US Government Repatriates Artifacts to War Zone

The United States Government has completed repatriating artifacts to war ravaged Iraq.   Some of these artifacts had been in US Government custody for years so it's fair to ask, "why now?"

Is  "repatriation" more important as a diplomatic measure than "protecting" an artifact for future generations?   And, is there a concerted effort to conflate one concept with the other even where the facts suggest that repatriation will instead most likely endanger the object?

Lament of a Cosmopolitan Arab

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, the general manager of Al Arabiya TV, has lamented that the Arab World's penchant to willfully destroy the evidence of past civilizations suggests that its pre-Islamic antiquities are better off in the West.   UNESCO, the sectarian government of Iraq, the odious Assad regime, the Egyptian generals and the archaeological lobby will no doubt disagree.  Yet, CPO sees parallels to China.  There was a time not too long ago when fanatics devoted to Mao's Cultural Revolution purposefully destroyed an untold number of cultural treasures and hounded those with knowledge about them sometimes to death. Now, the Chinese have regained their appreciation of their past, and luckily they can turn to America for access to both artifacts that have been treasured here as well as knowledge about them.  Hopefully, that can happen in the Arab world too, but only if UNESCO and its allies don't get in the way.

On the Iconoclasm of ISIS

Elicott Colla, an academic associated with Georgetown University, has written this interesting blog on the iconoclasm of ISIS.  His well-informed conclusions seem far more sensible to CPO than those who see ISIS merely as hypocrites with a political agenda. 

Destruction at the Mosul Museum: Who Cares?

Assyrian Christian minorities in Iraq and Syria and its diaspora  do.

Archaeologists both here and in the Middle East do (though some apparently can't help themselves and must find a way to take swipes at collectors as they mourn for what is lost) .

Collectors and Museum professionals most certainly do, despite what some archaeologists may think.

And based on news reports at least, presumably the Western World does, though the scope of the tragedy may not be fully appreciated.

But what of the Islamic world in general and the Islamic inhabitants of Syria and Iraq in particular?

Do they really care or might they even view Western outrage over the destruction of artifacts over lives as misplaced or even worse?

And depending on the answer what does that say? 

Better Burned then Smuggled?

UNESCO and the Iraqi cultural bureaucracy are up in arms because some valuable Islamic manuscripts were removed from ISIS controlled Mosul and taken to Turkey. One wonders if UNESCO and the Iraqi cultural bureaucracy would rather have seen them burned by Islamic fanatics instead.

If anything, the rise of ISIS and the the devolution of the rest of Iraq into a Shia-dominated sectarian rump state also confirms the wisdom of keeping the Iraqi Jewish archive in the United States.

CPO was dubious about the archive's repatriation even before the wheels came off in Iraq.  Yet, CPO suspects there are still some in the archaeological lobby still pressing for the return of the archive to an uncertain fate.

Legal Action Contemplated on Iraqi-Jewish Archive

It appears Jewish Groups are contemplating legal action if the State Department ignores Congress and fails to do the right thing by returning the Jewish Archive documents to their rightful owners, Iraqi-Jewish exiles or groups representing their interests.  Oddly, the issue has received little attention from those who champion the return of Holocaust art to heirs or other cultural property to its true owners on the blogosphere. Wonder why?

The Full Story of the Iraqi Jewish Archive

Here is the full story of the Iraqi Jewish Archive.  It's clear that many of the objects are of a personal nature and not as claimed by some ardent repatriationists merely government documents about Jews. All documents of a personal, religious or community nature should go back to their true owners or to the Iraqi Jewish Community in exile.   Repatriationist principles should not apply where the nation state stole the artifacts in question as part of ethnic cleansing.  It should be simple as that.

House Resolution to Protect the Iraqi Jewish Archive Garners Wide Support

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen's resolution to ensure the rights of Iraqi Jews in exile to access to the Iraqi Jewish Archive has already garnered the support of 21 House Members, including the resolution's initial co-sponsor, Democratic Congressman Israel.  The Co-sponsors to date are:

Rep Chabot, Steve [OH-1] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Cicilline, David N. [RI-1] - 3/12/2014 
Rep Coffman, Mike [CO-6] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Deutch, Theodore E. [FL-21] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Frankel, Lois [FL-22] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-8] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Grimm, Michael G. [NY-11] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-3] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Johnson, Bill [OH-6] - 3/6/2014 
Rep King, Peter T. [NY-2] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Latta, Robert E. [OH-5] - 3/12/2014 
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-17] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Murphy, Patrick [FL-18] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-10] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Stivers, Steve [OH-15] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Titus, Dina [NV-1] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-23] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Weber, Randy K. Sr. [TX-14] - 3/6/2014 
Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10] - 3/6/2014

But what is the position of the Archaeological Institute of America and Saving Antiquities for Everyone on the matter?  Both groups have been adamant in the past that Iraqi cultural artifacts should be repatriated.

