LCCHP and Other Organizations Warn of Emergency in Egypt
The undersigned cultural heritage and archaeological
organizations express their concern over the loss of life and injury to humans
during the protests in Egypt this week. We support the desire of the Egyptian
people to exercise their basic civil rights. We also share their concern about
the losses to cultural heritage that Egypt has already sustained and the threat
of further such losses over the coming days.
Brave actions taken by the citizens of Cairo and the
military largely protected the Cairo Museum. However, numerous sites,
museums and storage areas located outside of Cairo are even more vulnerable. As
the prisons are opened and common criminals are allowed to escape, the
potential for greater loss is created. A recent report from Egyptologist Professor
Sarah Parcak of the University of Alabama in Birmingham states that damage has
been done to storage areas and tombs in Abusir and Saqqara and that looting is
occurring there and in other locations.
We call on the Egyptian authorities to exercise their
responsibilities to protect their country’s irreplaceable cultural heritage. At
the same time, we call on United States and European law enforcement agencies
to be on the alert over the next several months for the possible appearance of
looted Egyptian antiquities at their borders.
Archaeological Institute of America
Cultural Heritage Center, University of Pennsylvania
Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation
U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield
