[Reader-list] Fwd: Row Over Bangladesh Loan To Musee Guimet

[Monica Narula]

Monica Narula
Raqs
Sarai-CSDS
29 Rajpur Road
Delhi 110 054
www.raqsmediacollective.net
www.sarai.net


Begin forwarded message:


>
> From <proshno07 at gmail.com> 		
> Dancing the DGFI's Tune?
>
> The past few weeks have seen tempers run high in some part of the
> artistic and heritage community over the supposed 'theft' of our
> artefacts by a foreign government, their 'threatened destruction'
> and the 'anti-state' activity constituted by their exhibition abroad.
> Quieter voices within both communities have talked about the
> importance of culture being part of a universal heritage, which cannot
> be confined within geographical borders and boundaries but must be
> shared across communities and countries. But our press has done little
> to give space to these voices, reporting only the shrill and frankly
> ignorant ('the Mona Lisa has not been shown outside France' says one
> eminent former DG Archaeology – now involved in litigation to stop the
> artefacts being taken abroad).
>
> All this is about the exhibition on 'Masterpieces of Bangladesh Art'
> to be shown at the Musee Guimet in Paris from October 2007 to March
> 2008. Or rather the exhibition that should have been shown. Right now
> it is again a moot point whether the artefacts will ever reach Paris
> at all, let alone be displayed.
>
> The first time the exhibition was delayed due to a so called 'public
> interest litigation' raising questions about whether the agreements
> entered into between the Government of France and the Government of
> Bangladesh and various Bangladeshi national museums had been in
> accordance with law. This petition included documents from files of
> the National Security Intelligence. It would be interesting to know
> how those involved in the case obtained these documents. As it
> happened, these documents concerned inquiries pending against a
> government official who it was claimed was involved in accompanying
> the artefacts to France. In documents presented by the Government
> before the Supreme Court (and given to the petitioners) it was clear
> that this claim had no basis at all. The person named is not
> accompanying the exhibits, nor was he doing so. When the petitioners
> were asked by the Supreme Court to explain what evidence they had on
> this point, their lawyer was unable to respond.
>
> The second attempt was a case filed before the District Court, again
> by 'art lovers' including former DGs of Archaeology etc.
> Interestingly, the case was filed (according to newspaper report)
> against the French Ambassador and others. The Court issued a show
> cause order, but did not stop the artefacts from going.
>
> At this point, with no more puppets to join the dance, the DGFI's fist
> finally came out from beneath the glove.   It directly intervened at
> the airport to stop the artefacts from going on the ground that an
> 'inquiry' is to be held. An inquiry into what? An inquiry which
> effectively amounts to non-compliance with an order of the apex Court?
>
> The artists and other genuine arts lovers who raised questions
> regarding this exhibition surely did so from the cleanest of motives.
> They were not informed by the Government of many details of the
> exhibition and being active members of civil society rightly felt that
> there should have been greater public information and consultation on
> the issue. Since Bangladesh has never had a major international
> exhibition of ancient art, it was understandable also that few people
> were familiar with the procedures and protocols, and were anxious
> about the risks involved.   Perhaps more information and clarification
> would have resolved their doubts. But for the true believers, perhaps
> even that would not have helped.
>
> But what deserves attention now is whether these artists know that
> they are dancing to someone else's tune? Perhaps alarm bells should
> have rung when a security consultant, the petitioner in the High Court
> case, claimed publicly that sending 'our artefacts abroad is an
> anti-State activity'? And when NSI documents appeared in the Writ
> Petition? Or when at least two of the people involved with the writ
> held frequent meetings with top DGFI Officers?
>
> You would think that those who are most disturbed by the current
> situation, anxious to see a 'return to the rule of law and democracy'
> where the 'powers that be' do not determine all results and outcomes,
> would find this particular outcome chilling. But do they? Or have some
> of them at least helped to bring this about?
>
> For now the DGFI action has interfered with the Supreme Court's order,
> preventing the artefacts from going to France and the exhibition from
> opening. Why are our intelligence so opposed to this exhibition and
> why are they greater guardians of our cultural heritage than even the
> apex Court? More importantly, why does this exhibition bother them so?
> Is it because it will show a face of Bangladesh which is different
> from that they wish to project – one that exemplifies a multiple,
> plural diverse identity, constituted of different religions?