Taliban wants to lure tourists back to statues it blew up
Twenty-two years ago, Taliban fighters destroyed Afghanistan’s Buddhas of Bamiyan, two immense ancient statues known locally as Salsal and Shahmama. Under orders of Taliban founder Mohammad Omar, the sixth-century monuments were targeted with anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank mines and explosives, leaving yawning gaps in the 125-foot cliff. Now back in power, the Taliban is recalibrating its attitude to the site, seeing it as a potential source of tourism revenue. Officials have set up a ticket office at the base of the larger statue, or the hole where it once stood, charging Afghans 58 cents and foreigners $3.45, says the Washington Post, which visited the area. (A nearby ice cream vendor wasn’t getting many customers.) One official called on archaeologists to return to help preserve the site, something many believe isn’t possible while the Taliban crush the rights of women and girls across the country. Sayed, a 22 year-old Afghan man, said the Taliban can’t be trusted with preserving the site. “They are professionals at destroying things,” he said. “Not at rebuilding them.
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