3. Memorandum submitted by the British
School of Archaeology in Iraq
The British School of Archaeology in Iraq has
had a representative in Iraq since 5 June on secondment to the
CPA. From the field reports we have received we would like to
make the following points:
The secondees have worked magnificently under
almost impossible conditions and their efforts have been thwarted
at almost every turn by the chaotic state of the administration.
There are no clear divisions of responsibility between the CPA,
the military and the emerging Iraqi civilian administration, nor
are there any proper lines of command or channels of communication.
— The looting of the Iraq museum and
the wanton destruction which accompanied it mean that the most
urgent requirements are the refurbishing, securing and refurnishing
of the buildings and offices, followed by a programme of conservation
and reconstruction of the damaged artifacts. Before this can begin
laboratories need to be re-supplied and additional emergency training
undertaken by the staff.
— The looting and destruction of sites
apparently continues more or less unabated.
— The borders continue to be virtually
unguarded.
HM Government is to be warmly congratulated
on having ratified UN resolution 1483 so rapidly, but the benefits
of this legislation are to a large extent nullified by the military's
refusal to step up border patrols. The result is that antiquities
are able to move fairly freely out of Iraq. The most significant
seizures of looted materials have been made outside Iraq. (One
also wonders what goods and people are being smuggled into the
country). There are also said to be antiquities markets operating
openly within the country.
Summary of actions which might be taken:
— DCMS may want to consider if it is
cost-effective to second people until the internal administrative
problems have been sorted out.
— It is hoped that the Government will
bring pressure to bear on the military to increase border patrols
and on the governments of countries bordering Iraq to encourage
them to do the same.
— Every effort needs to be made to
help rebuild the Iraqi police force and army and to help Iraqi
archaeologists to get back into the field in order to protect
sites.
— The emergency training of conservators
in other countries to be facilitated by the issue of travel documents,
the provision of finance and foreign language training.
— Very Important: We understand that
a new Security Council resolution is being discussed that would
be the precursor to other nations sending troops into Iraq to
help out the Coalition. We are deeply concerned that the UN does
not accidentally rescind paragraph seven of UNSCR 1483, as the
UK ban on the import of Iraqi cultural objects is specifically
written so that it will automatically end if 1483 is in any way
terminated.
1 September 2003
| 
