On 14 May 2004 at 9:40, V. Jullien wrote:

> Below is the translation of the message from ICOM-Guatemala. This translation was made by J.P.
> Jouanny from the Interpol Headquarters.
>
> For your information, I received from ICOM-Guatemala photos and Object ID descriptions of the 3
> objects. All information was sent yesterday to Interpol and others institutions. The Museum Security
> Network might put them on its web site.


Object ID fact sheets about these thefts are available on line at:

http://www.museum-security.org/antigua.pdf



>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Valérie Jullien
> Communication Officer
> ICOM secretariat
>
>  _________________________
>
>
>
> The Association of Guatemala Museums rejects the facts of violence
>
> that has been bestowed on the Colonial Art Museum.
>
> The Association of Guatemala Museums / Guatemalan Committee of the
>
> International Council of Museums which joins all public and private
>
> Guatemala museums, rejects and laments the attack against the
>
> Cultural Heritage and the loss of Human Life committed at the
>
> Colonial Art Museum in Antigua Guatemala on Sunday 2nd May 2004.
>
> It shows once again the lack of protection of the National Cultural
>
> Heritage held at the Guatemalan Museums while at the same time it
>
> shows the risk of violence at those Cultural Centres. The loss of a
>
> cultural worker, Mr. Jorge Luis Morán Santizo, Security Officer of
>
> the Museum, who died in the line of duty defending the transcendental
>
> values of Guatemala will not be forgotten.
>
> During this deplorable criminal act the following works of art were
>
> stolen from the Colonial Art Museum: "La Virgen al pie de la cruz"
>
> (Virgin at the foot of the Cross) 53cm high x 23 cm large; "El Cristo
>
> de la agonia" 74 cm. high x 30 cm. large (Both Works-Art are carved
>
> in wood and decorated with gold and cloth); one painting on canvas by
>
> Cristobal Villalpando of XVIII Century named "El Sueño del Papa
>
> Gregoriano" (The dream of the Gregorian Pope) 300 cm high x 300 cm
>
> large. This painting was taken away by cutting it from its frame. The
>
> pictures of those works of art have already been put on the Internet.
>
> Neither Cultural Treasure nor loss of Human Life can be replaced.
>
> Criminal impoverished Guatemala, despoiling their Historical-Cultural
>
> goods and at the same time a family in mourning and a cultural
>
> sector threatened by such criminal acts.
>
> We express our disdain for those terrible events and we declare our
>
> sadness to the family of Mr. Jorge Morán and to all persons who gave
>
> their life defending the Heritage. We would like to show our
>
> solidarity with the competent Authorities, especially with the
>
> Colonial Art Museum Director Mrs. Betancourt.
>
> We ask the representatives of the competent institutions to ensure
>
> that the facts do not go unpunished and that an investigation be
>
> opened to identify and arrest the offenders. At the same time, we
>
> request an improvement of the security inside the areas where our
>
> national cultural treasures are held and protected.
>
> Museums are places where culture spreads out and where visitors are
>
> put in contact with reality through the exhibits. Museums are also an
>
> evident support of education. Today, there is a climate of insecurity
>
> and uncertainty in these places because of the poor conditions of the
>
> installations. This fact demonstrates the vulnerability of the
>
> installations.
>
> We also remember the guards of the cultural heritage of the central
>
> regions of Guatemala who have given their lives for the protection of
>
> this heritage and also the workers who, every day, expose their life
>
> to the threats emanating from the looters of the two most important
>
> patrimonial values: the material testimony of the culture of our
>
> ancestors and of the present civilisation.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> archive of the list:
>
>  <http://msn-list.te.verweg.com/> http://msn-list.te.verweg.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> Join us in Seoul, ICOM General Conference, Oct. 2-8, 2004.
> Theme : Museums and Intangible Heritage
> http://icom.museum/general-conference2004.html
>
>
>
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