The Christian Science Monitor has written about why Zahi Hawass is so unpopular to many Egyptians. See
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2011/0214/Is-Indiana-Jones-the-next-victim-of-Egypt-s-revolution
We Won't Leave Until He Leaves
Egyptian protesters (who presumably work for the SCA) are apparently demonstrating outside the SCA against Zahi Hawass, chanting "We won't leave until he leaves."
See
http://yfrog.com/h33wjyj
Presumably they are fed up with Hawass' close ties to the Mubarak regime, his autocratic ways, the lack of security at the Museum and his taking credit for the work of others. Even more seriously, there also have been allegations that substantial monies have been skimmed off from receipts for the Museum gate and travelling shows.
See
http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/problems-with-sca-in-egypt.html
See
http://yfrog.com/h33wjyj
Presumably they are fed up with Hawass' close ties to the Mubarak regime, his autocratic ways, the lack of security at the Museum and his taking credit for the work of others. Even more seriously, there also have been allegations that substantial monies have been skimmed off from receipts for the Museum gate and travelling shows.
See
http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/problems-with-sca-in-egypt.html
Pressure Builds on Hawass
The future of Zahi Hawass, a Mubarak loyalist, is being openly discussed. See
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/02/after-the-revolution-who-will-co.html
According to Twitter, a demonstration is being scheduled to demand his ouster. See
http://www.google.com/search?q=zahi+hawass&hl=en&sa=G&prmd=ivnsuofd&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=u&ei=nc1XTaWxGcK78gbX2qSKBw&oi=realtime_result_group_more_results_link&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQ5QUwAw
Addendum: Dorothy King (PhDiva) has replaced a report on her blog that alleges that monies from the Museum and travelling shows have been skimmed off over the years. See http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/problems-with-sca-in-egypt.html
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/02/after-the-revolution-who-will-co.html
According to Twitter, a demonstration is being scheduled to demand his ouster. See
http://www.google.com/search?q=zahi+hawass&hl=en&sa=G&prmd=ivnsuofd&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=u&ei=nc1XTaWxGcK78gbX2qSKBw&oi=realtime_result_group_more_results_link&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQ5QUwAw
Addendum: Dorothy King (PhDiva) has replaced a report on her blog that alleges that monies from the Museum and travelling shows have been skimmed off over the years. See http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/problems-with-sca-in-egypt.html
Penn Museum Kowtows to Chinese to Regain Exhibit
The Silk Road Mummies Exhibit is now on again at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, though for a limited time. See
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/artifacts-will-be-on-view-at-silk-road-exhibit/
The New York Times blamed the mess on a bureaucratic snafu between Chinese national and regional authorities, but a Chinese Embassy spokesman blamed the fiasco on the Museum:
In an interview, Mr. Wang said that the regulations governing the display of antiquities in China are very strict, and artifacts are not supposed to be on display overseas for more than a year. (The exhibition opened at the Bowers Museum last March.)
�The exhibition was originally approved to be on display for only two stops, one in California, the other in Houston,� Mr. Wang said.
However, after repeated requests from the University of Pennsylvania, Beijing had decided to grant it special approval. What was important, he said, was that Americans understand they have to follow China�s rules.
�We just want the American public to know we have the relevant laws and the regulations, he said. �You�ve got to follow the laws,� he added.
A museum spokeswoman, Pam Kosty, declined to comment on the nature of the original mixup with the Chinese government, but said, �We�re very grateful for the Chinese Embassy � a lot of Chinese officials really worked with us to make this happen.�
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/artifacts-will-be-on-view-at-silk-road-exhibit/
The New York Times blamed the mess on a bureaucratic snafu between Chinese national and regional authorities, but a Chinese Embassy spokesman blamed the fiasco on the Museum:
In an interview, Mr. Wang said that the regulations governing the display of antiquities in China are very strict, and artifacts are not supposed to be on display overseas for more than a year. (The exhibition opened at the Bowers Museum last March.)
�The exhibition was originally approved to be on display for only two stops, one in California, the other in Houston,� Mr. Wang said.
However, after repeated requests from the University of Pennsylvania, Beijing had decided to grant it special approval. What was important, he said, was that Americans understand they have to follow China�s rules.
�We just want the American public to know we have the relevant laws and the regulations, he said. �You�ve got to follow the laws,� he added.
