[Reader-list] URGENT: Protestors Clash With Police As Artifacts Leave For Musee Guimet

[Naeem Mohaiemen]

URGENT: In a secret decision, the controversial loan of historic
artifacts from Bangladesh to Musee Guimet in France finally went
underway this morning.  The upper court struck down the lawsuit
brought by Bangladeshi artists and archaeologists blocking the loan of
artifacts. The controversy had already cost the previous French
Ambassador his job. The French Embassy was "outraged" at the
accusations from Bangladeshi protesters. How dare they accuse a French
museum of being a location where theft, counterfeiting or any other
harm to the artifacts could happen!

But in the end "French prestige" was saved as Guimet and the Dhaka
French Embassy collaborated to secretly ship the artifacts out of the
museum this morning. The artifacts are flying out of Dhaka on a
midnight Air France flight tonight.

What next?

Guimet Protests
http://www.drishtipat.org/blog/2007/11/30/guimet-protests/

"Protesters are asking international media to disseminate the news,
and prevent the artefacts from being taken away in this manner."

Shahidul Alam: Price of Priceless Objects
http://shahidul.wordpress.com/2007/11/29/the-price-of-priceless-objects/