Mali manuscripts Saved from Jihadists Again at Risk

There are fears that Islamists may try to complete the cultural cleansing they started almost three years ago in Timbuktu (Kim Sengupta, 'Mali manuscripts: Nation's treasure trove of ancient books saved from jihadists are once again at risk' Independent 27 November 2015).

Almost three years after they were smuggled out of the clutches of jihadists in Timbuktu who had begun to burn them, the ancient books remain at risk. As the murderous attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel showed, Bamako is not out of the reach of the Islamists and there is fear they may try to complete the cultural cleansing they had started almost three years ago [...]. The collection is hidden around Bamako [...] Despite the obvious care and attention of those in charge, the conditions are far from ideal and many of the documents, some analysts estimate up to 40 per cent, have been damaged. Initially this was caused by rainwater seeping through a leaking roof. But although that was repaired, dust and heat has begun to erase some of the beautiful calligraphy, while pages get stuck together due to the humidity, insects eating through the bindings.  “I am afraid a lot of the manuscripts have been affected, it is a great pity,” said Dr Abdoulkadri Idrissa Maiga, director of the Institute. “The weather conditions here in Bamako are not good for keeping them. It’s a big problem. Even the dust here is not the same as the dust in Timbuktu and believe it or not the type of dust has a bearing on how the pages can be preserved.” [...] “We have made some improvements in the way things are kept here, controlling some of the damage. But what we can’t control is the human danger, those people who want to destroy these lovely books and those who want to steal them. All we can do is keep the places where we have them confidential.” 

The obvious answer is to pack them up and send them to the US where the dust can be kept off them, and our conservators will deal with the insects which defeat the Africans.