M A I N   N E W S

Head, legs of statues broken
Taliban continue destruction spree

Kabul, March 3
Hardline Taliban soldiers demolished the head and legs of the world-famous ancient statues of Buddha in central Afghanistan, defying international pleas to protect the priceless historical treasures, a Taliban official said today.

“The head and legs of Buddha statues in Bamiyan were destroyed yesterday,” the Taliban’s Information Minister Quadratullah Jamal said.

“Our soldiers are working hard to demolish their remaining parts. They will come down soon,” he said.

The two Buddhas, 52.5 and 36 m tall, are hewn from the side of a mountain in Bamiyan — located roughly 130 km northwest of Afghan capital Kabul.

The 52.5-m statue is thought to be the world’s tallest standing Buddha.

The Taliban troops used heavy explosives to destroy the statues carved in the third and fifth centuries, relics of Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic past. Both the statues were already damaged by artillery fire during Afghanistan’s protracted civil war.

Jamal did not have details about which statue was targeted first and whether the heads of both statues had been removed or only one.

Jamal said he had been in contact with troops in Bamiyan and the destruction was being carried out in keeping with the Taliban’s reclusive supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, who ordered all statues in Afghanistan, including the soaring Buddha statues, destroyed because they offended Islam.

Jamal said several dozen wooden and clay “idols” had been demolished at historic sites in Herat, Ghazni, Kabul and Jalalabad since the start of destruction on Thursday.

“They were easy to break apart and did not take much time,” he said. Taliban leader Omar called for the destruction of statues on grounds they are un-Islamic. Agencies

Dalai Lama asks Taliban to rethink
Our Correspondent

Kangra, March 3
The Tibetan government in exile headed by the Dalai Lama has expressed shock and concern over the destruction of Buddha’s idols in Afghanistan by the Taliban, Mr Kalon T.C. Tethong, Minister for Information and International Relations, said here today.

He said after a meeting of the ‘kasag’ (cabinet) yesterday, the Dalai Lama issued a statement, saying: “I am deeply concerned at the possible destruction of the Bamiyan statues of the Buddha in Afghanistan at a time when there is closer understanding and better harmony among different religious traditions of the world”.

“I believe the statues are of historical importance not only for the people of Afganistan, but of the world at large”.

“Finally, as a Buddhist, I feel it is unfortunate that these objects of worship are targets of destruction”, he added.

Mr Tashi Wangdi, Minister for Religion and Culture, when contacted, today said: “We are deeply concerned at the decision of the Taliban to destroy the Buddhist objects of religious importance and monuments of historical importance in Afghanistan.”

He said the Tibetan Government had appealed to the Taliban to reconsider its decision and governments with close ties with the Taliban to use their influence on the matter.

“We are encouraged by the statements made by Pakistan and other Muslim countries expressed concern over the decision of the Taliban authorities”, he said.