Chairperson, I hereby appeal that the Members of Parliament adopt these three conventions. The Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage provides a blanket protection of all wrecks, being vessel or aircraft or any part thereof that was wrecked in South Africa, whether on land, in the internal waters or territorial waters, is older than 60 years and which the South African Heritage Resources Agency, Sahra, considers to be worthy of conservation. Since the 15th century, South African seawaters have been the site of numerous shipwrecks. So, I would like to appeal to Members of Parliament to adopt this convention as it is very important to protect our underwater cultural heritage.
Secondly, I would like us to further adopt the Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects. This convention focuses on the recovery phase of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects, and set uniform rules and conditions for restitution claims on stolen objects as well as return claims on illegally exported cultural objects.
The 1970 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Unesco, Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property requires cultural objects to have been designated by the state requesting return. This is critical, because it allows for cultural objects from private homes, traditional communities and private collections that are not yet registered or designated by the state to be claimed back. However, this does not mean that the state parties should not take the inventoring of cultural objects seriously, as it is very difficult to claim successfully cultural objects that have not been inventoried. This is also covered under a section of the National Heritage Resources Act.
Thirdly, I would like to appeal, once again, to Parliament to adopt the Second Protocol to the 1954 The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. I think it becomes very important when there is armed conflict throughout the world to protect cultural property. The protocol is designed to improve the application and effectiveness of the convention. It applies to situations of international and noninternational armed conflict and aims to improve the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. It establishes and enhances systems for the protection of designated cultural property.
State parties are required to put in place practical measures in peacetime to safeguard cultural property. These include the development of inventories and planning for emergency measures for protecting cultural property. Hon members will remember what happened recently in Mali, where the Timbuktu library was burnt. Some of the most important African renaissance products were burnt and some were stolen in the armed conflict. So, it becomes very important to pass this convention.
Advantages for South Africa includes that the country will be party to the sharing of international expertise and best practice on the protection of cultural property. The protocol establishes an intergovernmental committee that supervises its implementation. It also establishes an international fund. State parties can apply for financial or other assistance from this fund for the purposes of putting in place practical measures in peacetime to safeguard cultural property.
South Africa already has a policy and legislative framework that addresses issues of stolen or illegally removed cultural property through the National Heritage Resources Act. Legislation will have to be amended to address critical issues that are not currently covered, such as the strict regulation of the location of cultural property in relation to military objectives. I would like to appeal to Members of Parliament to adopt these three conventions. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
The 2001 Unesco Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage approved.
The 1995 Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects approved.
The 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict approved.