The problem arises in an area of 23 dunams that until now has only been explored in a minimal part. In recent times, dozens of objects and remains have appeared. The complaints that were made to try to prevent sales have been of no use. Governor Rebwar Taha says he wants to protect the heritage, but people in the area are very worried.
Kirkuk () – An ancient hill near Kirkuk, in an area that “originally is Christian land”, contains treasures and archaeological heritage that for the most part has not yet been discovered and for that very reason has ended up in the of specialized traffickers. According to the Rudaw information site, the problem arises in a mountainous area that contains “dozens of remains and excavations that have not yet been completed,” and that is why local activist groups are promoting a fight against looting.
The affected area has a surface area of 23 dunams (about 23,000 square meters) and, of them, only 40% has been the subject of excavation work that has allowed the discovery of at least 45 archaeological sites. A local businessman is maneuvering to take ownership of the land away from the Kirkuk Department of Antiquities and speed up drilling and excavation work.
In response, some residents of the area have started a legal battle to prevent the expropriation, but so far “no action has been taken,” according to a local source.
Raed Al-Obaidi, a resident of the Al-Wasiti neighborhood, commented: “This is an archaeological area, and someone came and claimed that he was the owner.” In reality, he continues, “originally the land belonged to the Christians,” but that did not prevent the attempted takeover from being carried out. Omar Ahmed also weighs in on the issue, raising questions about the methods of selling “land containing antiquities that, anywhere else in the world, would be subject to a specific authority.” Another member of the group fighting against the purchase explains that “they are lands subject to archaeological provisions” and that “they were fenced more than 400 years ago.” Recently – says Abbas Mouloud – someone came, demolished the wall and began to excavate, subdivide the land and put it up for sale. “We are fighting, but so far we have achieved nothing.”
In recent months, the Commission to Prevent Abuse registered a complaint against this businessman – whose identity remains hidden – who is trying to seize land from the Kirkuk Guarantor Authority, but has not yet received a response. Governor Rebwar Taha also referred to this matter and confirmed the discovery “of archaeological remains in that mountainous place”, ensuring that he has decided to take “legal action” against expropriation attempts.
The archaeological sites constitute a heritage of great economic, historical and cultural value, which is the true “black gold” of Iraq, as the Chaldean primate Card had declared in the past. Luis Rafael Sako. In fact, when he was archbishop of Kirkuk, the cardinal was already denouncing the dangers faced by a “universal good”, which must be protected from looting, illegal trafficking and even climate change, because by itself it is worth “more than oil.” “. It is a responsibility of all Iraqis, not just Christians, the patriarch also recalled in 2016 during the “International Conference for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in Areas that are Theaters of Conflict” that was held in Abu Dhabi, Emirates. United Arabs (UAE).
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