Iraqi Writers' Union condemns the assassination
of culture ministry adviser

Baghdad, 23 August 2008 (Voices of Iraq)

Head of the Iraqi Authors' Union on Saturday condemned the assassination of Kamil Shiaa, the culture ministry adviser, calling on the Iraqi government to find the assassins.

"The Iraqi Authors' Union considers the assassination of Shiaa as an ugly crime, and we feel so sorry for losing him," Fadhil Thamir told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

"I call on the Iraqi government to find the evil hands that committed this crime," he said.

Thamir expressed his sincere condolences to Shiaa's family and colleagues.

Earlier today, unidentified gunmen assassinated a culture ministry advisor after they intercepted his vehicle on a road in central Baghdad, according to an Iraqi police source.

"The gunmen opened their machine-gun fire on the vehicle of Kamil Shiaa near the Muhammad al-Qassem highway and showered him with bullets, killing him instantly and seriously injuring his driver," the source, who asked that his name not be mentioned, told VOI.

Shiaa's driver was rushed to a nearby hospital, the source added. The reported assassination was confirmed by Rabah, the culture ministry advisor's brother.

UNESCO chief deplores murder of senior Iraqi cultural official

UNESCO chief deplores murder of senior Iraqi cultural official

26 August 2008 – The head of the United Nations culture agency today condemned the murder of a senior Iraqi Government official who had long worked to protect and preserve his country’s cultural heritage.

Kamel Shiya, 57, an adviser at the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in central Baghdad on Saturday afternoon.

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura issued a statement describing the killing as a crime against Iraqi society and a sad loss for UNESCO.

“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,” Mr. Matsuura said, offering his condolences to Mr. Shiya’s family, friends and colleagues.

“Mr. Shiya was a devoted public servant who was committed to the safeguarding of Iraq’s rich cultural heritage,” Mr. Matsuura added.

Since 2003, Mr. Shiya – who was a philosopher by training and a well-known cultural critic – served as UNESCO’s focal point in the Ministry of Culture. He also chaired the National Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Iraq.