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Looting of Baghdad Artefacts A Crying Shame
Since time immemorial, warring nations had no compunctions in plundering their enemy’s national treasures and other symbols of wealth, both as war booty and to demonstrate their power over the defeated.
Quite unbelievably, even in this seemingly more enlightened environment of the 21st century, the world was shocked and saddened by the recent massive looting of Iraq’s choicest millennia?鄄old cultural properties at the famed National Museum in Baghdad.
Ironically, this was committed right under the noses of the victorious US invaders who did nothing whatsoever to stop it.
Iraq has one of the most glorious ancient civilisations created by man, with extant artefacts dating back more than 5000 years, a substantial number of which were showcased at the National Museum.
It is estimated that between 120,000 and 150,000 priceless art objects there were lost. This far exceeded the 4000 pieces alleged to have been removed by US forces and UN personnel during the Gulf War in 1991.
Soon after this cultural rape, some of the stolen art objects began to appear in Western antique markets, as well as in the black markets in Iraq.
Before long, many of these would undoubtedly end up in unscrupulous private and public collections of the affluent nations.
The US government’s feeble response to this outrage seems to lend credence to the view that its hatred for Saddam Hussein’s regime is so deep?鄄seated that it suffered no pangs of conscience to tacitly allow the looters to have a field day at the National Museum.
This contrasted starkly with its well?鄄planned deployment of troops to protect the equipment and facilities at captured Iraqi oil fields as the US has a vested economic interest in the future uninterrupted supply of Iraqi oil to its own market at stable prices.
Its overt failure to prevent such looting was roundly condemned by thinking people everywhere. It is a permanent blot on its international image and violates US obligations under international conventions to safeguard and protect cultural properties in times of war.
The US soldiers’ behaviour was unpardonable as both UNESCO and leading American and Western academics had already painstakingly warned the US Government long before the war broke out of the real danger of such lootings taking place in Iraq, and urged it to take effective actions to prevent these from happening. Their warnings had not been heeded.
What can the US Government do to atone its failure to safeguard and protect these Iraqi national treasures? It is otiose to say that no amount of monetary recompense to Iraq can adequately compensate it for the irreplaceable loss of its sacred cultural heritage.
Be that as it may, it is certainly within the US power and financial capability to take the following remedial measures to partially redeem its tarnished public image:
Firstly, its forces, and that of its allies, must ensure that there are no further lootings of the numerous other cultural properties that are scattered in various sites throughout Iraq.
Secondly, it will take efficacious actions to recover the looted artefacts that are still within that county and to prevent their export.
Thirdly, it will take necessary steps to ensure that these stolen artefacts are banned from importation and exportation in US and request other countries to do the same. Together with them, to formulate appropriate actions to facilitate their return to Iraq.
Lastly, to make a substantial financial grant to Iraq for its reconstruction as a gesture of atonement.
I implore the United States to take concrete responsibility for this sad episode.
自古以来，战胜国劫掠敌国的金银珠宝和财富的其他象征物作为其战利品并借此显示其对战败国的权势，从无自疚之心。
最近，巴格达举世闻名的国家博物馆里，许多具有几千年历史的文化财产遭到大规模劫掠，令世人感到震惊和悲哀。在21世纪这个似乎更为文明的环境里，还发生这样的事情，委实令人感到难以置信。
具有讽刺意味的是，这是在战胜的美国侵略者的鼻子下犯下的罪行，可是他们完全没有采取任何制止行动。
伊拉克拥有人类创造的最辉煌的古代文明之一，有许多超过5000年历史的至今尚存的工艺品，其中大部分在国家博物馆里展出。
据估计，博物馆里约有12万到15万件的无价工艺品遗失。其数目远超过在1991年波斯湾战争中，据说被美军和联合国人员拿走的4000件文物。
这场文明浩劫发生后不久，一些被盗文物开始在西方的古董市场和伊拉克的黑市出现。
不久后，大量的文物毫无疑问会落在富裕国家里一些不择手段的私人收藏家和收藏机构手里。
美国对劫掠行为无动于衷似乎证实这一观点：美国对萨达姆政权深恶痛绝，因此昧着良知默许劫掠者集体抢劫。
不过，与此形成鲜明对照的是，美军对被占领的伊拉克油田的设备却早有计划地进行严密保护。理由很简单，美国必须确保自己的既得经济利益——伊拉克油田将来可以为美国市场提供源源不断、价格稳定的石油。
因为没有制止劫掠行动，美国受到许多有识之士的谴责。这是美国国际形象的一个永久的污点，也违反了美国根据国际公约，在战时要捍卫和保护文化遗产所应承担的义务。
美军的行为根本不可宽恕，因为在战争还没有爆发前很久，联合国教科文组织和一些杰出的美国和西方学者，已经煞费苦心警告美国发生劫掠事件的危险。并恳请美国采取有效的预防措施，美国对他们的警告却置之不理。
美国要如何弥补它的过失呢？说伊拉克所失去的珍贵文化遗产是金钱所不能补偿的，这是无益的。
话虽如此，美国却绝对有能力和财力，采取以下的补救措施，部分挽回已经受损的公众形象。
第一、美国和其盟国的军队，必须确保其他分散在伊拉克境内的许多文化遗产，不会遭受进一步被劫掠的厄运。
第二、实施有效的行动，取回被掠夺但还留在伊拉克境内的文物，防止它们出口到其它地方。
第三、采取必要的措施，禁止被抢的文物在美国进口或出口，并要求其他国家作出同样的行动。另外，美国也应该和这些国家商讨如何让被劫的文物重归伊拉克。
最后为了表示愿意弥补过失，对重建伊拉克的工作，美国应该给予大量的经济援助。
我恳请美国为这场可悲插曲负起具体的责任。
Since time immemorial, warring nations had no compunctions in plundering their enemy’s national treasures and other symbols of wealth, both as war booty and to demonstrate their power over the defeated.
