Thursday, March 13, 2014

‘Stop the destruction’, UN officials urge in plea to save Syria’s cultural heritage


UN, 12 March 2014 – The rampant destruction of Syria’s cultural heritage – including ancient cities, houses and temples – is deepening hatred in the war-torn country and must stop, United Nations and Arab League officials warned today, stressing that the protection of Syria’s ancient history is inseparable from the protection of its people.
“Destroying the inheritance of the past robs future generations of a powerful legacy, deepens hatred and despair and undermines all attempts to foster reconciliation,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director General, Irina Bokova, and UN and League of Arab States Joint Special Representative for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi. 


In a rare joint statement issued as the crisis in Syria enters its fourth year, the senior officials said that as Syrians continue to endure incalculable human suffering and loss, their country’s rich tapestry of cultural heritage is being ripped to shreds in the conflict due to fighting, looting, and pillaging at ancient archaeological sites.
“All layers of Syrian culture are now under attack - including pre-Christian, Christian and Muslim,” they said, placing efforts to save Syrian’s heritage within the wider scope of ending violence in the country.
They noted that the protection of cultural heritage is inseparable from the protection of human lives, and should be an integral part of humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts, adding “now is the time to stop the destruction, build peace and protect our common heritage”.
Four of the country’s six UNESCO World Heritage sites are being used for military purposes or have been transformed into battlefields. These include the Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din, castles constructed during the Crusades between the 11th and 13th centuries.
Other sites being used for military purposes include Palmyra, which contains ruins of what was believed to have been one of the most important cultural centres of the world in the 1st and 2nd centuries; the Saint Simeon Church in the ancient villages of Northern Syria; and Aleppo, including the Aleppo Citadel.
Syria has two additional sites inscribed to the World Heritage List, the ancient cities of Bosra and Damascus, and 12 sites which are currently under consideration for admission to the list.
The UN today again drew attention to the systematic looting and illicit trafficking of cultural objects from Syria which have reached “unprecedented levels”.
UNESCO officials have said in the past that some of these sites are being wrecked and looted, compromising their scientific value. Among them, the site of Apamea on the Orontes River has been completely destroyed by thousands of illegal digs.
“We appeal to all countries and professional bodies involved in customs, trade and the art market, as well as individuals and tourists, to be on alert for stolen Syrian artifacts,” the joint statement says, also requesting parties to verify the origin of cultural property in adherence to the UNESCO 1970 Convention on illicit trafficking of cultural property.
The officials also spoke out against reports that Syrian artifacts were being deliberately targeted for ideological reasons.
“Human representations in art are being destroyed by extremist groups intent on eradicating unique testimonies of Syria’s rich cultural diversity,” they said in the joint statement.........................http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47340&Cr=Syria&Cr1=#.UyE_IM5ql5Y
12/3/14
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1 comment:

  1. Syrie: les tombes de l'antique Palmyre, proie des pilleurs...

    Le plus beau site de Syrie, l'antique Palmyre, porte des stigmates de récents combats mais ce sont surtout ses magnifiques tombes qui ont été la proie des pilleurs.

    Située à 210 km au nord-est de Damas, la "perle du désert", inscrite par l'Unesco au patrimoine mondial de l'humanité, conserve toute sa beauté bien que le temple de Baal ait subi quelques flétrissures en raison des échanges d'artillerie entre l'armée et les rebelles.

    "Les groupes armés se sont installés en février 2013 dans l'immense palmeraie au sud de Palmyre et ont occupé le site jusqu'à ce l'armée les en chasse en septembre de la même année", explique à l'AFP Mohammad al-Assad, 44 ans, fonctionnaire au service des Antiquités.

    "A partir des vergers où ils se trouvaient, ils tiraient sur la ville et certains obus ont endommagé par endroits le temple situé au milieu", ajoute-t-il.

    Le mur oriental du temple hellénistique de Baal, l'édifice le plus imposant de la cité, est marqué par plusieurs tâches blanchâtres, là où la pierre a été griffée par des éclats d'obus. Un tir de mortier a endommagé l'une des ouvertures, ainsi que le linteau reposant sur huit colonnes à fûts cannelés.

    Le mur d'enceinte a souffert en plusieurs endroits. Trois piliers de la colonnade au sud du temple ont été démembrés, leurs chapiteaux corinthiens gisant à terre. Mais les autres monuments n'ont pas été touchés par les combats.

    - 'Découpées à la tronçonneuse' -

    D'après M. Assad, des rebelles ont mis à sac la maison des missions archéologiques jouxtant le temple, mais le plus grave a été le pillage des merveilleuses tombes........http://www.rtl.be/info/monde/international/1076653/syrie-les-tombes-de-l-antique-palmyre-proie-des-pilleurs
    17/3/14

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