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Alia Muhammad Baker (also spelled "Baqer") was the chief librarian in the Al Basrah Central Library, Basra, Iraq. Baker saved an estimated 30,000 books from destruction during the Iraq War, including a biography of Muhammad from around 1300. Baker had worked at the library for 14 years.〔Jardine and Naqvi, "Learning not to Speak in Tongues" (2008), p. 640.〕 As war with the US and UK loomed, government officials denied her requests that the books be moved to safety. She started to smuggle books out of the library.〔 With a Shi'ite population relatively unsupportive of the Hussein regime, Basra was one of the first targets in the 2003 invasion of Iraq beginning in March. Coalition forces met with more resistance than expected. Most of the invading American troops moved northwards, leaving Basra under a multi-week siege led by the British.〔Keith B. Richburg, "(Basra standoff raises concern about Baghdad )", ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', 30 March 2003.〕〔Richard Sanders, "(The myth of 'shock and awe': why the Iraqi invasion was a disaster )", ''The Telegraph'' (UK), 19 March 2013.〕 The city was soon suffering from a "humanitarian crisis" in which residents lacked both water and electricity.〔Karen MacPherson, "(Residents in Basra could die of thirst without relief supplies )", ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', 28 March 2003.〕〔Shaoni Bhattacharya, "(Catastrophe looms as Basra remains without water )", ''New Scientist'', 25 March 2003.〕 The invading forces (including the Royal Australian Air Force) used bombing and psychological warfare during the siege.〔James Dao, "(British seek revolution in Basra )", ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 31 March 2003.〕 Eventually, a large column of Iraqi tanks was destroyed by RAF bombs and 300 prisoners were taken in a battle outside the city.〔Tim Butcher, "(Battle for the streets of Basra )", ''The Guardian'', 31 March 2003.〕〔"(British attack column of Iraqi tanks near Basra )", ''PBS'', 27 March 2003.〕〔Tom Newton Dunn, "(War Watch: Iraqi tank column breaks out of Basra )", ''The Guardian'', 31 March 2003; pooled report quoting Major Mick Green.〕 British troops occupied the city on 6 April.〔Rosalind Russell, "(British tanks shoot their way into Basra )", ''IOL News'', 6 April 2003.〕 Baker enlisted the help of locals to smuggle the remaining books over the library's seven foot wall and into the dining room of the restaurant next door. Before the library was destroyed, Baker had rescued 70% of the library's collection: 30,000 books, including English and Arabic books and a Spanish language Koran.〔〔Rebecca Knuth, ''Burning Books And Leveling Libraries: Extremist Violence And Cultural Destruction''; Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006; p. (195 ); ISBN 9780275990077〕 The library was rebuilt in 2004 and Baker was reinstated as chief librarian. The story of how Baker rescued the library books has inspired two children's books: ''Alia's Mission'' and Jeanette Winter's ''The Librarian of Basra'' (Harcourt 2005). Some of the money raised from sales has been donated to the library.〔Jardine and Naqvi, "Learning not to Speak in Tongues" (2008), p. 644.〕 ==References== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Alia Muhammad Baker」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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