Hopefully, common sense and common decency have caused them to rethink their usual position as to these artifacts which were stolen from Iraq's once vibrant Jewish community.

Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Repatriation of the Iraqi Jewish Archive Introduced in the House

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Congressman Steven Israel (D-NY) have introduced a resolution, HR 505, recommending that the US renegotiate the return of the Iraqi Jewish Archive so that the rights of the Iraqi Jewish community in exile are protected.  The resolution mirrors an earlier one that passed by unanimous consent in the Senate.  Will the State Department and its Cultural Heritage take heed of these resolutions or will they be ignored?  And, if so, will Congress take additional action to stop the repatriation?   And what of the ardent repatriationists in the archaeological community?  Will they actively oppose the resolution and what it stands for?

Senate Resolution on Iraqi Jewish Archive Received Strong Bipartisan Support

Here is the list of Senators that co-sponsored the S. Res. 333.  The original sponsor was Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).  The names of the original co-sponsors are marked with an asterisk (*):

Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Rubio, Marco [R-FL] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Roberts, Pat [R-KS] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Kaine, Tim [D-VA] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] - 1/16/2014 *
Sen Moran, Jerry [R-KS] - 1/27/2014
Sen Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] - 1/27/2014
Sen Coats, Daniel [R-IN] - 1/28/2014
Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] - 1/28/2014
Sen Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] - 1/29/2014
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] - 1/29/2014
Sen Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] - 1/29/2014
Sen Murphy, Christopher S. [D-CT] - 1/30/2014
Sen Risch, James E. [R-ID] - 2/4/2014
Sen Boozman, John [R-AR] - 2/4/2014
Sen Blunt, Roy [R-MO] - 2/4/2014
Sen Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] - 2/6/2014
Sen Coburn, Tom [R-OK] - 2/6/2014
Sen Nelson, Bill [D-FL] - 2/6/2014
Sen Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] - 2/6/2014
Sen Cochran, Thad [R-MS] - 2/6/2014
Sen Murray, Patty [D-WA] - 2/6/2014
Sen Johanns, Mike [R-NE] - 2/6/2014
Sen Cruz, Ted [R-TX] - 2/6/2014
Sen Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] - 2/6/20

  

Senate Urges State Department to Ensure Iraqi Archive Remains Accessible to Iraqi Jews

On February 6, 2014, the US Senate approved the following Resolution (Sen. Res. 333 ATS) by unanimous consent:

Strongly recommending that the United States renegotiate the return of the Iraqi Jewish Archive to Iraq.

Whereas, before the mid-20th century, Baghdad had been a center of Jewish life, culture, and scholarship, dating back to 721 B.C.;

Whereas, as recently as 1940, Jews made up 25 percent of Baghdad's population; 

Whereas, in the 1930s and 1940s, under the leadership of Rasheed Ali, anti-Jewish discrimination increased drastically, including the June 1-2, 1941, Farhud pogrom, in which nearly 180 Jews were killed;

Whereas, in 1948, Zionism was added to the Iraqi criminal code as punishable by death;

Whereas, throughout 1950-1953, Jews were allowed to leave Iraq under the condition that they renounce their citizenship;

Whereas, as result of past persecution, few Jews remain in Iraq today, and many left their possessions and treasured artifacts behind; 

Whereas the Ba'ath regime confiscated these artifacts, later dubbed the Iraqi Jewish Archive, from synagogues and communal organizations;

Whereas, on May 6, 2003, members of the United States Armed Forces discovered the Iraqi Jewish Archive, which included 2,700 books and tens of thousands of documents, in the heavily damaged and flooded basement of the Mukhabarat (secret police) headquarters;

