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Assyrian archaeologist resigns amid threats by the fundamentalists

AP
 August 31, 2006

Damascus: Iraq's top archaeologist, a Christian Assyrian, said he fled to Syria after Shiite fundamentalists interfered in his job and family members received threats.

In an interview in Damascus, Donny George, director of Iraq's National Museum, said he was living in the Sunni-dominated southern Baghdad neighbourhood of Dora, which has become a hotbed of militancy and sectarian violence.

He said at least 13 Christians in the neighbourhood, including his 19-year-old son, have received death threats.

George, one of the country's most respected archaeologists, also said he quit his job in a veiled retirement after the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities allegedly repeatedly interfered in his duties.

"I began to feel very pressured," George told AP. "I filed for retirement ... and was informed that it was accepted."

He added that the ministry has come under the influence of the Mehdi Army of cleric Moqtada Al Sadr. The "new officials", he said, came to power due to the new political system in Iraq that has distributed Cabinet jobs based on religious sects and not on merit or expertise.

In Baghdad, Haider Farhan, a senior official at the ministry, said George's departure was a regular retirement after three decades of service.

"We are surprised by his remarks about working under pressure," he said. "That is completely baseless."

George is known for his efforts in chasing the priceless antiquities looted from Iraq amid the chaos of the 2003 US-led invasion. The country's museums were pillaged of treasures dating back 5,000 years.

Of the 15,000 objects stolen from the museum, almost 4,000 had been returned to the country. But due to the security situation, more than 4,000 others are being kept in neighbouring countries for safekeeping, George said.

 

 

 

 

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Who are the Christians of Iraq? 

August = Tubbakh

Assyrian archaeologist resigns amid threats by the fundamentalists August 31, 06

Assyrians: from Bebar Khan to Saddam Hussein (a new book) August 28, 06

Donny George of Iraq's State Board of Antiquity, Heritage Flees to Syria August 28, 06

A New Film by Lina Yakubova August 27, 06

PM Maliki urges tribal unity in Iraq August 27, 06

Lebanese Bishops Appeal for a Stop to the Christian Exodus August 24, 06

Iraqi Christians Caught in the Crossfire August 23, 06

Assyrian Universal Alliance, Australian Chapter Meeting in Canberra August 23, 06

Iraqi Christians on Edge After Priest's Kidnapping August 23, 06

The Secrets Of Mustafa Barzani In KGB Archives August 23, 06

Pope urges release of priest in Iraq August 20, 06

Heading Toward an (Inevitable) War in Kirkuk August 20, 06

TWO CHALDEAN PRIESTS KIDNAPPED IN BAGHDAD August 18, 06

Confiscation of the Assyrian villages by the Kurds August 18, 06

The Kurdish Democratic Experiment: an Assyrian Tragedy August 17, 06

Assyrians Experience Slow Cultural Revival In Southeastern Turkey August 17, 06

Lebanese Bishops Call for Single National Leadership August 16, 06

Lebanese Cardinal Concerned About Christian Exodus August 16, 06

In Turkey non Muslims are listed as Foreigners August 14, 06

Murdered Assyrians in Iraq in August August 14, 06

Why Can't A Christian Be More Like A Muslim? Revisited August 13, 06

Peter W. Galbraith's 'The End of Iraq' August 12, 06

Babylon the Great lives August 12, 06

We Don't Want a Proxy War in Lebanon:' Cardinal Sfeir August 10, 06

Go-ahead for dam that will drown history August 9, 06

750,000 Christians Caught in Middle East Crossfire August 8, 06

Arabist Indoctrination At Middlebury College August 8, 06

Middle-Eastern conference: from worship to ‘reunion’ August 8, 06

Hezbollah Uses Christian Villages As Shields in Missile Attacks August 7, 06

Family Pays Ransom in Iraqi Kidnapping August 7, 06

Johanns meets with Iraqi leaders to help rebuild agriculture August 6, 06

Half of all Christians have fled Iraq since 2003, says Baghdad bishop August 4, 06

