Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, May 3: Afghanistan’s Taliban government has announced initiatives to protect the country’s Buddhist heritage sites and artefacts, departing from their previous stance during their first period of rule.
The announcement comes more than two decades after the Taliban’s internationally condemned 2001 destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, two monumental 6th-century statues which represented Vairocana and Sakyamuni (Gautama Buddha) standing 115 and 174 feet tall that had been carved into sandstone cliffs in central Afghanistan. The destruction of these ancient monuments, which exemplified Gandharan Buddhist art and survived numerous historical invasions, including those by Genghis Khan and Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, was widely regarded as a cultural catastrophe.
Taliban officials now state that Buddhist relics represent an important part of Afghanistan’s historical record and deserve preservation. In Laghman province, authorities report discoveries related to the 2,000-year-old Kushan Empire, including rock-carved niches, Brahmi inscriptions, and stone slabs used for grape processing.
“These ancient sites prove our history is deep and rooted,” said Mohammed Yaqoub Ayoubi, head of Laghman’s provincial culture and tourism department. “People lived here thousands of years ago. This is part of Afghanistan’s identity.”
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have reopened Kabul’s National Museum, which houses Buddhist artefacts previously at risk. In 2022, they reportedly sought assistance from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture to help preserve Mes Aynak, a significant Buddhist site with both religious and archaeological importance that also sits atop valuable copper reserves.
International heritage experts remain cautious about these developments. Valery Freland, director of the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH), suggested the Taliban may have recognised the severe reputational damage caused by their previous destruction of Buddhist monuments: “I think the Taliban have understood how much the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas damaged their reputation.”
While global scepticism persists, Afghan officials insist Buddhist heritage now holds a meaningful place in the country’s cultural priorities. This approach aligns with Afghanistan’s commitments under international heritage conventions and may also reflect broader efforts to attract tourism and international cooperation.