Whereas, under great urgency and before adequate time could be dedicated to researching the history of the Iraqi Jewish Archive, an agreement was signed between the National Archives and Records Administration and the Coalition Provisional Authority on August 20, 2003, stating that the Iraqi Jewish Archive would be sent to the United States for restoration and then would be sent back to Iraq after completion;

Whereas, the Iraqi Jewish community is the constituency of the Archive and is now represented by the diaspora outside Iraq;

Whereas, the current Government of Iraq has publicly acknowledged the importance of the Archive and demonstrated a shared respect for the wishes of the Iraqi Jewish diaspora by attending the December 2013 burial of several Torah fragments from the Archive in New York;

Whereas United States taxpayers have invested $3,000,000 to restore the Iraqi Jewish Archive, and the National Archives and Records Administration has worked diligently to preserve the artifacts;

Whereas the National Archives and Records Administration is displaying the Iraqi Jewish Archive in Washington, DC, from October 11, 2013, to January 5, 2014, and in New York City from February 4, 2014, to May 18, 2014; and

Whereas the Iraqi Embassy to the United States has said that the Iraqi Jewish community, like other communities in Iraq, played a key role in building the country, shared in its prosperity, and also suffered exile and forced departure because of tyranny: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) strongly urges the Department of State to renegotiate with the Government of Iraq the provisions of the original agreement that was signed between the National Archives and Records Administration and the Coalition Provisional Authority in order to ensure that the Iraqi Jewish Archive be kept in a place where its long-term preservation and care can be guaranteed;

(2) recognizes that the Iraqi Jewish Archive should be housed in a location that is accessible to scholars and to Iraqi Jews and their descendants who have a personal interest in it;

(3) recognizes that the agreement between the National Archives and Records Administration and the Coalition Provisional Authority was signed before knowing the complete history of the Iraqi Jewish Archive;

(4) reaffirms the United States commitment to cultural property under international law; and

(5) reaffirms the United States commitment to ensuring justice for victims of ethnic and religious persecution.

But will the State Department and its Cultural Heritage Center pay heed to the Senate's directions?

And how will ardent repatriationists within the archaeological community react to the Senate's action? 

Like Sending Back Art Nazis Looted

Anyone who still thinks the Iraqi Jewish Archive should be repatriated to Iraq should read this story about a Canadian doctor born an Iraqi Jew who just wants her own property back.  No, despite some disinformation in the archaeological blogosphere, the issue is not Iraqi Government documents "about Jews."  Rather, the issue is about documents taken from Iraqi Jews who were the subject of ethnic cleansing by an anti-Semitic Iraqi state.

The documents should go to their true owners or their representatives, not the country that hounded them to leave.  It's as simple as that.

Almost 50 House Members Urge State Department to Turn Over Iraqi Jewish Archive to Iraqi Jews

Haaretz is reporting that almost 50 Members of the US House of Representatives have asked the State Department to turn over the Iraqi Jewish Archive to Iraqi Jews.   And no wonder.  As Haaretz explains,  

Members of Iraq's Jewish community, many of whom fled the country in previous decades, say the materials were forcibly taken from them and should not be returned.

Edwin Shuker, 58, who escaped to Britain with his family from Baghdad in 1971, said he had discovered his long-abandoned school certificate on display as part of the National Archives exhibition.

"This is more than a school certificate - it is the identity we were forced to leave behind," he told Reuters, likening the document's journey and survival to his own.

"I would like to be reassured that my children and future generations will have unrestricted access to this collection."

Yet, the State Department ignored another bipartisan letter from 12 members of Congress raising concerns with the then prospective inclusion of coins in the Italian MOU.  So, one has to wonder whether the State Department will actually address these concerns though we are told they have been heard "loud and clear." 

Don't Let the Iraqi-Jewish Archive Go Back to Iraq!

Jewish groups have sponsored this petition asking the US Government not to send the Iraqi-Jewish archive back to an uncertain future in Iraq.  This is part of a larger effort in Congress to pressure the State Department and the Obama Administration to do the right thing and make sure the archive is turned over to Iraqi-Jewish representatives.  These groups have even developed this platform to help deported Jews make a claim to their own heritage.  A late start but an effort anyone who really cares about preserving the history of the Iraqi-Jewish community should support.

Falling on Deaf Ears?

