Photos: Taliban vow to preserve Afghanistan's heritage sites
Taliban making strides to preserve millennia-old heritage, including pre-Islamic relics
GOWARJAN: In March 2001, the Taliban shocked the world by dynamiting the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan. Two decades later, they are back in power and claim to be making strides to preserve Afghanistan's millennia-old heritage, including pre-Islamic relics.
Even months before their takeover in 2021 the Taliban called for the protection of ancient artefacts in the country, sparking scepticism among observers.
Since their return to power and decades of war ended, archaeological finds - particularly related to Buddhism - have proliferated, with discoveries publicised by the authorities.
In eastern Laghman province, niches carved into rocks in Gowarjan village are believed to have been storerooms dating back to the Kushan empire, which 2,000 years ago stretched from the Gobi desert to the river Ganges.
Also in Laghman, carved Brahmi inscriptions have been found, along with a hollowed out stone slab.
"It is said that Afghan history goes back 5,000 years - these ancient sites prove it; people lived here," said Mohammed Yaqoub Ayoubi, head of the provincial culture and tourism department.
"Whether they were Muslim or not, they had a kingdom here," he told AFP, adding that the Taliban authorities afford "a great deal of attention" to the preservation of these sites. In nearby Ghazni province, the information and culture head Hamidullah Nisar echoed the sentiment. Recently uncovered Buddhist statuettes must be "protected and passed down to future generations because they are part of our history", he said.
These relics would have likely met a different fate during the Taliban's first rule from 1996 to 2001. Days after Taliban founder Mullah Omar ordered the destruction of all Buddhist statues to prevent idol worship, the gigantic 1,500-year-old Buddhas of central Bamiyan province were pulverised - the Taliban having been unmoved by international outcry.
In December 2021, the Taliban reopened the Afghan National Museum, where they had once destroyed pre-Islamic artefacts. The following year, they reached out to the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) to help preserve the historic Buddhist site of Mes Aynak, where there is also a copper mine under a development contract with a Chinese consortium.
Afghanistan has signed several conventions on heritage since the Taliban's first reign, with its destruction deemed a war crime in 2016. Beyond the risk of angering the international community - whose recognition the Taliban seek - Afghanistan's heritage represents "a potential lever for the country's tourism and economic development", said an industry expert speaking on condition of anonymity.
