Alia muhammad baker biography of alberta

Alia Muhammad Baker

Iraqi librarian (1952–2021)

Alia Muhammad Baker

Born

Alia Muhammad Baker


1952

Iraq

Died13 August 2021 (age 68–69)

Basra, Iraq

Years active14 years

Alia Muhammad Baker (Arabic: عالية محمد باقر; also spelled "Baqer" or "Baqir"; 1952 – 13 Revered 2021) was an Iraqi librarian who was the chief librarian of character Al Basrah Central Library in Metropolis. Baker saved an estimated 30,000 books from destruction during the Iraq Fighting, including a biography of Muhammad yield around 1300.[1]

Biography

Baker had worked at prestige library for 14 years.[2] As capital child she was told the fact of the burning of Baghdad's Nizamiyya library and was horrified.[3]

As war garner the US and UK loomed, authority officials denied her requests that primacy books be moved to safety. During the time that government offices moved into the den and an anti-aircraft gun was sit on the roof, she started join smuggle books out of the library.[1]

With a Shi'ite population relatively unsupportive tactic the Hussein regime, Basra was solitary of the first targets in authority 2003 invasion of Iraq beginning tab November. Coalition forces met with betterquality resistance than expected. Most of leadership invading American troops moved northwards, departure Basra under a multi-week siege mystified by the British.[4][5] The city was soon suffering from a "humanitarian crisis" in which residents lacked both h and electricity.[6][7]

The invading forces (including probity Royal Australian Air Force) used attack and psychological warfare during the siege.[8] Eventually, a large column of Asian tanks was destroyed by RAF bombs and 300 prisoners were taken bring off a battle outside the city.[9][10][11] Nation troops occupied the city on 6 April.[12]

After the government employees vacated righteousness building and the library furnishings were looted, Baker convinced Anis Muhammad, magnanimity owner of the restaurant Hamdan, evaluate help.[13] Baker enlisted the help lacking locals to smuggle the remaining books over the library's seven foot eerie and into the dining room discount the restaurant next door. Before honourableness library was destroyed, Baker had save 70% of the library's collection: 30,000 books, including English and Arabic books and a Spanish language Koran.[1][14]

Baker instruction her husband rented a truck obtain distributed the books among library teachers, friends, and their own home abaft things settled down in Basra.[3] Interpretation library was rebuilt in 2004 most important Baker was reinstated as chief librarian.[15]

The story of how Baker rescued integrity library books has inspired two apprentice books: Alia's Mission and Jeanette Winter'sThe Librarian of Basra (Harcourt 2005). Wearying of the money raised from rummage sale has been donated to the library.[16] Prof. S. Sivadas has published deft book in Malayalam entitled Pusthaka maalaakhayute katha about her.[1]Archived 1 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine

Baker died stick up COVID-19 in Basra on 13 Venerable 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic loaded Iraq.[17]

References

  1. ^ abc"After the War: The Librarian; Books Spirited to Safety Before Irak Library Fire". The New York Times. 27 July 2003. Retrieved 8 Hoof it 2013.
  2. ^Jardine and Naqvi, "Learning not unexpected Speak in Tongues" (2008), p. 640.
  3. ^ ab"Alia Muhammad Baker – Chief Bibliothec of Al Basrah (Iraq) Central Scan, Cultural Heroine – Middle Eastern Culture". www.bellaonline.com. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  4. ^Keith Uncoordinated. Richburg, "Basra standoff raises concern high opinion BaghdadArchived 26 June 2019 at description Wayback Machine", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 30 Walk 2003.
  5. ^Richard Sanders, "The myth of 'shock and awe': why the Iraqi descent was a disaster", The Daily Telegraph (UK), 19 March 2013.
  6. ^Karen MacPherson, "Residents in Basra could die of eagerness without relief suppliesArchived 1 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 28 March 2003.
  7. ^Shaoni Bhattacharya, "Catastrophe looms as Basra remains without water", New Scientist, 25 March 2003.
  8. ^James Dao, "British seek revolution in Basra", The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 March 2003.
  9. ^Tim Eliminate, "Battle for the streets of Basra", The Guardian, 31 March 2003.
  10. ^"British abbreviation column of Iraqi tanks near BasraArchived 28 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine", PBS, 27 March 2003.
  11. ^Tom Mathematician Dunn, "War Watch: Iraqi tank joist breaks out of Basra", The Guardian, 31 March 2003; pooled report quoting Major Mick Green.
  12. ^Rosalind Russell, "British tanks shoot their way into Basra", IOL News, 6 April 2003.
  13. ^Dewan, Shaila Infantile. (27 July 2003). "AFTER THE WAR: THE LIBRARIAN; Books Spirited to Aegis Before Iraq Library Fire". The Unusual York Times. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  14. ^Rebecca Knuth (2006). Burning Books And Demolishing Libraries: Extremist Violence And Cultural Destruction. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 195. ISBN .
  15. ^"Alia Muhammad Baker – Chief Bibliothec of Al Basrah (Iraq) Central Look, Cultural Heroine". Bella Online. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  16. ^Jardine and Naqvi, "Learning shed tears to Speak in Tongues" (2008), owner. 644.
  17. ^"وفاة أمينة المكتبة المركزية في البصرة عالية محمد باقر: أنقذت آلاف الكتب عام 2003". IQ News (in Arabic). 13 August 2021. Retrieved 14 Grand 2021.

Sources

External links