[MSN] Peru (Michel van Rijn) In solidarity with the indigenous community of Leymebamba, who did not approve of exhibiting remains of ancestors in Austria and Italy, I have decided in protestation to withdraw my financial and personal help to Peru.

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

June 4, 2006

Read more at:
http://www.michelvanrijn.nl/artnews/mummietravel.htm

In solidarity with the indigenous community of poor farm-workers of
Leymebamba, who were not consulted, nor did they approve of exhibiting the
remains of their ancestors in the forth-coming Peruvian mummy exhibition in
Austria and Italy, coupled with the DNA testing that will take place there,
which is an additional act of sacrilege, I have decided in protestation to
withdraw my financial and personal help to Peru for the time being. 

I have been fighting tooth and nail for their cause against a blinkered
corrupt Peruvian government. Past successes, such as the repatriation of the
Challapampa altar was just a small part of my crusade. Only when the
Peruvian authorities were forced to take action in this regard, because the
robbery was exposed in detail on my website, they reluctantly took action.
As for now Mexican art thief Rodrigo Rivero Lake is still in possession of a
complete chapel looted from Cuzco, because of his friends in high places in
Peru and Mexico, instead of being incarcerated and forced to return the
looted chapel, he is attending society dinners in the presence of the
Peruvian ambassador to Mexico. 

Out the same act of protest I have decided to erase all pending Peruvian
cases from my portal, except for the case of the Leymebamba indigenous
people, till the Peruvian authorities lift their veil of shame.

Michel van Rijn

Read more at:
http://www.michelvanrijn.nl/artnews/mummietravel.htm