Mali: Ancient Books Stolen

[Moderator Msn]

Mali: Ancient Books Stolen

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/world/africa/mali-ancient-books-stolen.html?_r=1

April 17, 2012

The United Nations expressed alarm on Monday over the safety of ancient books and documents in the storied city of Timbuktu as reports said that rebels had pillaged and looted the Ahmad Baba Institute of Higher Islamic Studies and Research, as well as other institutions. Many of the archives document Timbuktu’s golden era between the 12th and 15th centuries. Irina Bokova, director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, appealed to Mali’s neighbors and art collectors to refrain from trying to sell the stolen items and urged warring factions in Mali to respect Timbuktu’s rich history as a “cultural crossroads and center of learning.”