Press Release
The Ethiopian Community Organization in Houston (ECOH) expresses its deepest concern over the apparent plan by the Houston Museum of Natural Science to exhibit Lucy (aka Dinknesh) in contravention of International protocol, and at a great risk to such fragile hominid fossil.
The Ethiopian Community after careful and thoughtful deliberation and in concurrences with many scientists including Smithsonian and other prominent museums has decided to oppose the Lucy Exhibitions for the following reasons:
* The exhibition violates the 1999 UNESCO International protocol on the transport of hominid fossils beyond the country of origin and it goes against the wishes of many prominent archeologists and paleontologists.
* Lucy is a great legacy to Ethiopia and mankind and no chance should be taken to put this priceless legacy and species at risk. We believe like many archeologists and paleontologists, the long and arduous journey poses dangers to Lucy.
According to National Natural History Museum spokesman Randall Kremer, Smithsonian scientists feel that certain artifacts, such as Lucy, “are too valuable for the stresses of travel and should remain in their homes”. He added, “this is one of the most important specimens relating to human origins in the world and it is too much of a risk to have it travel for the purposes of public viewing.”
Since its discovery in 1974, the Ethiopian public was allowed only twice to see the real Lucy remains. The Lucy exhibition at the Ethiopian Natural History Museum in the nation’s capital, Addis Ababa, is a replica and the real remains are usually locked in a vault.
For Dirk Van Tuerenhout, curator of anthropology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, which is arranging the tour it is about money. In news paper interview, he said, “If you are able to showcase an original fossil, then you have a story, then you have a point of attraction that will bring in the most number of people, and then you can tell them that story”
The current junta that the Museum transacted with has alienated the majority of Ethiopians by wrestling power by force, by continuing to rule by force, and like the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia by engaging in revisionist history to undermine the rule of law, and unity of the country through a Machiavellian divide and conquer scheme. For this and many other reasons, it has brought its legitimacy into question and probably its right to transact business on behalf of the 77 million Ethiopians. Since 1991, it engaged in massacres, election fraud, misallocation of resources, in unnecessary conflicts with neighboring countries, and looting of the national treasury by creating phony companies through relatives and cronies. The Lucy transaction is no exception to this reckless behavior of the regime to enrich its relatives, friends and lobbyists at any cost against the interest of the Ethiopian people.
Currently, the legitimately elected leaders of Ethiopia are in prison, including the Mayor of Addis Abeba, Dr. Berhanu Nega and Engineer Hailu Shawl, head of the largest opposition party. We therefore, ask the honorable Mayor, City Council, the Board and Officers of the Houston Museum of Natural Science to reconsider this risky undertaking against international protocol, and against the advice of many scientists.
Gigar B.Asfaw
Chairman, ECOH
P.O. Box 710935
Houston, TX 77071
Tel. 713-446-5222