Thread by @YirgaGelaw

Lalibela is a #UNESCO world heritage site. In the last 70 years, it has been seriously harmed by bad conservation projects. New projects in #Lalibela should not repeat old mistakes.

A thread on the damage done to Lalibela BY conservation projects: 1/12

In 2008, EU-funded shelters were built over five of the churches. A UNESCO Mission Report discovered that the shelters allowed the rock to dry out which “has led to significant crumbling of the rock” (2018, p. 4). 2/12

Damage from conservation has been happening for decades. In 1954 Italian consultant firm Bastiano, Rosetta and Cambusi coated Bete Medhanialem and Amanuel with bituminous fluid and drove nails into the rock to support the bituminous layer. They then painted it with red ink. 3/12

The roof of Bete Medhanialem was completely sealed with cement and iron sheets. It caused irreversible damage that required further conservation work. 4/12

In 1966, a restoration campaign led by Sandro Angeleni commenced under the International Fund for Monuments. They pulled out the nails and scrubbed the red paint, cement and bituminous fluid, leaving the churches severely pockmarked. 5/12

In 1978, Lalibela became a UNESCO World Heritage 'property'. Traditionally, there was no border between the people and the churches. But since 1999, church surrounding households were seen as 'threats' to the heritage and their removal was planned. 6/12

In 2008, hermits who used to live in the caves praying and protecting the churches were removed. Backed by a $35 million loan from the World Bank, households surrounding the churches were also removed & resettled about 3kms away from the churches. 7/12

UNESCO reports "the immediate vicinity of the churches is now devoid of local people…the most substantial part of the traditional village…the holder of the medieval traditions of the site—no longer exists (2018, p. 27). 8/12

Locals live in fear of the shelters falling. UNESCO also “observed at several locations a widening of the joints between the flanges of the columns” (UNESCO 2018, p. 33). Locals protested on 7 October 2018. 9/12

PM Abiy Ahmed promised French support. The French took time 'studying' the rock. Recently, a new proposal to permanently shelter the entire church area is being considered. 10/12

I don't claim to know the best option but I have grave concerns about this proposal. If the current shelters dried out and crumbled the churches, as UNESCO reported, how can permanent sheltering of the entire area become a solution? Consulted experts disapprove the move. 11/12

I appeal to all concerned to seriously examine the options, to remedy not repeat past mistakes. Some experts consider nature (rain & sun) is the cause of the problem & disregard the impact of bad conservation. The rock is part of nature; its main problem is man-made. 12/12