Buddhas Destroyed in Afghanistan Amid World Protest

The radical Islamic movement Taliban, which controls 90 percent of Afghanistan, last week began systematic destruction of all of the country's historical statues. While approximately 6,000 statues may be in danger, the militia reported that destruction has begun with some of the most precious statues located in Bamiyan. The city is the site of two monumental Buddhas that are Afghanistan's most famous relics. The two Buddhas are 125 feet and 174 feet high, making the latter possibly the world's tallest standing Buddha. They were hewn from a solid cliff at around the third and fifth centuries. The militia's leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, gave the command to demolish the statues despite assurances three years ago that if the Taliban gained control over Bamiyan the Buddhas would be safe.

The Buddhas are part of the pre-Islamic past of Afghanistan. The country has a unique heritage that stems from a location on the ancient Silk Roads. Afghanistan has been a crossroads for Greek, Persian, Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic culture. These complex influences produced an irreplaceable collection of statuary. The Dalai Lama issued a statement that “Even though the destruction of the statues may be for religious reason, I believe these [statues] are historical importance and not only to the people of Afghanistan but for the world at large.”

The edict to destroy the statues comes out of a strict understanding of the Shar'ia, or Muslim law, banning images of people or animals. The Taliban feels that there is no place for such statuary in a Muslim country. However, many Muslim leaders, including the Chief Muslim cleric of Egypt, have stated that the statues do not conflict with Shar'ia and are part of a shared historical and cultural heritage. Muslim leaders fear that the Taliban's actions will effect Islam's reputation and create further tensions between Islam and other faiths.

The voices of these leaders joined the international appeal for the statues preservation that also included Pakistan, one of only three countries (the others are Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) that recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Last week, envoys of both the UN Secretary-General and the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization urged the Taliban not to go ahead with the destruction. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Sri Lanka both said that they would consider purchasing some of the statuary to stop destruction. In India and Nepal thousands of Buddhist monks and students have taken to the streets to protest the destruction of the statuary. These efforts seem to have been largely in vain, as the Taliban has issued a statement that two-thirds of the statuary has already been destroyed.

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>Buddhist Monks, Students Protest (3/5)

Thousands of Buddhist Monks and students are protesting in Nepal and India. They are calling for the United Nations to send a delegation to Afghanistan to save what's left of the statues.

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Over World Protests, Taliban are Destroying Ancient Buddhas (New York Times 3/4)

Mullah Muhammad Omar declared that “these idols have been gods of the infidels” as he ordered the destruction of all Afgani statuary. Details the Taliban's efforts to gain international recognition by eliminating poppy crops. The edict to destroy the statues is particularly ironic in light of these efforts.

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Taliban Destroys Ancient Buddhas (AP 3/3)

Director-general of UNESCO is quoted as saying “Words fail me to describe adequately my feelings of consternation and powerlessness as I see the reports of the irreversible damage that is being done to Afghanistan's exceptional cultural heritage.”

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Afghan Taliban Shell Buddhas As World Condemns (Rueters 3/2)

Article on the shelling of the Buddhas. Explains the global outrage from Muslim and non-Muslim countries alike.

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UN envoy urges Taliban not to destroy pre-Islamic statues (3/2)

The article quotes Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (

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>UNESCO), "In Afghanistan, they are destroying statues that the entire world considers to be masterpieces, and this is being done in the name of an interpretation of the Muslim faith that is not recognized anywhere else in the world."

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>Fate of Bamiyan Buddha statues hangs in balance (9/6/98)

From the news archives of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (

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>RAWA). The organization focuses on the plight of Afgan women under the Taliban's control. The Taliban has instituted strict control on women's rights and freedoms.

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>The Government of Tibet in Exile

The Newsroom of the Government of Tibet in Exile. Dalai Lama's official statements and current news from the Tibetan government.

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>Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

A branch of the 55-member Organization of Islamic Conference. The conference urged the Taliban not to destroy the statues.

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>Association of Art Museum Directors

This association representing the Art Museums of America, Canada and Mexico issued a press release stating that the association “deplores the decision by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to destroy all statues in the country.”

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>Images of Afgan Statues from UNESCO

Images of the Statues that are being destroyed from UNESCO.