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Kathmandu Saturday March 03, 2001 Falgun 20, 2057.
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Deplorable act
The news report that Taliban Islamic militia has started demolishing the two
ancient magnificent Buddhist idols, along with other pre-Islamic statues is indeed
shocking and deplorable. It is shocking because Talibans have shown their utter disregard
to others’ religions and cultures. It is deplorable because the militia has hurt the
faiths other than Islamic. Despite howls of international protests, Taliban rulers are on
a demolition campaign to wipe out traces of civilization prior to the emergence of Islam.
To be precise, Islam, a defect of Christianity, came into existence in the sixth century
Anno Domino. If such religious fanatics are not stopped from pulling down historical
treasures, they may extend their unholy acts, and may cast a pall of terror over the whole
region.
Located in the Central Bamiyan province of Afghanistan, the two gigantic
statues of Lord Gautam Buddha which symbolize an "apostle of peace", are the
targets of the Talibans who have already disfigured the priceless statues. Prior to the
Islamic invasion around 14,00 years ago, Afghanistan was a Buddhist centre, rich in
cultural heritage. It is indeed distressing that the Talibans are playing with religious
sentiments in such a gruesome manner. To the Islamic fundamentalists, the precious and
sacred statues may be just "ordinary stones", but the destruction is, in fact, a
crime against artistic and cultural heritage of mankind. In the past, there had been
several instances where Islamic fundamentalists plundered and pillaged religious idols in
Asia. But this time, their gameplan for vandalism appears to be on a massive scale.
Brushing aside international condemnation of his order to destroy ancient Buddhist
statues, Taliban supremo, Mulla Mohammad Omar, went ahead with his "edict" the
other day. His outrageous move has shocked conservationists and Buddhists alike. What
would happen if they begin destroying sacred idols, monuments, vihars and other relics,
say, in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, even in that case in Nepal? How would Pakistan
react if the marauding Taliban troops carry out a similar edict there? Pakistan has
groomed these fundamentalists and, therefore, it should be responsible for such a
reprehensible act.
Once a melting pot of eastern and western cultures, Afghanistan is now
struggling for survival, reeling under a series of international sanctions, under the
Taliban rulers. Recognized by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,
Talibans have heightened their radical activities in recent years. Unless these Islamic
countries condemn and prohibit the de facto rulers, the ongoing war against world heritage
could flare up uncontrollably. Moreover, the existence of such radical forces is a threat
to regional peace and humanity, and calls for concerted international efforts to end the
saga of destruction.
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