Condemnable Act

DESPITE worldwide condemnation, Afghanistan’s Taliban militia leader ordered the demolition of ancient statues of Lord Buddha. Although these statues of Lord Buddha happen to be in Afghanistan, because of their priceless nature, they do not belong to any particular nation or community. They are, in fact, the heritage of the world, which means these relics of Lord Buddha are the property of the entire humanity. Thus, the order for demolition of these statues shows a lunatic streak of the Taliban’s militia leader. Hence, the order is against the entire human civilization. Lord Buddha is recognised as an Apostle of Peace in the world and his Message of peace is equally relevant in today’s world. Irrespective of religion, Buddha’s teachings are well accepted by all communities in the world. Nepal has joined with the world community to condemn the latest edict and asked the Taliban militia leaders to withdraw their decision. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government and on his own, condemned the decision of Taliban militia to destroy Lord Buddha’s statues. Addressing a function in Kathmandu the other day, Prime Minister Koirala said that in the wake of increasing violence and disturbances in the world, Lord Buddha’s teachings of peace and non-violence have become more important and relevant in the present context. Violence and conflicts have afflicted the world, including Nepal. Against this background, all people irrespective of their ideology, religion and nationality, need to spread the peace message of Lord Buddha in order to create and maintain world peace so that the world can be a better and safer place to live in. No religion in the world wants conflicts, war, and destruction. Islam religion also does not believe in destruction of such an important and historic relics. Thus, the decision to demolish the ancient relics of Lord Buddha can by no means be compatible with the basic tenets of Islam. Resorting to destruction and subversion is an act of terrorism and crime against humanity and civilisation. Such fundamentalist acts would only defame Islam religion in the long run. The recent decision of Taliban militia leaders to destroy the ancient statues of Lord Buddha also needs to be analysed from this perspective by the Islamic community of the world. The world community, thus, needs to work concertedly in order to discourage such acts and preserve the world heritage more effectively. The Taliban leadership’s lunatic decision should be an eye opener for the world community to work for conservation of the world cultural heritage monuments so that such events may not take place in other parts of the world in the name of religion.

Stamp It Out

DURING the inauguration of a three-day trainers’ training programme jointly organised by the Narcotics Control Division, Ministry of Home and the Centre for Prevention of Drug Abuse the other day in Pokhara sub-metropolitan city, it was revealed that there are 5,545 drug addicts in that city. The number was based on a study conducted in all the 18 wards of the city. The report further pointed out that most of the drug users were school children from the 11-12 age group as well as youths of 25 years and above. Going by the statistics of the drug addicts and their age groups, what can easily surmised is that the majority of the 5,545 drug users are children and youths. If this is true, then it is bad news not only for Pokhara’s City Fathers, but also for the residents having school-going children. For, drug abuse, if not nipped in the bud, tends to spread like an epidemic among the youths, thereby making it more difficult for the concerned authorities and the civil society to control the menace. Hence, the need of the hour is for the concerned agency, with the close cooperation from the civil society, to speedily come up with necessary measures to stamp out this danger before it spins out of control. While they are at it, all of them should thoroughly study the causes cited by the report—and then act accordingly. The reasons the study cited were the lack of proper care for and control of children, lack of understanding of the psychology of the children by the parents, illiteracy of the parents, peer group influences, easy availability of drinks, cigarettes, tobacco and drugs in the local market and the rapid expansion of television culture. That Pokhara, due to its scenic beauty, plays host to thousands of foreign visitors every year, could make it all the more challenging for them. Notwithstanding this fact, if the flow of drugs into the city is to be effectively checked, then strict vigilance, buttressed by strong anti-drug initiatives, is in order, particularly in those areas frequented by tourists.