the depredations of ISIS and other radical Islamic groups. Turning US Customs loose to seize and forfeit "undocumented" "Libyan" artifacts will only harm legitimate trade and the appreciation for Libya's ancient cultures. It certainly won't help protect Libyan archaeological sites and museums from their greatest threat, which is hammer and explosive wielding religious fanatics.
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3 comments:
Hi Peter:
If Libya fails to meet its Unesco obligations, which looks highly likely, what then? I'll wager the same idiots who denigrate US foreign policy at every opportunity and US collectors in particular, will demand US military action.
In other words, they will expect, nay demand, US troops to risk their lives to save ancient monuments, museums, and other Libyan cultural icons.
Far better in my view, that those in the archaeology circus, strap on a four foot long piece of timber to strengthen their backbones, and go and do their own dying and fighting. If Libya's heritage is that important to them, let them die for it.
Best
John Howland
Hi Peter:
If Libya fails to meet its Unesco obligations, which looks highly likely, what then? I'll wager the same idiots who denigrate US foreign policy at every opportunity and US collectors in particular, will demand US military action.
In other words, they will expect, nay demand, US troops to risk their lives to save ancient monuments, museums, and other Libyan cultural icons.
Far better in my view, that those in the archaeology circus, strap on a four foot long piece of timber to strengthen their backbones, and go and do their own dying and fighting. If Libya's heritage is that important to them, let them die for it.
Best
John Howland
Peter:
More heavy-handed diplomacy from the Masters:
It is reported by the Libya Observer (LO) that the country’s General Tourism Authority (GTA) has criticized the decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to place five archaeological sites in Libya on the endangered world heritage list.
The five sites, the LO cites, are Leptis Magna in the city of Al-Khums, the ancient city of Sabratah, the city of Cyrene in Shahat, the rock art site of the Akakus Mountain in the far south of Libya and the ancient city of Ghadames.
The LO reports that the GTA issued a statement critical of Unesco in that these sites were registered on the danger list without any regulatory, legal or logical actions, in the absence of Libyan government representation, both in the 39th session that took place in the German capital Bonn in 2015, or in the 40th session held in 2016 in Istanbul.
Seems par for the Unesco course.
Regards
John Howland
UK Collector
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