Research and ethics in wartime

31 December 2016

For over five years, war has raged in Syria; likewise Iraq has been ravaged by it for more than five years. Nevertheless, archaeologists and historians working in the ancient Near East continue to conduct their research on cultural heritage which has been assaulted for too long. But these researchers should behave ethically and responsibly and must not ignore the human tragedy which is unfolding across the land.

Various bodies, such as the ethical committee of the CNRS (Comets), have published texts defining principled and responsible research practice. These texts seldom take into account the situation experienced by researchers working in countries at war; even so, they call to mind some general principles which deserve to be underlined. Accordingly, in the handbook published by Comets (in French and in English), one reads: ‘(Research activity) is founded on the fundamental principles of honesty, integrity and responsibility, upon which society bases its confidence in research’. Further on in the text we read:

The researcher also bears a responsibility towards society. One of the aims of science is unquestionably that of contributing to the common good of humanity […] researchers cannot forego careful reflection on the responsibility which limits the freedom that is intrinsic to their profession.

This text should be carefully reflected on, especially when the archaeological remains in the Near East are the subject of unprecedented political exploitation. When Palmyra was taken over by ISIS and the Syrian regime bombarded what remained of Aleppo (the City of Martyrs), a meeting organised by the Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums of Syria (DGAM) brought together at Damascus on 10 and 11 December representatives of the Syrian State and European and American archaeologists and conservators. The presence of foreign technicians and scientists at this meeting elicited a profound sense of unease in the scientific community, as Hala Kodmani related in an article published in Libération on 28 December (Trench warfare surrounds Syrian cultural heritage),[1] a piece which cites a declaration published by eight different associations and organisations in defence of Syrian heritage.

Clearly, within DGAM there are some colleagues who are doing some remarkable work to safeguard endangered heritage, and they deserve to be supported. Accordingly, they were invited to participate at some meetings and to follow some training modules held outside Syria: such acts are important for the reconstruction of cultural heritage. But at the same time, one must not forget that many DGAM conservators and university professors who have bravely opposed the Damascus regime today find themselves in exile abroad and have been disbarred by Syrian officials. That is the reason why participating at a meeting in Damascus in front of the press and state TV amounts to condoning a tyrannical regime, the principal wrecker of Syrian heritage. Such participation also represents a denial of the human tragedy which is unfolding in the region, as the International Association for Assyriology (IAA)[2] reminds us in a declaration published in several languages, including French:

The current conflicts place human lives in jeopardy and constitute a serious threat to the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Near East […] We condemn all of the damage caused to cultural heritage and the attempts, by any party whatsoever, to exploit (for political ends) this tragedy. The IAA appeals to its members, the international community and all other parties concerned to respect the right to life of all citizens and, as far as they are able, to prevent, limit and remediate the damage caused to the region’s cultural heritage.

Please be responsible researchers, and respect the ethical code that governs our profession!

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Supplements to 10 February 2017

Ethics Charter: Preliminary ethics charter for people working in the Middle East (17 January 2017)

Press articles:

In Syria, the war comes to visit the archaeologists, RFI, published 29 December 2016

Heritage and propaganda, L’Histoire, 10 January 2017

The war in Syria is now fought between archaeologists, La Stampa, 19 January 2017, p. 24

Syria, a major dispute erupts among archaeologists “Collaborationist on Assad’s side”. Il Corriere della Sera, 7 February 2017

[1] See also the article published on 31 December in the Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano (p. 14).

[2] The association over which I preside brings together 450 Assyriologists and archaeologists of the ancient Near East.