Gigar B. Asfaw (Chairman of the Ethiapian Organisation in Houston)
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Exploitation of the ancestors of humanity by the famous Paleontologist Dr. Richard Leakey. The Ethiopian Community in Houston supports Dr. Leakey’s position and denounces this dangerous gamble with an irreplaceable 3.2 million years old and world’s most famous set of fossils. The manner and the secrecy that Lucy was removed from Ethiopia also show some sinister plan by the participants.
According to the Associated Press, Ethiopians were surprised the departure took place under cover of darkness with no fanfare. Kine Arega, a 29 year old attorney said, "This is a national treasure," "How come the public has no inkling about this? It's amazing that we didn't even get to say goodbye." Paleontologist Berhane Assaw said he arrived at the museum Monday morning after working late Sunday night to find that the fossil and key staff members had left for Texas, where Lucy will go on display this month.
The departure "should have been made public,“ he said. The Smithsonian Institution has objected to the six year tour because museum experts do not believe the fragile remains should travel. Even in Ethiopia, the public has not seen the real Lucy fossil. "Quite simply, the Smithsonian position is that the fossil Lucy, one of the real the most important specimen of its kind, is too fragile to go on public tour,” National Natural Museum spokesman Randal Kremer said Monday.
“Money cannot be a justification to export original specimens,” said Zalalem Assefa, an Ethiopian who works at the smithsonian and was visitng Addis Ababa. “These are original, irreplaceable materials. These are things you don’t gamble with.” Dr Leakey went further to say that “the disparthing of the Lucy skeleton on six year-tour of the United States is akin to prostitution, it’s gross exploitation of the ancestors of humanity and it should not be permitted. According to the smithsonian and Dr Leaky, these specimens will get damaged no matter how careful you are and every time she is moved there is a risk,"
Dr. Leakey added “The point is what is the benefit of taking one .......