By NNN-KUNA,
Paris : UNESCO has condemned here the murder of an official at Iraq’s Ministry of Culture, describing it as a crime against the Iraqi society and a sad loss for UNESCO.
Its director-general, Koichiro Matsuura, in his condemnation Tuesday of the murder of Kamel Shiya, said that he “was a devoted public servant who was committed to the safeguarding of Iraq’s rich cultural heritage.”
“Since 2003, he was an invaluable colleague for us at UNESCO in his capacity as an advisor at the Ministry of Culture where he was our organisation’s focal point,” he indicated.
He said that over the years “we had many opportunities to appreciate his talent and his commitment.”
“Those who murdered this champion of Iraq’s reconstruction must be seen for what they are … criminals working against the interests of the people of Iraq,” he added.
Shiya, 57, an advisor at the Ministry of Culture, also chaired the National Co-ordinating Committee for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Iraq. He was a well-known critic on cultural issues.
The Iraqi official was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the centre of Baghdad last Saturday.