Fed: Looting a cultural tragedy

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Fed: Looting a cultural tragedy

BRISBANE, April 16 AAP - The looting of Iraqi museums was an international disaster,the Australian president of the International Council of Museums said today.

Dr Ian Galloway said he was disappointed and angry at the lack of protection givenby the United States and Britain to many of the world's greatest treasures in the aftermathof the war in Iraq.

He said the looting amounted to an "international disaster" and urged the world communityto restore order and protect cultural institutions, collections and archaeological sitesin the war-torn country.

"Iraq is home to some of the world's earliest civilisations with a heritage consideredby many as one of the richest in the world," Dr Galloway said in a statement.

"Consequently many unique and internationally significant objects were housed in theNational Archaeological Museum of Baghdad, the Mosul Museum and other cultural institutionsin Iraq.

"As a result of the looting, there are grave concerns for the safety of these culturaltreasures and the impact this will have on the rebuilding of Iraq after the war."

Dr Galloway said before war began, officials in the United States and Britain werewarned of what could occur.

He said they were encouraged to put strategies in place to deal with any possible damageto cultural sites and collections.

"Cultural heritage plays an important role in rebuilding war-torn societies," Dr Galloway said.

"It's the very fabric on which rebuilding takes place, making it imperative to reclaimany stolen objects and halt the looting.

"It's important that the losses are quickly assessed and the assistance of the internationalmuseum community sought to identify any illegal exports or sales of objects ransackedfrom Iraq."

AAP ch/sc/ph/bwl

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST MUSEUM