From e.d.wardini@easteur-orient.uio.no Mon Jun 5 21:17:33 1995 Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 16:04:09 +0200 From: Elie Wardini To: Elie Wardini Subject: Archeology in Beirut - An article This is a quicj translation of an Article published in February in the Beirut daily al-Nahar Elie Wardini ***************** Qabbani repeats to the Minister that he should provide a specialst". From the Beirut daily, al-Nahar (translated "quickly" from Arabic), Feb. 25th, 1995, p18. Another wall is destroyed in the Saifi region, a wall among the valuable archeological remains... and no one is responsible Only en days is the period that seperates the earlier "mistake" from the later "mistake". After the incident of knocking the ancient wall and breaking its corner in the south eastern part of the Martyr's square, the incident was repeated two days ago with the destruction of a wall in the Saifi region, and he the same persopn who winessed the destruction of of a wall wich the archeologists believe is from the early or middle bronze age. From the sea of information about the incident, we can present the following resume: at two thirty Thursday afternoon, Dr. Naji Karam, who is supervising the archeological digs in this site, left indicating to the engineer and the workers the region where they can continue digging with bulldozers, after having marked the site with stones. He asked them not to come close to the ancient wall, which was discovered a few days, until the next morning (i.e. yesterday on Friday). The representatives of UNESCO to the Directorate of Antiquities, Ibrahim Qawatli and Philippe Marquis also asked, the first one ion the morning and the latter in the afternoon, the engineer and the construction workers to stop because of the descovery of the anceint wall. This was in accordance to the law and the agreement on coordination that has been arrived at between the different parties. The engineer aswered as many times before: "we do not stop the work without a written order from SOLIDERE or the construction firm because we have a contract with them." When Dr. Karam arrived Friday morning at 7:40, the wall had been destroyed. The wall was 6 meters wide and nearly two meters high, and studies were supposed to decide its date and historical significance. As usal, everybody evaded responsibility and everybody accused the others: the entrepreneur needs a written statement to stop working and accusing the archeologists for the delay in getting it, the construction firm and SOLIDERE assures that they wanted to get the document ready by Friday afternoon, the Directorate of Antiquities through its representative says that it directed an oral request that the work be stoped immediately until the issue was solved. The result is that one more mistake that can not be corrected. The responsibility for coordination and agreement is has vanished. No is aws yet held responsible. That which is lost is lost!! Qabbani - Edde The PM of Beirut, Muhammad Qabbani, after inspoected the site directed a letter to the Minister of Culture and Higher Education, Michel Edde, repeating that the general inspector of archeology be present in the field and that he be given full power to deal with the issues at hand. The following is the lext of the letter: "Based on an urgent message from Dr. Naji Karam (24th Feb.), the head of the archeological team of the Lebanese University in the Saifi region, I inspected the site in which he is working and where he reported that the bulldozers of the entrepreneur had removed a stone wall that was cut in the shape of a corner. As he was about to leav, he had asked the entrepreneur yesterday afternoon (14:00) to avopid digging in this region untill the the wall was inspected. The coordinator of the archeological digs, the specialist Philippe Marquis also asked the entrepreneur to stop working. Yet he was surpirsed this morning to see that the wall was removed because the representative of the entrepreneur demanded a written order before he can stop. We had several meetings with Dr. Karam and the representatives of SOLIDERE, Jacques Brifort(sp.?) and Francois Chartier and the inspector respresentatiing the construction firm, eng. Joseph Akkawi and the entrepreneur Milad Mouawad and his engineer Robert Raad. They disagreed on the importance of the wall, especially after it was removed [sic!!!!]. Yet the representatives of SOLIDERE said that, according to the agreement, it was the responsibility of the entrepreneur to stop digging as soon as archeological finds are made, without waiting for a written order. The inspector from the construction firm indicated that he had asked the entrepreneur to stop untill 12 o'clock today untill he gets a written order. But the entrepreneur assures that he needs a written order from any, big or small responsible, that defines where and when to stop. He had also earlier stopīped working after getting oral orders waiting to get written orders. I would like to assume good intent and motives from all parties concerned and a desire to preserve the archeological finds. Yet these facts show that there is a clear lack in coordination and the mechanics of supervising the digs. It is important to correct the mistakes and to stop such mistakes in eth fiture. I repeat insistingly our earlier requests which we directed to you months ago and what the archeological exprets have asked for, it is that the general inspector and responsible for archeological digs be present in Center Beirut where the digs are proceeding. He should be there as long as work in being done and he shold be qualified and given the power to act. An administration can not work from its offices in a ministry or through a coordinator in the field who has no administrative power. It will also be helpfull if the scientific leader (head of the archeological team) in each region is given the power to temporarily stop the digging when it is necessary, even if it is for a few hours untill the general coordinator comes to decide on the issue."