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Demolition of Statues in Afghanistan
By Najim M. Azadzoi
The Society of Afghan Engineers in the United States publicly joined worldwide condemnation of the demolition of pre-Islamic statues and monuments by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Soon after the decree was issued by Taliban authorities on February 27, 2001, the SAE sensed the consequences of this catastrophe and the seriousness of the Taliban decision. Members of the SAE desperately looked for an approach to the situation in order to prevent this tragedy from happening.
On March 3rd, senior members of the Society, including Professor Rafi Samizay of Washington State University and Architect Najim Azadzoi of Newton, Massachusetts, contacted Engineer Malik Mortaza at the SAE’s headquarters in Virginia. A statement was issued on March 6 expressing our concerns and the importance of these valuable artifacts and statues, including the world’s tallest Buddha in Bamiyan (pictured left). On March 8, a second letter of request was prepared to be sent to Kandahar through Taliban’s representatives in New York. Representatives of Taliban in New York were phoned but were not available. On March 11, SAE even considered sending a team of senior members of the Society to travel to Kandahar and to meet with the Taliban authority to stop the demolition of the Bamiyan Statues. By Monday, March 12, it became apparent that it was too late and the demolition and destruction was underway.
What is lost will not be recovered, and confronting those who committed these acts of senselessness is not a resolution. We are not religious scholars, nor are we trying to interpret Quranic verses to dispute or to argue with the Taliban. Islamic scholars and communities throughout the world have already expressed their disagreement with the Taliban on the subject. We as professionals, understand that archaeology and the preservation of historic and ancient arts, artifacts, and structures is a universal science. Studying and understanding these archaeological sites and relics will lead us to a better understanding of ourselves and in what we believe. It is not only our obligation to keep these remains, but also to preserve them.
As the world condemns these actions of the Taliban, while our brothers and sisters throughout the world quiver with anger and sorrow, we, the Society of Afghan Engineers, share the same outrage and frustration. However, we are hoping that through our efforts of dialogue and communication, we will have the opportunity to rebuild Afghanistan and to educate a new generation of Afghans to become builders of their country – not demolishers and destroyers.