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Views of the Afghan Opposition
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"Destructive Frenzy in Afghanistan"
March 2, 2001
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Hamid Karzai, former Deputy Foreign Minister in the ousted Afghan
government of Burhanuddin Rabbani: "They are part of our heritage.
Afghanistan has been a staunch Muslim country for 1,200 years and the
mullahs have never tried to destroy these statues. Why wasn't the issue of
these statues being against Islam raised in 1,200 years? They are trying to
destroy Afghanistan's history, Afghanistan's memory."
Exiled Afghan author Latif Pedram: "Unfortunately, we must say that the
order of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar to destroy these historical
and cultural statues--which are not only the cultural heritage of the
Afghan and Central Asian peoples, but also of all mankind--is a shocking
and cruel decision. The damage will be unimaginable. By doing this, the
Taliban want to destroy the deep roots of the country."
Movement for Democracy and Human Rights for Afghanistan: "Today is the
darkest day in the history of Afghanistan--darker than the day when Chengiz
Khan's Mongol hoards invaded our land. What they did not destroy--and
perhaps did not want to destroy--is now being destoyed by a most barbaric
group, the Taliban."
National Islamic Front of Afghanistan spokesman: "It is a destruction of
our national heritage."
Introduction
© 2001 by the Archaeological Institute of America
www.archaeology.org/online/news/india/afghanistan/opposition.html |
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