Buddhist protest march in Colombo

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, MARCH 13. Hundreds of Buddhists, including a large contingent of monks, marched through the streets of the Sri Lankan capital today to protest against the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues by the Taliban.

Carrying banners that read ``Destruction of Buddha Statues Uncivilised'', ``We Condemn the Taliban Action,'' the procession congregated under a stately Buddha statue opposite the city Town Hall, where speakers urged the international community to save the remaining Buddhist statues in Afghanistan.

Representatives of several political parties, including the ruling People's Alliance (PA), the Opposition United National Party (UNP) and the right-wing Sihala Urumaya (SU), participated in the procession.

``The Taliban extremists have not only destroyed statues of Buddhas venerated by Buddhists all over the world, they have also destroyed a part of world heritage and a work of art,'' said the Transport Minister, Mr. Dinesh Gunawardene.

The UNP spokesman, Mr. Karunasena Koditawakku, said his party strongly condemned the destruction. ``These are part of our heritage that we must protect and hand over to the next generation, but the so-called liberators of the Afghan people are bent on uprooting history.''

The Prime Minister, Mr Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, flew to Islamabad today for a meeting with the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, on the issue of the Buddha statues.

He was to have left on Sunday, but delayed his departure by two days. Mr. Wickramanayake, who is also the Minister for Buddhist Affairs, is scheduled to meet the Pakistani leader on Wednesday.

`Crime against culture'

UNI reports from New Delhi

The UNESCO condemned the Taliban's destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas - confirmed by its special envoy, Mr. Pierre Lafrance, and described it as a ``crime against culture.'' Calling the action as `inexcusable', the director-general, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, expressed the hope that it would not provide fanatics elsewhere with an excuse for acts of destruction targeting Muslim cultural properties.

`Intolerance syndrome'

The intolerance syndrome in Talibanism is not confined to Afghanistan, but exists even in India, senior Marxist leader, Mr. Sitaram Yechury, has said.

Participating in a national debate on `Taliban Syndrome' today, Mr. Yechury said the roots of Talibanism lay in religious intolerance, and India could also go the Taliban way.

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Section  : International
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