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UNESCO TO CONTINUE MOBILIZATION IN FAVOUR OF AFGHANISTAN

Paris, March 27 (No.2001-48) - UNESCO is determined to pursue the mobilization in favour of Afghanistan’s heritage, despite the destruction of the Buddha statues of Bamiyan by the Taliban, focusing its future action on the safeguarding of Afghanistan’s remaining Islamic and pre-Islamic heritage, maintaining dialogue, pursuing discussions of a religious nature favourable to heritage protection and working to develop legal standards pertaining to the concept of cultural crime.

At a press conference he hosted this morning, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura and his special envoy to Afghanistan, Pierre Lafrance, spoke both of the latter’s mission to Kandahar, Kabul, Islamabad and Doha and about UNESCO’s future action.

Mr Matsuura referred to the wave of indignation raised by the destruction of Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic heritage, stressing that “this general mobilization in favour of cultural heritage has transcended the boundaries between nationalities and religion”. He also highlighted the fact that many Moslem states refused “to see their religion associated to this fanatical gesture.”

The Director-General, however, particularly emphasized the future and declared, regarding other pre-Islamic cultural objects in Afghanistan, that “efforts to bring the Taliban to respect these archaeological riches will be maintained.” He said that his coming visit to Pakistan next week will be an opportunity to take action to this effect. The opening of a special account for the safeguard of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage should furnish supplementary resources for this purpose.

“To save what can be saved, we also need to fight against the traffic in Afghan cultural properties,” Mr Matsuura added, saying that he planned to appeal to dealers and collectors “so that they contribute from their side, and in relation with UNESCO, to the safeguarding of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage.” To contend with such traffic, outlawed by the 1970 Convention, steps are being taken with the support of the Swiss authorities and the Hirayama Foundation, to regain possession of endangered Afghan goods and “place them in safe-keeping until they can be returned to Afghanistan.”

As he reported on his “a priori impossible” mission, Mr Lafrance stressed the unstable and inscrutable nature of what is referred to as the Taliban movement: “It is not possible to speak of currents that are part of a whole, but of clashes between [different] sensibilities.” He expressed the opinion whereby one of these sensibilities has temporarily prevailed, notably within the Afghan judiciary, imposing its “hair-splitting legalism”. This has generated “an insatiable desire for purification, a morbid fear of not doing enough to follow the way revealed by God.”

Confronted by such an emotional, and therefore sometimes unpredictable, attitude, the special envoy recommended pedagogy and dialogue, rather than violence. He highlighted the important role played by the ulema (Moslem scholars) of the Arabic Moslem world who helped him in his mission or intervened on its sidelines. Such work on what is, according to the precepts of Islam, allowed, recommended or obligatory concerning heritage preservation will be continued and UNESCO is actively pursuing its efforts in this direction.

Another area in which UNESCO intends to pursue its action was broached by Mr Matsuura who asked: “Can crimes against culture go unpunished?” Welcoming the recent decision by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to include the destruction of historic monuments in its indictments relating to attacks on the city of Dubrovnik. He added: “A study is being undertaken to examine, within the framework of the various existing conventions, notably those of 1954 and 1972, all the means available to prevent and punish such crimes against cultural properties.”

Cultural heritage was, however, not the only subject discussed at the press conference. As Mr Matsuura recalled: “The responsibility of UNESCO is clearly defined, both to ensure the safeguarding of endangered heritage, whatever its historical or cultural origin, and to ensure that programmes are established to favour basic education.” The Director-General added: “I wish that aid for the education of women be provided and that the schooling of children and adolescents, both boys and girls, be favoured.”

Expressing concern for the “distress experienced by the population of Afghanistan,” Mr Matsuura joined the appeal launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations for a mobilization of funds for emergency humanitarian aide. Mr Lafrance, a former French Ambassador to Pakistan, echoed this. He reiterated recommendations for dialogue and assistance to the people of Afghanistan and said: “We must not meet stupidity with stupidity, taboo with taboo.”

 

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