- Taliban to destroy world's tallest Buddha statue
- (AP)
An undated photo of the
world's tallest Bhuddha statue at Bamiyan in Afghanistan. (AP)
|
Afghanistan's hardline Taliban rulers, who revile images as against
Islam, ordered the destruction Monday of all statues, including the world's tallest
standing Buddha and a smaller one. The order came from the Taliban's supreme leader Mullah
Mohammed Omar who issued an edict declaring statues, including the ancient Buddhas, as
insulting to Islam. Afghanistan's ancient Buddhas are located in Bamiyan, about 150kms
west of the Afghan capital of Kabul. The tallest Buddha, measuring 53 metres is the
world's tallest standing Buddha. The smaller one stands 37 metres. The two statues, which
have been damaged in fighting in the area, were carved out of the Afghan mountainside in
the fifth century. It's not clear what prompted the latest Taliban edict.
The Taliban espouse a harsh brand of Islamic law that bans most forms
of light entertainment, all photography, requires men to wear beards in keeping with the
fashion of Islam's prophet Mohammed. The Taliban also require everyone to pray five times
a day, as required in the Muslim holy book the Koran. Many of the Taliban's edicts are
directed against women, who are required to wear the all-enveloping burqa, travel with a
male relative. Women are not allowed to work and schools for girls beyond 8 years old is
not allowed, although the Taliban say they will allow it when fighting ends.
The Taliban rule roughly 95 per cent of the country and the opposition,
led by ousted President Burhanuddin Rabbani, the remaining five percent. As well as the
giant Buddhas, Afghanistan's museum contains a treasure-trove of Buddhist-era artifacts.
Much of the museum was destroyed in the bitter fighting between rival Islamic factions,
including Rabbanis, between 1992 and 1996 when the Taliban took control. Many of the
artifacts were stolen and sold on the open market. Some have appeared in museums around
the world. The tallest of the two giant Buddhas has already been damaged by zealous
Taliban soldiers who fired rocket propelled grenades at it. There have been reports that
the faces of the Buddhas have been disfigured. Faces are forbidden in Islam, according to
the Taliban.
Sincere thanks to Tran Thi
Phuong Lan for providing us with this article