Zahi Hawass, the former minister of state for antiquities faces charges of breaking Egypt's antiquities law when he agreed to display rare Egyptian objects in Australia and the US
Ahram Online, Monday 2 Apr 2012
General Prosecutor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud on Monday referred charges of wasting public money and stealing Egyptian antiquities against Zahi Hawass, former minister of state for antiquities to the Public Fund Prosecution office.
Nour El-Din Abdul-Samad, Director of Archeological Sites, had filed the accusations against Hawass, and requested that the objects in question be returned to the Egyptian Museum.
The Public Funds Prosecution office also received other charges accusing Hawass of wasting public money and exposing Egyptian antiquities to stealing in collaboration with former regime members.
Hawass is accused of sealing a deal with the American Geographical Society to display rare Egyptian antiquities in exhibitions across the United States and Australia, violating the law of protecting antiquities.
Hawass admitted in a television talk show that he had a 17 million dollar deal with the American Geographical Society with regard to a Tutankhamun exhibition to raise donations for Suzanne Mubarak's association, wife of former president Hosni Mubarak. Suzanne Mubarak's association was a private association not a state body, and as such Hawass was not legally allowed to use his position as a state minister to raise funds for it.
The charges relate to Hawass agreeing to transfer and display 143 objects from the Egyptian Museum to Washington DC in 2003. The antiquities have yet to be returned to the museum. [Tut, tut. They are still on exhibit and touring the USA -- they will be in Seattle starting in May, 2012 through January, 2013. Now if I can find this information out simply by doing a quick google search, don't ya think the geniuses running Egypt could do the same thing and read all about it, heh?]
These exhibitions violate the antiquities law that prohibits renting Egypt's heritage. [BULLSHIT. That is, pure and simply, BULLSHIT. Like I said, it's all about the money, and the fact that the boys now running Egypt ain't getting any from the millions generated by the tour of the Tut-related artifacts and exhibition. Too bad, so sad. All of this was put in place LONG before the 'revolution.']
Nour El-Din Abdul-Samad, Director of Archeological Sites, had filed the accusations against Hawass, and requested that the objects in question be returned to the Egyptian Museum.
The Public Funds Prosecution office also received other charges accusing Hawass of wasting public money and exposing Egyptian antiquities to stealing in collaboration with former regime members.
Hawass is accused of sealing a deal with the American Geographical Society to display rare Egyptian antiquities in exhibitions across the United States and Australia, violating the law of protecting antiquities.
Hawass admitted in a television talk show that he had a 17 million dollar deal with the American Geographical Society with regard to a Tutankhamun exhibition to raise donations for Suzanne Mubarak's association, wife of former president Hosni Mubarak. Suzanne Mubarak's association was a private association not a state body, and as such Hawass was not legally allowed to use his position as a state minister to raise funds for it.
The charges relate to Hawass agreeing to transfer and display 143 objects from the Egyptian Museum to Washington DC in 2003. The antiquities have yet to be returned to the museum. [Tut, tut. They are still on exhibit and touring the USA -- they will be in Seattle starting in May, 2012 through January, 2013. Now if I can find this information out simply by doing a quick google search, don't ya think the geniuses running Egypt could do the same thing and read all about it, heh?]
These exhibitions violate the antiquities law that prohibits renting Egypt's heritage. [BULLSHIT. That is, pure and simply, BULLSHIT. Like I said, it's all about the money, and the fact that the boys now running Egypt ain't getting any from the millions generated by the tour of the Tut-related artifacts and exhibition. Too bad, so sad. All of this was put in place LONG before the 'revolution.']
4 comments:
I believe that the problem is because any revenue from ancient Egyptian antiquities "rentals/loans" is to go to the government, not a private organization. And we don't even know which charity the Suzanne Mubarak should have sent the money to. That is the problem -- wondering if the money was used privately by Mubarak. 17 million dollars would have gone a long way in helping the everyday Egyptian.
Well, if nobody knows for certain what happened to the money - sounds like everyone is just guessing and there has been no official investigation, then why persecute Hawass? Why not go over Mrs. Mubarak? Is she untouchable? The government has set Hawass up as a patsy because it is increasingly unpopular with the Egyptian people and those leaders, like leaders in every other country, hope to deflect and distract the citizens from the truly important issues by holding Hawass up as a "thief" and a liar. I wonder how much of any previous money for exhibits ever made it into the hands of the Egyptian citizens? Ha - probably not a penny. Nothing has changed in Egypt - same old stuff, different faces.
Simply because everyone else in the past was doing it doesn't mean the man isn't guilty of collusion. It is probably difficult to track the $17 million since nobody would have kept paperwork to incriminate themselves. Besides, shredders work really well in a pinch.
So, let me get this straight: Zahi reaches a deal with the U.S. to send antiquities to America in return for $17 million going to a private fund operated by Mrs. Mubarak. Hmmm. Makes me wonder what Zahi's commission was for arranging the deal.
They didn't loot the Treasury in this case since the money never made it there in the first place. Regardless, to privately arrange for and/or take money for items belonging to the government will still be a crime of theft and, at a minimum, fraud.
That money should have been sent to Egyptian Antiquities to defray expenses such as digs, stipends and salaries. Instead, it likely went into the Mubaraks' pockets with a kickback to Zahi. Do I have proof of that? No. Does it smell like it? Yes.
Where's the evidence? Lots of people are spouting off about this - but really - where is the evidence that Hawass benefited from this at all? You know the popular saying SHOW ME THE MONEY -- well -- show me the money that Hawass received for this supposed deal!
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