Fears for Iraq archive after soldiers arrive smashing windows and threatening staff

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/August/focusoniraq_August59.xml§ion=focusoniraq&col=

BAGHDAD - The head of Iraq’s national archive said on Saturday he feared for the country’s priceless collection of historical documents after Iraqi soldiers occupied the roof of his building and threatened his staff.

Saad Eskander, Director of the National Library and Archive, said Iraqi soldiers had arrived this week, smashing windows, threatening staff and occupying a position on the roof for two days during a curfew imposed during a Shia pilgrimage.

The archive holds more than 700,000 books and millions of documents from the Ottoman and British colonial periods of Iraq’s history.

So far it has been spared the looting that struck other troves of historical treasures in the country. But Eskander complained that Iraqi forces were making the building a target by occupying the roof.

[MadMaddie]

1. The UN should get involved to get those artifacts to a safe

location until they can be returned to it's citizens safely.