Quite unbelievably, even in this seemingly more enlightened environment of the 21st century, the world was shocked and saddened by the recent massive looting of Iraq’s choicest millennia?鄄old cultural properties at the famed National Museum in Baghdad.
Ironically, this was committed right under the noses of the victorious US invaders who did nothing whatsoever to stop it.
Iraq has one of the most glorious ancient civilisations created by man, with extant artefacts dating back more than 5000 years, a substantial number of which were showcased at the National Museum.
It is estimated that between 120,000 and 150,000 priceless art objects there were lost. This far exceeded the 4000 pieces alleged to have been removed by US forces and UN personnel during the Gulf War in 1991.
Soon after this cultural rape, some of the stolen art objects began to appear in Western antique markets, as well as in the black markets in Iraq.
Before long, many of these would undoubtedly end up in unscrupulous private and public collections of the affluent nations.
The US government’s feeble response to this outrage seems to lend credence to the view that its hatred for Saddam Hussein’s regime is so deep?鄄seated that it suffered no pangs of conscience to tacitly allow the looters to have a field day at the National Museum.
This contrasted starkly with its well?鄄planned deployment of troops to protect the equipment and facilities at captured Iraqi oil fields as the US has a vested economic interest in the future uninterrupted supply of Iraqi oil to its own market at stable prices.
Its overt failure to prevent such looting was roundly condemned by thinking people everywhere. It is a permanent blot on its international image and violates US obligations under international conventions to safeguard and protect cultural properties in times of war.
The US soldiers’ behaviour was unpardonable as both UNESCO and leading American and Western academics had already painstakingly warned the US Government long before the war broke out of the real danger of such lootings taking place in Iraq, and urged it to take effective actions to prevent these from happening. Their warnings had not been heeded.
What can the US Government do to atone its failure to safeguard and protect these Iraqi national treasures? It is otiose to say that no amount of monetary recompense to Iraq can adequately compensate it for the irreplaceable loss of its sacred cultural heritage.
Be that as it may, it is certainly within the US power and financial capability to take the following remedial measures to partially redeem its tarnished public image:
Firstly, its forces, and that of its allies, must ensure that there are no further lootings of the numerous other cultural properties that are scattered in various sites throughout Iraq.
Secondly, it will take efficacious actions to recover the looted artefacts that are still within that county and to prevent their export.
Thirdly, it will take necessary steps to ensure that these stolen artefacts are banned from importation and exportation in US and request other countries to do the same. Together with them, to formulate appropriate actions to facilitate their return to Iraq.
Lastly, to make a substantial financial grant to Iraq for its reconstruction as a gesture of atonement.
I implore the United States to take concrete responsibility for this sad episode.
自古以来，战胜国劫掠敌国的金银珠宝和财富的其他象征物作为其战利品并借此显示其对战败国的权势，从无自疚之心。
最近，巴格达举世闻名的国家博物馆里，许多具有几千年历史的文化财产遭到大规模劫掠，令世人感到震惊和悲哀。在21世纪这个似乎更为文明的环境里，还发生这样的事情，委实令人感到难以置信。
具有讽刺意味的是，这是在战胜的美国侵略者的鼻子下犯下的罪行，可是他们完全没有采取任何制止行动。
伊拉克拥有人类创造的最辉煌的古代文明之一，有许多超过5000年历史的至今尚存的工艺品，其中大部分在国家博物馆里展出。
据估计，博物馆里约有12万到15万件的无价工艺品遗失。其数目远超过在1991年波斯湾战争中，据说被美军和联合国人员拿走的4000件文物。
这场文明浩劫发生后不久，一些被盗文物开始在西方的古董市场和伊拉克的黑市出现。
不久后，大量的文物毫无疑问会落在富裕国家里一些不择手段的私人收藏家和收藏机构手里。
美国对劫掠行为无动于衷似乎证实这一观点：美国对萨达姆政权深恶痛绝，因此昧着良知默许劫掠者集体抢劫。
不过，与此形成鲜明对照的是，美军对被占领的伊拉克油田的设备却早有计划地进行严密保护。理由很简单，美国必须确保自己的既得经济利益——伊拉克油田将来可以为美国市场提供源源不断、价格稳定的石油。
因为没有制止劫掠行动，美国受到许多有识之士的谴责。这是美国国际形象的一个永久的污点，也违反了美国根据国际公约，在战时要捍卫和保护文化遗产所应承担的义务。
美军的行为根本不可宽恕，因为在战争还没有爆发前很久，联合国教科文组织和一些杰出的美国和西方学者，已经煞费苦心警告美国发生劫掠事件的危险。并恳请美国采取有效的预防措施，美国对他们的警告却置之不理。
美国要如何弥补它的过失呢？说伊拉克所失去的珍贵文化遗产是金钱所不能补偿的，这是无益的。
话虽如此，美国却绝对有能力和财力，采取以下的补救措施，部分挽回已经受损的公众形象。
第一、美国和其盟国的军队，必须确保其他分散在伊拉克境内的许多文化遗产，不会遭受进一步被劫掠的厄运。
第二、实施有效的行动，取回被掠夺但还留在伊拉克境内的文物，防止它们出口到其它地方。
第三、采取必要的措施，禁止被抢的文物在美国进口或出口，并要求其他国家作出同样的行动。另外，美国也应该和这些国家商讨如何让被劫的文物重归伊拉克。
最后为了表示愿意弥补过失，对重建伊拉克的工作，美国应该给予大量的经济援助。
我恳请美国为这场可悲插曲负起具体的责任。