The message from Twitter was that the museum looting was believed to be undercover police, and that local people had formed a human chain to stem the flow of antiquities being removed.
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list of Archaeologists for Global Justice [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Allison Cuneo
Sent: 31 January 2011 00:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARCH-JUSTICE] Fwd: Major looting now occuring in Egypt-help needed
To all:
Most of you have probably seen these already, but here is a roundup of
links I've collected throughout the day regarding the current status of
archaeological sites and collections. Again, no specific eyewitness
testimonies in the mainstream media as of yet. There are reports
swirling that many of the police officers stationed at major sites and
collections have abandoned their posts, leaving local community members
to fend off looters themselves. Some blogs I've read suggest that this
withdrawal of police presence across the country is an tactic being
used by Mubarak to intentionally escalate the chaos, but who knows.
Any concrete information at this point would be very helpful...
1. Youtube video copied from Al Jazeera English with a brief clip on
the damage to the Cairo Museum: (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9dWzNG8tk )
2. An MSNBC video on the looting of the Cairo Museum showing
police/military (?) securing the museum:
(http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/28/5943271-were-tuts-treasures-damaged?GT1=43001
)
3. Articles in German discussing the looting of the Cairo Museum and
the possibility of an inside job: (
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/aegypten-versinkt-im-chaos/3786086.html ) (
http://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2011-01/interview-el-saddik )
4. An article from the DiscoveryNews "Tut family mummies damaged in
Egypt riots": (
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/tut-family-mummies-damaged-in-egypt-riots.html
)
5. Eyewitness account from Luxor - police have abandoned the site and
locals are working to protect it:(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T_KTJYwjOKM )
6. A message from Dr. Zahi Hawass:
(http://www.drhawass.com/blog/situation-egyptian-antiquities-today )
7. A Brazilian blog post with some photos of the Cairo Museum damage:(
http://arqueologiaegipcia.com.br/2011/01/29/museu-egipcio-do-cairo-invadido/
)
8. Another DiscoveryNews article "Egypt's tombs, temples under siege":
(
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/egypts-tombs-temples-under-siege.html
)
9. A map of the museum indicating looted rooms:
(http://ancientegyptonline.org/egyptnews/images/CairoMuseumDamage_AEO.jpg
)
10. A recently published Washington Post article on the protection of
sites throughout Egypt:(
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013003244.html
)
On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 3:39 PM, Omar Ibrahim <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
To our friends around the world: The Events in Egypt
30 Jan 2011
The world has witnessed an unprecedented popular action in the streets
of Egypt. Led by Egypt?s youth, with their justified demands for more
freedom, more democracy, lower prices for necessities and more
employment opportunities. These youths demanded immediate and
far-reaching changes. This was met by violent conflicts with the
police, who were routed. The army was called in and was welcomed by
the demonstrators, but initially their presence was more symbolic than
active. Events deteriorated as lawless bands of thugs, and maybe
agents provocateurs, appeared and looting began. The young people
organized themselves into groups that directed traffic, protected
neighborhoods and guarded public buildings of value such as the
Egyptian Museum and the Library of Alexandria. They are collaborating
with the army. This makeshift arrangement is in place until full
public order returns.
The library is safe thanks to Egypt?s youth, whether they be the staff
of the Library or the representatives of the demonstrators, who are
joining us in guarding the building from potential vandals and looters.
I am there daily within the bounds of the curfew hours. However,
the Library will be closed to the public for the next few days until
the curfew is lifted and events unfold towards an end to the
lawlessness and a move towards the resolution of the political issues
that triggered the demonstrations.
Ismail Serageldin
Librarian of Alexandria
Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
http://www.bibalex.org/News/NewsDetails_en.aspx?id=3128&Keywords=&fromDD=-1&fromMM=-1&fromYY=-1&toDD=-1&toMM=-1&toYY=-1
The above statement has been released by The Alexandrian Library.
Also I would like to refer you to this guardian article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/30/egyptians-makeshift-militias-looters
I am sorry that I cannot assure you any more than this but I am
pursuing contacts in Egypt.
Yours
Omar
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: [ARCH-JUSTICE] Fwd: Major looting now occuring in
Egypt-help needed
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 18:17:43 +0000
I don't know how helpful this is but the main facebook group for the
protests is:
"We are all Khaled Said" http://www.facebook.com/elshaheeed.co.uk
People are apparently setting up vigilante groups to police their own
areas but this is largely in Cairo.
Telecoms have been largely disabled by the state but again its best to
contact the group and others through twitter and facebook as they are
working through proxies
other good contacts on twitter:
@Alshaheeed (note three es)
Also e-mail [log in to unmask]
These are secularists asking for an end to police brutality and I
suggest some kind of communication with them as they have been
organising through the group sonce Tuesday the 25th.
I shall also forward this on to the group.
Yours
Omar
> Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:31:45 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [ARCH-JUSTICE] Fwd: Major looting now occuring in Egypt-help needed
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Apologies for cross-posting-
>
> This is an update from Sarah Parcak, a specialist in Egyptian
> archaeology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This is
> some of the news she is getting out of Egypt, and the reports are
> disheartening...
>
> She has already contacted US Govt/state dept officials, people
> involved in protecting global heritage, The Archaeological Institute
> of America, and academics, asking them to set customs and other
> agencies on "high alert".
>
> If anyone has any further information about the situation in Egypt
> please share. The hope is to raise awareness and get more concrete
> information.
>
> Thank you all.
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Sarah H Parcak <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 10:42 AM
> Subject: Major looting now occuring in Egypt-help needed
>
>
> Dear All:
>
> Things are escalating. I just received this information directly (on
> Facebook) from Egyptologists and members of the Supreme Council for
> Antiquities (SCA) who are witnessing the situation:
>
> "Verified by Mohammad Megahed: Immense damages to Abusir and Saqqara,
> all magazines and tombs which were sealed were entered last night.
> Only Imhotep Museum and adjacent central magazines protected by the
> military. In Abusir all tombs opened. large gangs digging day and
> night everywhere"
>
> The damage is *vast*.
>
> It seems that some of the storage magazines at South Saqqara and
> Abusir have been looted-hard to say how much was taken and the extent
> of the robbing. SCA representatives are only today able to check on
> the museums/storage magazines, but early reports suggest major
> looting. If you all could please contact anyone who can help and put
> them on "high alert" for Old Kingdom remains and Egyptian antiquities
> in general, and please spread the word to law enforcement officials
> worldwide. Egyptian looters (who may be encouraged by outside Egypt
> entities) may try to use the general confusion to get things out of
> the country.
>
> Other bad news: prisons in Qena and Armant (next to Luxor) have been
> emptied, so people fear major looting will occur in that region.
>
> Reports still abound for major looting in the Alexandria Museum---but
> those reports are hard to confirm. The violence has been worse in
> Alexandria, and there have been few police reports there.
>
> I have posted this on Facebook to the Restore + Save the Egyptian
> Museum! page.
>
> I will continue to update you as I get more information. I am not
> sure if the Italians can send the Carabinieri...anything would help.
>
> Things appear to be getting very bad, and this suggests they will get
> much worse.
>
> Best wishes,
> Sarah
>
> Sarah H. Parcak, PhD, FSA
> Assistant Professor, Dept. of History and Anthropology
> Director, Laboratory for Global Observation
> University of Alabama at Birmingham
> 1401 University Blvd
> Birmingham, AL 35294
> Phone: (205) 996-7982
> Fax: (205) 996-7977
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