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Buddhism is the religion of the majority of Sri Lankans. The order from the Muslim fundamentalist Mulla Mohammed Omar is given in an era of Taliban's zealous project of re-creating a world of pure Islam. The decree stated that all statues in the country should be destroyed because the non-muslims have earlier used these statues as idols and deities. They have banned photographs of living creatures, television and music. Men are forced to grow long beards like the Prophet while women are barred from most work and official education. Expressing deep concern and shock over the outrageous move, Sri Lanka's Director of Information, Ariya Rubesinghe said that these statues were part of the world heritage. He also drew attention to the Taliban militia's preparations to dynamite the two massive and ancient Buddha statues, which are already damaged by mortar fire. These statues in the central province of Bamiyan, are believed to be among the tallest standing Buddhas in the world, and date back to the second century. Mr. Rubesinghe said that Sri Lanka in April 1998 had made an appeal to the Afghan authorities when there was a similar threat against the Bamiyan Buddha statues. Bamiyan had been a Buddhist province in the mid 800s before Islam was established in the eleventh century.
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