Kamal Hyder: Demolition of Afghan statues has halted

The Taleban say the Bamiyan Buddhas are an afront to Islam

March 6, 2001
Web posted at: 3:06 p.m. EST (2006 GMT)

CNN journalist Kamal Hyder reports from Kandahar, Afghanistan, on the suspension of demolition of two Buddah statues.

Q: Taleban militia has suspended the demolition of two 1,500 year old Buddhist statues. Is there any chance of halting the demolition completely at this point?

HYDER: Well, chances of stopping the demolition of Buddhas now seem remote and whatever delay has been due to the Eid ul-Adha, which marks the end of the pilgrimage in Mecca. The Taleban authorities will resume work in the next two to three days and it is only a question of time before the edict is carried out. So far all edicts, including the ban on poppy cultivation, have been carried out to the letter. The Supreme leader of the Taleban, Mullah Mohammad Omar, summed up his message delivered at a large congregation prayer to mark the sacrificial Eid by saying that "we should be remembered as the breakers of idols, not the sellers of idols." Most important, people in Kandahar already know that some form of destruction has been carried out, but officials in Kandahar have preferred to keep quiet on this issue.

Q: Do we know the condition of the statues at the moment?

HYDER: According to the Minister of Information, Qudratullah Jamal, and the Taleban ambassador to Islamabad, Mula Abdus Sallam Jazadeef, they have admitted one-fourth damage to the Buddhas. That is the head and the feet. In all probabilities, the torso remains.

Q: Why is there such a division within Islamic groups over what should be done with the statues. What does this say about the different groups within the faith?

MESSAGE BOARDS Afghan statues Religion today   ALSO Taleban 'suspend' blasting of statues Analysis: Buddhas' fate signals Taleban divisions Afghanistan's Buddhist heritage

HYDER: The division basically stems from the fact that most Islamic countries have preserved the archeological heritage. Countries like Egypt and Pakistan have preserved a great deal of archeological relics from the Egyptian pharoahonic era and the Gantara civilization in Pakistan. These are a great source of revenue for Islamic countries in the way of tourism. And there is a sense of pride in the history; however, the basis for Islam is to destroy idol worship and believe in the one Allah in conjunction with strict Islamic principles. The Taleban interpretation represents a growing sentiment amongst the revivalist Islamic movements, which wants the restoration of Islam's glory. People in Afghanistan have seen the plunder of their archeological heritage during the anarchy that prevailed after the withdrawal of the Russian forces from Afghanistan in 1979. Very little archeological heritage remains in the country, and there is growing feeling that the international community does not care about Islamic sentiments worldwide.

Q: How did the demolition of the statues come about?

HYDER: According to the Taleban Foreign Minister, Maulvi Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil, the deliberations on this issue were well under way between the Ministry of Vice and Virtue and the Ministry of Culture and Information. They presented findings to the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, which unanimously approved the recommendation of the two ministries. The decision was fully endorsed by the supreme leader of the Taleban, Mullah Mohammad Omar and announced on radio Sharad, the official radio service of the Taleban.

Q: Any final thoughts?

HYDER: Well, basically the text of the Mullah Mohammad Omar: The following wording has been issued by the official of the Taleban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. It reads:

"In view of the fatwah of prominent Afghan scholars and the verdict of the Afghan it has been decided to break down all statutes/idols present in different parts of the country. This is because the idols have been gods of the infidel who worshiped them and these are respected even now, and perhaps may be turned into gods again. The real God is only Allah and all other false gods should be removed."

ANALYSIS: Buddha's fate signals Taleban divisions
EYEWITNESS: The Buddhas of Bamiyan
Afghanistan: Treasure chest of early Asian culture

Society for the Preservation of Aghanistan's Cultural Heritage
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