Violence prompts exodus of professors

Dr Esam al-Rawi, head of the university professors union, has said that 172 professors have been killed and 3000 have fled the country during the sectarian violence. He said they were being targeted because they were former members of the dissolved Baath party and because certain groups in Iraq wanted to rid the country of scientific minds. He also suggested that some professors might be targeted by students with grievances against them. He added that the exodus of teachers was a terrible loss for the country.