Iraqi museums' looting is a catastrophe, ALECSO's director general

Director General of the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), Mounji Bousninna, said on Wednesday the looting of Iraqi museums is a "catastrophe."

Bousnina, who is participating in a symposium on "Islam and Peace" currently taking place in Tunis, stressed that "it is the country's spirit, national identity, roots and sources of civilization and culture that some people wanted to destroy." "This catastrophe affects the Iraqi heritage; we have to act quickly and try to implement the international laws in this question," he went on. ALECSO's Director General said his organization is in direct contact with the UNESCO to ensure the observance of laws, particularly those protecting landmarks and historical and archaeological monuments in case of war."

An ALECSO representative will present concrete propositions to the meeting of UNESCO's experts' limited committee that will be held on Thursday, said the Secretary General, adding, "another meeting will be held on Sunday in Cairo with the Arab League's Secretary General, Amr Moussa, to probe the situation at the level of Arab culture ministers and stage an awareness campaign to inform the whole world on the catastrophe." Bousnina called the Iraqi intellectuals to act on the spot in spite of the difficult and tragic conditions in Iraq to call for the protection of the heritage, save what remains of it and bring back the stolen objects.