Christian Persecution Groups Express Concerns for Mideast Believers August 3, 06

Assyrians and Australians will honour Captain Savige for his world war one help August 3, 06

Nuri Kino Wins Swedish Award of: good role model for the youth Aug 1, 06

July = Tammuz

Let them Rape and Kill Christian Women, says Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament July 31, 06

Aramaic-English Bible Translation Draws Criticism July 27, 06

Iran bans Da Vinci Code book after 8 editions July 27, 06

Everyone has a Guardian Angel July 26, 06

Ancient Urartian inscription disappears in Iran July 26, 06

Alum to head Mooreland Hill July 24, 06

The End of Christianity in Iraq July 24, 06

Why Can't A Christian Be More Like A Muslim? July 22, 2006

Residents of the Dora are told to Evacuate their homes July 21, 2006

Iraqis watch with sadness July 21, 2006

Turkey Signals It's Prepared to Enter Iraq July 19, 06

Iraqi Christians Flee Fighting July 19, 06

IRAQ AND THE KURDS: THE BREWING BATTLE OVER KIRKUK July 19, 06

Minister who learnt to manage the impossible at Baghdad July 14, 06

The Endeavour Programme July 13, 06

Sackler Gallery cancels exhibition of Iraqi gold July 10, 06

Students onto a winning football score July 9, 06

Three years after invasion, Iraqis now living in San Diego County differ in views of war July 9, 06

Kurdish Militia, Iraqi Police Terrorizing Assyrians in North Iraq July 6, 06

Kurdish Regional Government Needs Lessons in Democracy July 5, 06

An open letter to His Holiness Mor Zakka Iwaz July 3, 06

Writing Competition 2006 July 3, 06

USCIRF Testifies to Killing, Harassment of Mid east Christians July 2, 06

Seyfo’ Monument Design Competition July 2, 06

June = Khzeeran

Text of Rosie Malek-Yonan's testimony before the House Committee on International Relations June 30, 06

UK Assyrians Honour British MP June 30, 06

The forgotten Assyrian Christians of Mesopotamia June 28, 06

The Assyrian Empire revisited in China June 30, 06

Rosie Malek Yonan will Testify about Genocide before a Congressional Committee June 29, 06

The Plight of the Assyrians of Iraq June 28, 06

Living in the Grave Yard June 28, 06

Yes! Ashur Yousif is Dead but he Speaks June 26, 06

More Threats Against Basrawi Christians June 25, 06

Kurds Block Assyrians, Shabaks From Police Force in North Iraq June 18, 06

Iraqi Catholics in U.S. See Continuing Challenges in Their Homeland June 18, 06

Assyrian University Students Beaten By Iraqi Police June 18, 06

Assyrian leaders meet with Laura Bush June 17, 06

Assyrians in the World War I Treaties: Paris, Sèvres, and Lausanne June 16, 06

Iraqi Christians In Saskatoon Canada Want Peace in Their Homeland June 14, 06

Priceless Assyrian Relics Used for Target Practice June 14, 06

Kurd's Plan to Change the Demographics of Northern Iraq in their Favour June 14, 06

Questions assyrians would like to ask Turkey June 14, 06

Iraq's Minority Communities Look Abroad for Asylum June 13, 06

Assyrians Demonstrate in Washington, D.C.  June 12, 06

Turkey turns the confiscated church into a pornographic movie theatre June 12, 06

Continuing Persecution Renews Calls for Assyrian Safe-Haven in Iraq June 9. 06

Assyrian Demonstrations in Washington D.C. June 8, 06

Safety Zone Could Be the Answer for Iraq's Endangered Peoples June 8, 06

Assyrian Christians Object to Exclusion in Iraq Homeland June 07, 06

Welsh Members of UK Parliament Recognize the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide June 6, 06

Violence against the Assyrians in Iraq updated  June 4, 06 

New Book Release by Sargon Donabed June, 2, 06 

The European MP letter to the Syrian Embassy June 1, 06

Asking for Equal rights is considered racist by the Kurdish Regional Government June 1, 06

 

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