"Jullien, V." wrote:

> In addition, the ICOM Secretariat is trying to collect information on the
> collections of the Iraq Museum and other Iraqi museums notably through
> exhibition catalogues,web sites and experts.
> We are also in contact with Interpol, our partner in the fight against the
> illicit traffic in cultural property.
>

I have remained silent until now. I wonder why there was not a similar reaction
to the equivalent situation in the Arican conflicts of the recent past and still
ongoing - perhaps we don't have CNN in the frontline?.

However, I wish to take this opportunity, in the light of the quoted paragraph,
to emphasise the importance of projects like the Africom Inventory Project, the
Handbook of Standards, and to take them to the next level. Funding must be made
available to document and digitise all of these collections and store the
information on a central database - ICOM is the obvious organisation to act as a
repository.

My plea is not only for Africa - but for all collections worldwide - if this
were possible we would have no problem now trying to retrospectively identify
what has been looted. We would also know what is held by museums outside of Iraq
or Africa by museums in the US and Europe.

I think what I am trying to say is that most museum professionals are aware of
the dangers, those of us who are in conflict zones perhaps more than others
(remember that prior to the 1990's South Africa was slated to erupt in a
bloodbath). We try to take precautions, we try to protect  our artefacts, but
money is always the bottom line - where do we get the funds to deal with the
situation.

Funding for good, accurate, centralised inventories and information would go a
long way, as would some funding for establishing safe repositories to remove the
artefacts to in time of conflict.

This war is slated to have cost $80 billion - how far would a ten percent `tax'
get us in realising these potentials? This was a deliberate invasion - not an
eruption of violence. We have now the opportunity to lobby the powers that be
concerning what happens in times of conflict - this could have been planned for
well in advance - and I am sure the Iraqi museologists agonised over the
possibilities equally as much as I did in the 1990's - but if there are no funds
to attend to the issues there is very little they can do. Make the US establish
a fund, administered by UNESCO to the tune of a ten percent tax - to be used
exclusively to document as rapidly as possible all heritage held in theatres of
conflict and potential conflict, to create a central repository for this
information and also to assist museums to make viable arrangements (viable means
backed by guaranteed funding) for the safeguarding of artefacts in times of
potential threat.

Documentation is essential in times of natural disasters or attacks such as 9/11
- what would have happened if the Smithsonian's collections repository had been
targetted? - or in a natural disaster. Preparation is essential where the
possibility of a disaster such as the Iraqi situation is known in advance - this
has been a possibility for at least two years now!

I think that ICOM and UNESCO and the UN must insist on the establishment of a
fund, using this situation which is so publicised, and citing the same
situations occurring in Africa (btw - what is being done about the potentially
explosive situation in Zimbabwe and Swaziland?), to be used to establish a
central repository of data concerning heritage held by institutions worldwide,
whether natural, cultural or archival in nature as well as to assist
repositories to put in place plans and facilities for safekeeping of heritage in
times of crisis.

I think a 10% war tax on the USA and UK is not unreasonable! Projects such as
the Africom Inventory Project have not floundered because of lack of commitment
but because of lack of funding.

 Glyn Balkwill
 Collections Manager
 National Cultural History Museum
 PO Box 28088
 SUNNYSIDE
 0132  RSA
 Tel(w):27 (0)12 324-6082; Tel(h): 27 (0)12 664-1973; Cell: 27 (0)82 770-7826
 Fax   :27 (0)12 328-5173; Email : [log in to unmask]

 Any opinions expressed are strictly my own

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