Hawass resigns before the plundering of Egypt

El Cairo (Egypt) - The police can not arrest the deterioration of heritage

Zahi Hawass had had enough as a first viewer plundering of Egyptian cultural heritage. The country’s Minister of Antiquities announced yesterday his decision to resign because of “police inaction” at the looting that are suffering from the ruins and sites since the fall of the Mubarak government. “The police can not do what is necessary, or can not do anything to protect antiquities and treasures of Egypt, and I can not stand by while this happens,” said Hawass, a charismatic and internationally known who is dubbed “Indiana Jones” for the zeal with which he defends the heritage of the North African country.

The raids are part of a crime wave across the country who use the public disorder of the popular uprising to sweep priceless objects with impunity. Police mysteriously disappeared from custody positions of some sites or museums, and is unable to stop the looting, which began to occur from the earliest days of popular uprising.

The minister has indicated that “dozens of sites” have been looted or destroyed. The problem of public order, it is estimated that several thousand prisoners have escaped from prison, is the fact that the vast majority of civil society hates the security forces, especially the police, after years of abuse and because its brutal tactics of repression at the beginning of the protests. It is estimated that since the fall of Mubarak, only 50 percent of police officers have returned to work and has reported thousands of requests for low official. One of the explanations given Hawass is the wave of looting that follows a police campaign to discredit him.

Mubarak named Hawass minister on 30 January. Although not yet resigned, said yesterday that it will continue in office even if requested by the new Prime Minister Essam Sharaf. “I have no interest in it,” said Hawass, who is also accused of sharing interests with Mubarak and his family. In any case, his performance in office has been dotted with controversy for its constant desire for prominence and criticism from other archaeologists who accuse him of corrupt.

On its website, Hawass has listed two dozen high-value sites that have suffered looting, and has even gone so far as illegal constructions occur. In many cases, mediate manifestations of religious fundamentalism. In its list, one of the most serious is the complete destruction of the tomb of Ken Amun, near Ismailia, which was the only tomb known of the XIX dynasty. Also included Saqqara, one of the main sites of Egypt, which “has been subject to systematic attacks and opening graves,” and another site in southern Sinai, destroyed by robbers who broke with a trailer.

But the list also includes the looting of archaeological mission authorized the Metropolitan Museum in New York, where security guards were tied up, similar to the robbery which occurred on March 1 in Giza, where armed robbers took large material that has not even been inventoried. The most serious attacks completely destroyed. “The Museum Metropolian entire museum community and the world is greatly concerned with these events. You can not sit still. It is necessary to carry out actions immediately, “said Thomas P. Campbell, director of the New York museum.

The list of disaster
- In the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the windows were destroyed and 14 valuable items stolen.
- Ken Amun’s tomb has been completely destroyed in Tel El-Maskhuta.
- In the tomb of Impy, near the Great Sphinx of Giza, part of the building has been damaged and the open grave.
- In Saqqara and have been subtracted Ptahshepses fake hieroglyphics and interior doors.
- In Aswan, attempted to steal even a statue of Ramses II.

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