CULTURE AND MIGRATION

117 K. Papadopoulou Refugees and the Parthenon sculptures A fundamental change in circumstances has typically involved developments in governance and human rights that result in a complete political transformation of a country of origin. 188 Evidence of such a transformation may include “significant reforms altering the basic legal or social structure of the State… [or] democratic elections, declarations of amnesties, repeal of oppressive laws and dismantling of former security services”. 189 Although Lord Elgin had not come to the East with pillage in mind, the circumstances allowed him the opportunity to pillage and he took that opportunity. 190 By the time he was examined about his motives by a Parliamentary Select Committee, in 1816, he insisted that they were pure, he had intended merely to have the sculptures drawn and moulded (which was true), until he came to Athens and realized that they were in peril of “imminent and unavoidable destruction… had they been left many years longer the prey of mischievous Turks, who mutilated them for wanton amusement or for the purpose of selling them piecemeal to occasional travellers” 191 . 192 There was in fact some minor damage to the Parthenon walls during the Greek army’s siege of the Acropolis in 1821-22 and again when the Turks in turn besieged it in 1827, but in neither case would the sculptures, had they still been in place, have been affected. There seems little doubt that the sculptures, if left in place, would have survived the vicissitudes of the war and the petty corruption of the Turks, long enough to fall into the safe custody of the Greek Archaeological Service in whose hands the Parthenon was placed in 1835. 193 Nowadays that Greece is a democratic state and that the New Acropolis Museum has been built for the only purpose to house the Parthenon sculptures 194 there is re-availment of national protection. available at: https://www.unhcr.org/4d93528a9.pdf [30.01.2020]. 188. Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme, Sub-Committee of the Whole on International Protection, ‘Discussion Note on the Application of the “Ceased Circumstances” Cessation Clause in the 1951 Convention’, UN doc. EC/SCP/1992/CRP.1, para. 11, 20 Dec. 1991. 189. ‘Note on the Cessation Clauses’, para. 20. Note available at: https://www.unhcr.org/excom/ standcom/3ae68cf610/note-cessation-clauses.html [30.01.2020]. 190. G. Robertson QC, Prof. N. Palmer QC, A. Clooney “The Case for Return of the Parthenon Sculptures”. 31 July 2015, p. 30. 191. Ibidem. 192. The proof of Elgin’s deceit is the fact that he never visited Athens at all until June 1802, the fatal first removal of the metope had been in the previous year, and the removal of much of the frieze had been accomplished before he arrived. Ibidem. 193. Idem, p. 35. 194. The Acropolis Museum. Available at: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/content/ museum-history [30.01.2020].