E/CN.4/1992/52 page 61 (c) Mention was also made of the closure of the 1,000-year-old universities of Najaf and Karbala. In actual fact, Karbala has no Islamic university of that name; it merely has ordinary theological colleges that are below university standard. These colleges still exist and enjoy the protection and care of the State; religious classes are being held therein and none of them has been closed. There is a college, known as Najaf University, which is run by Muhammad Sultan Kalantar, a minister of religion, and in which classes are still being held in a normal manner. The al-Hikma theological college, which was built several years ago and was run by the al-Hakim family, was taken over by the aggressive subversives who used it as a command post, a prison and a place for the execution of innocent civilians. Consequently, that college suffered severe material damage and is currently being repaired and restored. The Qazwiniya and Saleemiya colleges still exist and have not suffered any damage. It should be noted that the al-Khoei college, which is situated opposite the Imam Ali shrine, is in one of the areas covered by the project for the development and expansion of the Haidari courtyard. The college building was therefore expropriated, with the agreement of His Eminence the Imam, in return for fair compensation before the acts of aggression and subversion to which Iraq was subjected. (d) With regard to the question of the university and the colleges in the governorates of Karbala and Najaf, it should also be noted that the city of Kufa has a university named after it. However, since its buildings and their contents were severely damaged as a result of the acts of aggression and sabotage, the competent authorities were obliged to transfer that university to the city of Hilla pending the completion of the repairs to the damaged buildings, after which the university will be transferred back to Kufa. (e) Concerning the allegation that a large number of clergymen, teachers and students were rounded up in the cities of Karbala and Najaf and are currently missing, what actually happened was that 20 clergymen, with their families and children, sought refuge with the competent authorities and requested their protection during the acts of sabotage in view of their fear of being attacked by the saboteurs. They were provided with health care and appropriate accommodation and were subsequently returned safely to their homes and places of residence, at their own request, after the acts of sabotage had been suppressed. They included Muhammad Kalantar and his children, who are currently living in the city of Najaf. No clergymen have been detained in the city of Karbala. In this connection, it must be emphasized that the Iraqi Government has always treated the clergymen of all religious communities with all due respect for their religious and social status. We can confirm that the clergymen in the governorates of Najaf and Karbala are still discharging their religious duties and leading completely normal lives without any harassment. The competent Iraqi authorities have no knowledge of any clergyman bearing the name of Sheikh Ali Ashqar Ahmadi living in Iraq or within the boundaries of the governorate of Najaf or any other governorate.