A museum spokeswoman, Pam Kosty, declined to comment on the nature of the original mixup with the Chinese government, but said, �We�re very grateful for the Chinese Embassy � a lot of Chinese officials really worked with us to make this happen.�
Indeed! As mentioned in a prior post, China is supposed to provide long-term loans as part of its MOU with the United States. See http://ordinarymag.blogspot.com/2011/02/china-withdraws-silk-road-mummies-from.html. However, China will not do so and apparently even has a law that forbids it.
Rather than hold the Chinese to their obligations, our State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is silent. Meanwhile, University of Pennsylvania Museum archaeologists can do little more than kowtow to Chinese authority to save their precious show. Of course, archaeologists who supported the China MOU pitched an entirely different vision of cultural cooperation at the time, but kowtowing to the Chinese has in fact become the sad reality.
Addendum: The Philadelphia Inquirer has more about what led to this snafu. It does appear that the US Ambassador to China helped resolve the matter. See http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-12/news/28530800_1_chinese-mummies-chinese-artifacts-chinese-officials
Petition to Antiquities Minister Hawass: Will Western Archaeologists Offer their Support?
Here is a translation of an open letter to Antiquities Minister Hawass. It pleads with Hawass to change the corrupt way his organization runs. Will Western archaeologists offer their support or only their silence while Hawass stays in control?
Prof. / Dr. Zahi Hawass
Minister of State for the Antiquities
We Respect you Doctor Zahi as Egyptian archaeological raise the name of Egypt in the archaeological field, and will continue as long as you support the Egyptian people; the nobles ones of the people.
I write and speak in my own name, knowing that my word could be on behalf of all the honorable of the Egyptian archeologists and Conservators, and who sought always for the benefit of Egypt and Egypt�s monuments, and put the name of Egypt and the (formally) Supreme Council of Antiquities at the highest levels of the field of their scientific specialties in spite of all attempts to oppression, exclusion and drop down.
Sir, We will not accept the continuation of the same system and the faces of corruption in the field of archeology and Conservation; The party system, corruption and corrupts; system of exclusion of the real experts and qualified high-level, locally and internationally for the benefit of corrupts (as well as Almchltep and Almsalhadjip) and dozens of outsiders on the board of men of the ruler party and some of the professors belonging to the same ruler party, or who were buying their silence, Our masters and even some older, all of whom are well known and who we respect them and we will continue to respect them and honor them as the value and the wealth of mankind, but it is there in the whole world such thing as retirement for the opportunity for new blood and new talent.
Sir, we will not accept any more the continuation of the same system that everyone knows and you first of them.
Sir, we respect you on a clear and specific basis of that the work in the coming period will be only for the benefit of Egypt and Egypt�s monuments, and will be, however, by the hand of the honorable ones from within the ministry (formally the Supreme Council of Antiquities). And we will be against you if you continued the same previous system, and will not be afraid of any trial or investigation, or even the liquefaction of our blood in the field of honor.
We have consistently resist self-doubts and never listen to the rumors, and we take the positive side in that your aim was seeking for the benefit of Egypt�s monuments, antiquities and its people.
So I ask you sir, please; delete all the names and faces of corruption, and all the faces and names from outside the honorable men of the New Ministry (former council).
As for The files and issues of corruption and the corrupts are in the responsibility of the investigation departments and been submitted and will submitted be the honorable Egyptians, and that is the role of the legal departments, but our role will be within the new ministry.
Please allow me sir to tell you publicly and officially, what I used to say to everyone in public every day, including some of the men in your office, and including the main organizer of the formation of the Secretariat Mr. Alawi Faried.
I am asking and try to trust that you will make sure to change the overall system of corruption and replacing it with a professional scientific management respectable system with all the respectful of the employees of the ministry (formerly the Council)
Sir, please kindly consider my massage by yourself away from the usual transfer note to a member of your office, because this is a personal message to you.
With my Best Regards,
Dr. (Mr.) / Hany Hanna (Ph. D)
-Chief Conservator, General Director of Conservation, Helwan, El-Saf and Atfeh Sector, Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Egypt.
-International Expert in Conservation and Restoration.
- Founder & Former Coordinator for the International Council of Museum-Conservation Committee � Wood, Furniture and Lacquer (ICOM-CC- Wood, Furniture and Lacquer) (Ex elected voluntary position).
-Professor, Higher Institute for Coptic Studies in Cairo (voluntary work).
- Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage.
- Writer, Egyptian and International Newspapers.
The letter is posted on the Museum Security Network: http://www.museum-security.org/?p=5582
Prof. / Dr. Zahi Hawass
Minister of State for the Antiquities
We Respect you Doctor Zahi as Egyptian archaeological raise the name of Egypt in the archaeological field, and will continue as long as you support the Egyptian people; the nobles ones of the people.
I write and speak in my own name, knowing that my word could be on behalf of all the honorable of the Egyptian archeologists and Conservators, and who sought always for the benefit of Egypt and Egypt�s monuments, and put the name of Egypt and the (formally) Supreme Council of Antiquities at the highest levels of the field of their scientific specialties in spite of all attempts to oppression, exclusion and drop down.
Sir, We will not accept the continuation of the same system and the faces of corruption in the field of archeology and Conservation; The party system, corruption and corrupts; system of exclusion of the real experts and qualified high-level, locally and internationally for the benefit of corrupts (as well as Almchltep and Almsalhadjip) and dozens of outsiders on the board of men of the ruler party and some of the professors belonging to the same ruler party, or who were buying their silence, Our masters and even some older, all of whom are well known and who we respect them and we will continue to respect them and honor them as the value and the wealth of mankind, but it is there in the whole world such thing as retirement for the opportunity for new blood and new talent.
Sir, we will not accept any more the continuation of the same system that everyone knows and you first of them.
Sir, we respect you on a clear and specific basis of that the work in the coming period will be only for the benefit of Egypt and Egypt�s monuments, and will be, however, by the hand of the honorable ones from within the ministry (formally the Supreme Council of Antiquities). And we will be against you if you continued the same previous system, and will not be afraid of any trial or investigation, or even the liquefaction of our blood in the field of honor.
We have consistently resist self-doubts and never listen to the rumors, and we take the positive side in that your aim was seeking for the benefit of Egypt�s monuments, antiquities and its people.
So I ask you sir, please; delete all the names and faces of corruption, and all the faces and names from outside the honorable men of the New Ministry (former council).
As for The files and issues of corruption and the corrupts are in the responsibility of the investigation departments and been submitted and will submitted be the honorable Egyptians, and that is the role of the legal departments, but our role will be within the new ministry.
Please allow me sir to tell you publicly and officially, what I used to say to everyone in public every day, including some of the men in your office, and including the main organizer of the formation of the Secretariat Mr. Alawi Faried.
I am asking and try to trust that you will make sure to change the overall system of corruption and replacing it with a professional scientific management respectable system with all the respectful of the employees of the ministry (formerly the Council)
Sir, please kindly consider my massage by yourself away from the usual transfer note to a member of your office, because this is a personal message to you.
With my Best Regards,
Dr. (Mr.) / Hany Hanna (Ph. D)
-Chief Conservator, General Director of Conservation, Helwan, El-Saf and Atfeh Sector, Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Egypt.
-International Expert in Conservation and Restoration.
- Founder & Former Coordinator for the International Council of Museum-Conservation Committee � Wood, Furniture and Lacquer (ICOM-CC- Wood, Furniture and Lacquer) (Ex elected voluntary position).
-Professor, Higher Institute for Coptic Studies in Cairo (voluntary work).
- Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage.
- Writer, Egyptian and International Newspapers.
The letter is posted on the Museum Security Network: http://www.museum-security.org/?p=5582
Egyptian Professionals Demonstrate: Where are the Archaeologists?
The news carried pictures of Egyptian professionals, including Doctors and Lawyers demonstrating. No news about archaeologists, though.
Meanwhile, the pride of one old man has guaranteed more unrest. Hopefully, the army will ultimately stand with the people and not with the old order though the upper echelons have certainly benefited from the status quo.
More unrest, unfortunately, means the potential for more damage to Egypt's unparallelled cultural patrimony. If so, blame should be placed where it belongs on the Mubarak regime, and not on Western collectors as some in the archaeological community will inevitably claim.
Meanwhile, the pride of one old man has guaranteed more unrest. Hopefully, the army will ultimately stand with the people and not with the old order though the upper echelons have certainly benefited from the status quo.
More unrest, unfortunately, means the potential for more damage to Egypt's unparallelled cultural patrimony. If so, blame should be placed where it belongs on the Mubarak regime, and not on Western collectors as some in the archaeological community will inevitably claim.
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