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Buddhists in Sri Lanka today strongly condemned the demolition of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic Buddha statues. Buddhist priests and many other religious leaders are marching through Colombo to condemn the destruction of the two Buddha statues yesterday. Buddhism is the major religion in Sri Lanka. These statues are believed to have been carved into the sandstone cliffs of Bamiyan in the third century A.D. At 53 meters (175 feet) and 36 meters (120 feet), they were the tallest standing Buddhas in the world. In Paris, the Head of the United Nations Cultural Agency UNESCO, confirmed that the two towering statues of Buddha had been destroyed, and condemned the action as "a crime against culture." Sri Lanka joined India, Pakistan and several other countries in an effort to save the statues. In a letter to the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan last week, the Sri Lankan President said, "If there is any international operation being mounted to rescue the objects that are in danger in Afghanistan my Government would be willing to share in the expenses that such a rescue operation would entail." "The Government of Sri Lanka stands ready and willing to do everything within its own capacity, and to join all international endeavours, to save from destruction these objects of particular relevance to Buddhists which, indeed, belong to the ancient heritage of all mankind," President Kumaratunga further stated. The fifty-five nation Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) held two rounds of talks with the Taliban to halt its campaign to destroy all the country's statues which the Taliban claim were a threat to Islam. The talks were unsuccessful. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, on a tour of South Asian nations, also urged the Taliban to spare the relics. Koichiro Matsuura, head of UNESCO said the agency would continue efforts to salvage other Afghan relics targeted for destruction. "It is abominable to witness the cold and calculated destruction of cultural properties which were the heritage of the Afghan people, and, indeed, of the whole of humanity," Matsuura said in a written statement Monday. "Everything possible must be done to stop further destruction. I have asked my special envoy to continue his mission and explore all avenues that may allow for the safeguarding of other treasures of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic heritage," he said. "If they do carry through this lamentable decision I think they will be doing themselves a great deal of disservice," Kofi Annan said of Taliban. "They will be doing a great deal of disservice to Islam, in whose name they claim to be doing this—but I don't think anyone will accept that."
The following is the full text of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on March 5, 2001. 05th March 2001. H.E.
Mr. Kofi Annan, Dear Mr. Secretary General, As you are no doubt aware the Government and people of Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist country are deeply concerned at the prospect that the world-renowned Buddha statues which are located in the Bamiyan province of Afghanistan might be destroyed on the decree of the Taliban authorities. My Minister of Foreign Affairs has taken steps to contact the Governments of various countries, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, with a view to making representations to the Taliban authorities to desist from such a senseless course of conduct. During my recent visit to New Delhi, I discussed this grave question with the Prime Minister of India. He too takes the view that everything possible should be done to prevent the occurrence of a catastrophe of such monumental proportions. The Government of India is willing to give shelter in India to these priceless examples of early Buddhist sculpture that are found in Afghanistan. If there is any international operation being mounted to rescue the objects that are in danger in Afghanistan my Government would be willing to share in the expenses that such a rescue operation would entail. I wish to express my appreciation of the stand that you have publicly taken in this matter, and I urge you to continue your efforts to bring about a satisfactory solution to this problem, which confronts the international community. Sri Lanka is co-sponsoring a resolution under Agenda Item 46 to be introduced in the General Assembly by Germany. This resolution strongly urges the Taliban to review its decision of 26 February 2001 and to stop its implementation; strongly urges the Taliban to take immediate action to prevent the further destruction of the irreplaceable relics of Afghanistan's heritage; strongly calls upon the Taliban to abide by their previous commitments to protect Afghanistan's cultural heritage from all acts of vandalism, damage and theft; and strongly calls upon all Member States to take appropriate measures to safeguard the sculptures, including if necessary their temporary relocation. The Government of Sri Lanka stands ready and willing to do everything within its own capacity, and to join all international endeavours, to save from destruction these objects of particular reverence to Buddhists which, indeed, belong to the ancient heritage of all mankind. Yours sincerely, Sgd/- Chandrika
Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
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Full
text of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's letter to UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
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