Poll: Afghanistan's Statues

Join the Discussion "...the international community is in more of an outrage that these statues might be destroyed than the fact that the country's people are starving to death. Now tell me who is backwards?" OAI4159     Related Resources • What is Jihad? • Islamic Art    From Other Guides • Killing History (Buddhism) • Afghanistan (Human Rights) • Geography & Map of Afghanistan (Geography)      Elsewhere on the Web • Afghan National Museum • Islamic Leaders Speak Out • Famine Threatens 1 Million in Afghanistan

Reversal of Attitude

August 2000:  "It's nothing to do with ideology... It's about the culture and history of the country...  We're not opposed to this exhibition in principle because the exhibits are part of our history.  And everything which happens in the country becomes part of the country and the government is obliged to preserve it."  - Naqibullah Ahmad Yarn, Taliban president of the National Museum of Afghanistan

February 2001:  "It has been decided to break down all statues/idols present in different parts of the country.  This is because these idols have been gods of the infidels, who worshipped 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." - Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar