Readers of this blog could hardly escape the sense of frustration that I personally have felt over what I see as intransigence in a bureau of the U.S. State Department. I’m sure that it literally pours from these lines. For years, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has operated under a shroud of secrecy that becomes neither the Department nor those charged with fulfilling its mission. Several prominent journalists, including Steven Vincent, Nina Teicholz and Jeremy Kahn have raised questions about the lack of transparency at ECA regarding cultural property issues.

When the U.S. Legislature authorized implementation of parts of the 1970 UNESCO Convention, a well thought out series of safeguards was built into the process that we know as CPIA (the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act). These safeguards were intended to protect and preserve the rights of a broad cross section of society — including private and public collectors. The integrity of these safeguards is dependent upon transparency in the system where decisions affecting those various elements of society are made.

Today, we find a situation where that integrity is severely compromised by the internal policies of ECA. Repeated attempts to obtain basic information about the decision making process and specific information about various requests for import restrictions have met with rejection, denial and bureaucratic stonewalling. Requests from members of Congress and the Senate have not altered the bureau’s reticence to share information. Repeated requests under the Freedom of Information Act have come to naught and appeals to these requests have been denied. An appeal to the State Department’s Inspector General was summarily brushed off by forwarding it to ECA for an answer.

The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild joined by two trade organizations, the International Association of Professional Numismatists and the Professional Numismatists Guild, has taken this issue to another level by asking that the U.S. judicial system mandate the release of information that will provide the transparency necessary to assure fair and legitimate administration of the law. (See Coin Collectors Sue U.S. State Department) Yes, coin collectors are suing the U.S. State Department. This is an unprecedented action, but it has become necessary because of unprecedented threats to ancient coin collecting. Hopefully, this suit will open the window to an atmosphere of trust and cooperation that will serve all of society’s needs and interests.