This
year, Mullah Omar, the secretive one-eyed leader of the Taliban, issued
a Fatwa.
I
asked Huvishka if Mullah Omar was secretive because he saw himself in
the likeness of Mohammed, because like Mohammed, he has never been photographed
or painted.
"He
sees himself as another prophet, which is really stupid," Huvishka
responded. "I was raised Muslim…Islam is a religion that is
based on the individual. If somebody is interested in your religion, you
can talk to them, tell them what it is about, but don't try to recruit
them, because in the end it is only you that is accountable for yourself.
 |
|
Buddhist
Influence on Afghani Architecture |
|
Mullah
Omar's fatwa was to destroy all idolatry - the likenesses o
| |
 |
| |
Hellenist
Influence on Afghanistan
|
Gods
and prophets are not to be revealed. The Taliban responded to the edict
by ransacking the already damaged Museum outside of Kabul, and shelling
the Giant Buddhist statues which count among the few truly unique symbols
of world heritage that remain standing today. Dr. Mustamandy's life work
was being destroyed, a Statue of Liberty for Afghanistan had fallen. Media
reports covered the event, and more importantly, shed some light on the
massacres and oppression of women. Massoud said to an Islamic radio station,
"I am truly very sad to see the statues, especially the great statues
of Bamyan, being destroyed by the Taliban. I strongly condemn this act…but
the world has been a spectator…The world has contended with a few
verbal condemnations or limited economic sanctions…take action before
it's too late to stop the Taliban and the Pakistani government…to
prevent new tragedies from taking place."
The world remained strangely silent
But
not Pierre de Paeppe, who has been covering politics in Afghanistan for
years through a renegade website called Afgha.com. In an exclusive interview
with Notes from the Road, Pierre says, "Afghanistan is a country
surrounded by the biggest powers in the world, always a subject of invasion,
but a country which has always resisted. In my opinion, it is a key-zone
of the world order. The future lies in the untying of the Central Asian
knot."
Great Buddhist
Statue of Afghanistan,
destroyed by Taliban in 2001
)
){kind=link}