AIBU to write to the Imperial War Museum about factual errors in some of their displays re Darfur and Zim?

[hatwoman]

we visited IWM North today and I found the following errors, which I feel are significant and feed into dangerous misconceptions about modern conflict. Firstly, recent violence in Zimbabwe is described as ethnic. It isn't. Mugabe has been laying into anyone who opposes him, regardless of their ethnicity. (He killed 1000s of Ndebele in the 80s but the display in question was about recent violence). Secondly violence in Darfur was described as being targetted against "African rebels". It wasn;t. It was targetted at non-combattant civilians. Bashir would love us to think he was fighting fighters, but he was attacking everyone.

There was also an error, far less significant, where it said war crimes trials for Yugoslavia were held at the International Court of Justice (they weren't - they held at an entirely different court - the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavis).

I've drafted a letter. Should I send it?

Yes. It is things like this that drive me nuts. I did the same thing at the aquarium in Berlin. Ok so maybe not as important as human rights but people need to know the correct info.

in many ways these errors are about human rights - they are about the way in which violence has been targetted and conducted - at political opponents and at civilians. both these countries have been the scenes of massive hr violations

yes send it.

it matters, and people are likely to trust and rely on what museums say.

We saw your comments on Mumsnet at Imperial War Museum North and would like to make clear that we welcome and actively encourage all forms of visitor feedback so thankyou for bringing this to our attention. We are investigating your complaint immediately and will respond personally to your letter very soon.
Best wishes,
Alex Knight
Imperial War Museum North

Good for you, Hatwoman.

Glad to see Imperial War Museum is responding so quickly - let us know what they say when you get a letter.

Is it wrong of me to keep thinking it's 'Imperial War Museum UP North'? (Grew up in Yorkshire btw am not sneering in soft Southerner kind of way...)

Well done Hattie. Sadly as we know there is often a lack of understanding regarding conflict in African countries, probably because it can be rather complicated.

Gosh Imperial War Museum, what a great response.

Wow, they must have great researches to pick up on this.
Well done to them for making an effort.

blimey! embarrasingly enough I accidentally pressed send before I'd completely finished the letter. so had to send another saying please ignore and then send the proper letter. what a fool!

Hm I wonder which poster whopped this one on Alex's desk.........

....good call whoever it was

I have to say that the museum is, as a whole, very good. thought provoking and moving. it's Big Picture thing is excellent - the whole exhibition hall is given over to projecting photos and voice overs from people who have experienced conflict. far better then the standard video show in a separate room or on a small screen.

We went to the IWM Duxford and were totally blown away by it, it was amazing. The dc loved the mixture of history and planes. The American hanger was fantastic. But the highlight of the trip was finding dh in a photo in a part of it and his ex-uniform on display.

We did Duxford last week. Ds has ASD and absolutely loved it. Took us over half an hour to get him out of the Land Warfare hanger with all the tanks!!!

master - you're in the UK at the moment? bet your running times are better at sea level