muslim
03-22-2001, 03:08 PM
Let us be statues of Buddha
Palestine Report
by Mohammed Abu Obeid
Posted Thursday March 22, 2001 - 10:38:14 AM EST
Jerusalem - IF The Taleban had wanted to draw world attention to the Afghani problem by using the statues of the Buddha rather than destroying them, it would have been wise, since the world would surely have made a commotion over stone, even as it sat in silence against famine, cold and wars that threaten its very existence.
But instead, [the Taliban] acted stupidly and their stupidity supported the West's false perceptions. It is not that we support the destruction of these statues, which date back 1,500 years, but that this move by the Taleban exposed the truth about those who say they care about the preservation of artifacts.
Islamic attitudes are clear in this regard. There has been a semi-consensus.
[Islam's] message to the West is that what the Taleban did had nothing to do with Islam, which respects other civilizations. Instead, the Taleban is acting out of accordance with the spirit of this religion.
What is ironic is the preference to stone over human lives, which are being lost daily in all corners of the world. The world rose up while watching mortars strike statues of the Buddha - but did not bat an eye while watching Israeli shells fall daily on humans. It is as if the entire world has become Buddhist and the statues are now their gods.
We also condemn the destruction of these statues, but there is a complete inequality made between some human lives and these stones. All we ask for is equality. Palestinians are not the only example. The Russians destroyed Chechnya and killed hundreds of people there. Look at what the Serbs did in Bosnia, which is famous for its wonderful architecture. There, hundreds of mosques were destroyed, too.
Where is the world's voice when people are in need of food and water, people who desire freedom and independence and people who are living under a tight siege and a wretched occupation? Do they not deserve to be treated just like these Buddha statues? It appears that there is something even better than Buddha statues: Israel.
If Israel were destroying the statues, perhaps the world would have made hardly a sound because Israel would have excused itself in the name of security. The world would probably have believed this and allowed it to destroy the Buddha statues, the lions in Spain and the pyramids in Egypt - all to satisfy the myth of Israeli security needs.
It is not a bad thing to raise our voices in unison to preserve ancient artifacts. It is bad, however, to politicize these artifacts and act according to our religious and political beliefs.
In August 1969, the Aqsa Mosque was burned down at the hands of an extremist.
The flames rose around the mosque's podium, which was the epitome of beauty.
Further, Israel has distorted many artifacts - besides those it destroyed - and tried to portray them as its own. It has transformed a number of mosques in Jaffa and Lod into wineries and brothels. It banned the renovation of a number of other ancient sites, such as the Hasan Al Beik mosque in Jaffa. So where are the world's voices condemning Israel's violations and ridicule of the values and principles heralded by this phony world? It is regretful that the Taleban is acting in this fashion. They are not only destroying stones. They are also destroying this religion's reputation and acting primitively. The fact is that [Islam] preserved artifacts in Spain and the Spanish preserved the Arab culture in their country. Although the Spanish considered the Arabs their occupiers, their enlightened thinking put artifacts above any cultural hostilities. The artifacts remain a tourist attraction and a witness to the nations that have lived on the land.
But what is even sadder is when humans need to be protected from barbarism and threats to their very lives, and the world holds back, not giving even a portion of the attention it does to inanimate objects. So, can we not be like those statues of Buddha? Translated by Joharah Baker from Al Ayyam on March 16, 2001. (c)Palestine Report Palestine Report - "Palestine's Only Independent News Digest" published weekly by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center (JMCC). Full version available by subscription only. To subscribe please visit our website at "http://www.jmcc.org/media/reportonline".
© 2001 Palestine Report. This news item is distributed via Middle East News Online (MiddleEastWire.com). For information about the content or for permission to redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact our syndication department.
Palestine Report
by Mohammed Abu Obeid
Posted Thursday March 22, 2001 - 10:38:14 AM EST
Jerusalem - IF The Taleban had wanted to draw world attention to the Afghani problem by using the statues of the Buddha rather than destroying them, it would have been wise, since the world would surely have made a commotion over stone, even as it sat in silence against famine, cold and wars that threaten its very existence.
But instead, [the Taliban] acted stupidly and their stupidity supported the West's false perceptions. It is not that we support the destruction of these statues, which date back 1,500 years, but that this move by the Taleban exposed the truth about those who say they care about the preservation of artifacts.
Islamic attitudes are clear in this regard. There has been a semi-consensus.
[Islam's] message to the West is that what the Taleban did had nothing to do with Islam, which respects other civilizations. Instead, the Taleban is acting out of accordance with the spirit of this religion.
What is ironic is the preference to stone over human lives, which are being lost daily in all corners of the world. The world rose up while watching mortars strike statues of the Buddha - but did not bat an eye while watching Israeli shells fall daily on humans. It is as if the entire world has become Buddhist and the statues are now their gods.
We also condemn the destruction of these statues, but there is a complete inequality made between some human lives and these stones. All we ask for is equality. Palestinians are not the only example. The Russians destroyed Chechnya and killed hundreds of people there. Look at what the Serbs did in Bosnia, which is famous for its wonderful architecture. There, hundreds of mosques were destroyed, too.
Where is the world's voice when people are in need of food and water, people who desire freedom and independence and people who are living under a tight siege and a wretched occupation? Do they not deserve to be treated just like these Buddha statues? It appears that there is something even better than Buddha statues: Israel.
If Israel were destroying the statues, perhaps the world would have made hardly a sound because Israel would have excused itself in the name of security. The world would probably have believed this and allowed it to destroy the Buddha statues, the lions in Spain and the pyramids in Egypt - all to satisfy the myth of Israeli security needs.
It is not a bad thing to raise our voices in unison to preserve ancient artifacts. It is bad, however, to politicize these artifacts and act according to our religious and political beliefs.
In August 1969, the Aqsa Mosque was burned down at the hands of an extremist.
The flames rose around the mosque's podium, which was the epitome of beauty.
Further, Israel has distorted many artifacts - besides those it destroyed - and tried to portray them as its own. It has transformed a number of mosques in Jaffa and Lod into wineries and brothels. It banned the renovation of a number of other ancient sites, such as the Hasan Al Beik mosque in Jaffa. So where are the world's voices condemning Israel's violations and ridicule of the values and principles heralded by this phony world? It is regretful that the Taleban is acting in this fashion. They are not only destroying stones. They are also destroying this religion's reputation and acting primitively. The fact is that [Islam] preserved artifacts in Spain and the Spanish preserved the Arab culture in their country. Although the Spanish considered the Arabs their occupiers, their enlightened thinking put artifacts above any cultural hostilities. The artifacts remain a tourist attraction and a witness to the nations that have lived on the land.
But what is even sadder is when humans need to be protected from barbarism and threats to their very lives, and the world holds back, not giving even a portion of the attention it does to inanimate objects. So, can we not be like those statues of Buddha? Translated by Joharah Baker from Al Ayyam on March 16, 2001. (c)Palestine Report Palestine Report - "Palestine's Only Independent News Digest" published weekly by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center (JMCC). Full version available by subscription only. To subscribe please visit our website at "http://www.jmcc.org/media/reportonline".
© 2001 Palestine Report. This news item is distributed via Middle East News Online (MiddleEastWire.com). For information about the content or for permission to redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact our syndication department.