[MSN] Smuggling of Yemen's Monuments Continue; Foreign Oil Experts Involved

[MSN]

Smuggling of Yemen's Monuments Continue; Foreign Oil Experts Involved
  Written By: Hasan Al-Zaidi (YEMEN POST STAFF)
  
The arresting of a foreign expert belonging to a giant oil company working
in Yemen at Sana'a International Airport for smuggling antiques and
monuments have aroused a lot of questions on the mechanisms relating to the
work of these companies in archeological sites, and the role to be played by
the concerned authorities including oversight of their works and the
mechanism to protect this priceless wealth. 

According to official statistics, security authorities have arrested and
foiled five smuggling tries this year and all smugglers have been experts
working for oil companies inside the country.

The total number of recovered monumental pieces mount to 80 including
statues, daggers, coins and other precious pieces.

The first smuggling attempt for the current year was discovered on January
24 as security men arrested an Italian expert working for a gas company and
was trying to smuggle bronze statutes.

Another Italian expert was stopped on March 23 and he was seeking to smuggle
six bronze statues, 17 stone plates, 12 daggers, and three copper amulets.

Likewise, a French expert was arrested on March 26 and he was smuggling
bronze statues and arrows. His fellow national was stopped in Sana'a Airport
on May 1 as he was about to leave the country. The French expert was trying
to smuggle eight bronze statues, five stone statutes, 15 metal coins and
three stone stamps.

For the first time, Yemeni authorities referred the French experts to
prosecution and started his trial over smuggling Yemeni monuments. However,
observers assure that he will be set free as was the case with several
smugglers especially when they are supported by oil companies.

 

Yemeni economists see that the foreign experts are not content with the
millions of dollars they make from the country's oil wealth as they further
seek to smuggle thousands of monumental pieces. Most of the smuggled pieces
are sold in fairs for millions of dollars in European and international
fairs.

The latest attempt for smuggling occurred when the monuments were smuggled
in equipment cases which are not inspected by authorities. In previous
years, thousands of pieces were smuggled through diplomatic cases or oil
tankers.

Head of Monuments at the Ministry of Tourism Ahmed Al-Rawdhi pointed out
that his ministry will demand the Oil Ministry to shoulder the
responsibility for protecting monumental pieces as the arrested experts work
for them.  

Al-Rawdhi added that they will appoint superintendents to join all oil and
gas companies working across the country, hinting the increase number of
smuggling tries is a dangerous indicator and adds up the accumulating
problems that monuments sector faces.


Shabwa local Saleh Muhsen Al-Akhram stresses that the problem lies on those
who are in charge of protecting and safeguarding these monuments,
maintaining he fears complicity of monuments protection officials with oil
experts especially under the deteriorating economic situation of Yemeni
public servant. 

Moreover, Al-Rawdhi continued that these were just the failed attempts and
stressed that earlier tries could have been successful, revealing that
smuggling is made through the airplanes of oil companies which are not
subjected to inspection.

He asked for an unrelenting oversight of the activities of all oil companies
and noted that oil companies should not receive oil blocs only when making
sure that they do not contain archeological sites.

For his part, head of Monuments Office at Shabwa Muhsen Khairan Al-Zubaidi
stated that the company to which the arrested expert belong to does not
coordinate with his office and revealed that the company has recruited four
graduates and worked with the German and French Institutes for Archeology
since 2005.

Al-Zubaidi went on to say that some office employees worked for 20 days with
the company; however, they withdrew after the company declined to allow them
to participate in excavation activities along the gas pipeline stretching
from Mareb's Safer to Shabwa's Balhaf on the Arab Sea.

Sources indicated that the experts of both institutes have discovered so far
171 archeological sites, three of which are of prime importance as they
contain cemeteries and graveyards dating back to prehistoric eras.

He also maintained that smuggling of monumental pieces will continue as long
as the work of oil companies remain away from concerned authorities and
locals' eyes.

Several people stressed that transport means operated by oil companies
should be inspected, stressing that foreign archeologists that come to Yemen
are involved in smuggling monuments.

http://www.yemenpost.net/



Museum Security Network / Museum Security Consultancy
toncremers at museum-security.org
http://www.museum-security.org
Handboek Veiligheidszorg Erfgoedbeheerders
http://www.handboekveiligheidszorgmusea.nl/