The New York Times has published this heartfelt plea for the Obama Administration to ensure the Jewish archive rescued by US troops from the flooded basement of Iraqi Secret Police headquarters does not return to Iraq.  The claim is that the Obama Administration is bound by a decision of the Bush Administration, but President Obama has sought to  distance himself from the Bush Administration on Iraq, so why not here as well?  And what of the silence from all those Holocaust art lawyers?  Don't some of the same principles apply here?

State Department Rebuffs Schumer

The U.S. State Department and its Cultural Heritage Center have rebuffed Senator Schumer's effort to stop the repatriation of the property of Iraqi Jews to the same country that deported them.  In 2009, the State Department and its Cultural Heritage Center also imposed import restrictions on Chinese cultural goods, despite prior assurances to the Senator to the contrary.

Will Senator Schumer press the State Department on the matter or let it drop as was done with import restrictions on Chinese cultural artifacts?

Iraqi Jewish Archive To Be Returned to Uncertain Future

The Washington Post has a poignant article about the Iraqi Jewish Archive and its planned return to the anti-Semitic Government of Iraq after a $3 million restoration courtesy of the US Taxpayer.

One wonders whether the same ardent repatriationists who have demanded its return will monitor the Iraqi Government's treatment of the archive with the anywhere near the same vigor they have shown in criticizing the US Government's actions, which after all, saved the archive from oblivion.

And will the archive be cared for by the Iraqis on its return?  Will it remain available so scholars?   CPO tends to doubt it as do many of  those who have already posted comments to the Washington Post article.

Cultural Nationalism Now Bites American Archaeologists

A Kurdish source is reporting that the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has stopped dealing with US archaeological teams in response to the refusal of US authorities to return Iraqi Jewish artifacts to the country. 

If so, this is a rebuff not only to American archaeologists who have tirelessly promoted the interests of the Iraqi archaeological establishment (both during and after the fall of Saddam's Baathist regime) but also to the US State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and its Cultural Heritage Center, which have lavished millions of dollars on the Iraqi archaeological establishment-- all at a time US cultural institutions are finding themselves in an extremely harsh financial climate.

In punishing American archaeologists for a dispute over the repatriation of cultural artifacts, the Iraqis are apparently taking a page from the Turkish Government which has also recently punished German archaeologists for the perceived transgressions of German state museums.

Here, the Iraqis are apparently specifically miffed at US reconsideration of a controversial State Department "commitment"  to return cultural artifacts confiscated from Iraqi Jews who were forced from their homeland in a callous act of "ethnic cleansing".   Given their own "unclean hands," it's hard to see any "moral rights" Iraq may have to such artifacts. 

And in an ironic twist, American archaeologists apparently have now themselves become the "victims" of the very same virulent cultural nationalism they have themselves done so much to foster.  Perhaps it's finally time for the Archaeological Institute of America to rethink its unqualified support for the broadest claims of any nation state where American archaeologists excavate. 

And it's certainly time to cut any further funding of Iraqi archaeology or the repatriation of any "Iraqi looking" cultural goods based on the slimmest suspicion they may have left that country after an international embargo was placed on the import of any Iraqi products. 

Oil Over Antiquities-- Where is the International Archaeological Uproar?

The Iraqi Oil Ministry and the Iraqi Tourism Ministry are at odds over the extension of an oil pipeline that impinges on the ancient site of Babylon. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17702153

I suspect that the Iraqi Oil Ministry will win out in this dispute.

Imagine the uproar if this happened under US Military occupation.

Yet, there is none here.

Chasing Saddam's Butt

UK police have arrested a British veteran and have charged him with trying to sell a piece of a Saddam statute given to him by US Marines following the fall of Baghdad. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/19/man-arrested-buttock-saddam-hussein-statue

The retired British special forces soldier had hoped to donate the proceeds to wounded veterans, but when the Iraqi Embassy got wind of the sale, they evidently demanded that British polices seize the item as their "cultural property."

The veteran has it right:

Describing the furore surrounding the buttock as farcical, Ely questioned how a piece of metal from a statue put up by a dictator could be classified as national cultural property.

The ex-soldier asked: "How can it be classed as cultural property when it was put up by the biggest tyrant since Attila the Hun?"

Ely believes that Iraqi officials decided to demand the return of the war relic after seeing media coverage of its value.

"American Marines gave it to me and at that time Baghdad was under American control," he added. "There wasn't even an Iraqi government and I have since turned it into a piece of war relic art.

"This is like having a chunk of the Berlin Wall – it's part of history but it's not cultural property."