Sniping xenophobe collectors and their lobbyists object to what they call "The Egyptian Military Dictatorship" (in reality the new Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh El-Damati ) expressing disapproval of the sale of Egyptian artefacts (like the Sekhemka statue in their museum) by footwear-fixated Borough of Northampton. They miss the point entirely. The Minister's statement indicates an extreme shift of policy. El-Damati has denounced the decision made by Northampton Museum, claiming that it is against the values of museums world wide as they should act as vessels to spread culture, rather than businesses searching for a profit.This is totally at odds with the policies publicly expressed by previous Ministers which demanded iconic objects and others be returned to Egypt. Collectors claim that antiquity collecting is all about spreading culture, but their notion of that is through private possession of trophy objects like this one, which is why on their websites and forums they simply ignore this important shift.
Sign the petition now, just two days left to convince the footwear philistines they are doing wrong. To Councillor David Mackintosh, Leader of Northampton Borough Council STOP the Sale of Sekhemka by Northampton Council.
Sources: 'Egyptian government launches last-minute legal bid to stop sale of Sekhemka by Northampton Borough Council', Northampton Chronicle and Echo 7th July 2014.
'Egypt threatens legal action to stop UK museum selling ancient statue', Al Arabiya News Tuesday, 8 July 2014.
Vignette: The contested statue.
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