Iraq Hostilities May Irreparably Harm Mankind's Historic Legacy

The desecration of shrines of any religion cannot leave people of whatever religion indifferent, a RIA Novosti correspondent quotes Anatoli Krasikov, Doctor of History, as saying in relation to the on-going hostilities in Iraq. Krasikov is the president of the Russian branch of the International Religious Freedom Association.

"Commanders in charge of hostilities on the Iraqi soil should remember that long before today, it was a specially venerated land for Shiites, followers of one of the most influential Muslim communities", said the Russian scholar.

He recalled that "the zone of hostilities involves the cities al-Najaf and Kerbela, where prophet Muhammed's nephew and son-in-law Imam Ali and his son Hussain were buried".

"Of top cultural value are other parts of Iraq too. On this territory way back in the fourth millennium B.C. several great civilisations of antiquity were born", stressed the Russian scholar. "I cannot but agree with the warning, carried in the Science magazine, of scientists from many countries that the Iraq war can do serious and ever irreparable damage to the historic legacy of mankind".