Afghanistan's supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar: "In view of the fatwa
[religious edict] of prominent Afghan scholars and the verdict of the
Afghan Supreme Court it has been decided to break down all statues/idols
present in different parts of the country. This is because these idols have
been gods of the infidels, who worshiped them, and these are respected even
now and perhaps maybe turned into gods again. The real God is only Allah,
and all other false gods should be removed."
"Whoever thinks this is harmful to the history of Afghanistan then I tell
them they must first see the history if Islam. Some people believe in these
statues and pray to them.... If people say these are not our beliefs but
only part of the history of Afghanistan, then all we are breaking are
stones."
"The breaking of statues is an Islamic order and I have given this decision
in the light of a fatwa of the ulema and the supreme court of Afghanistan."
"According to Islam, I don't worry about anything. My job is the
implementation of Islamic order."
"The breaking of statues is an Islamic order and I have given this decision
in the light of a fatwa of the ulema [clerics] and the supreme court of
Afghanistan. Islamic law is the only law acceptable to me. "My job is the
implementation of Islamic order. Only Allah, the Almighty, deserves to be
worshiped, not anyone or anything else."
"As Islamic sharia [law] orders the destruction of statues and considers
the drawing of portraits a mockery to the servants of Allah, the
destruction of any site decorated with pictures is necessary."
Taliban Information and Culture Minister Mullah Qadradullah Jamal: "The
work began early during the day. All of the statues are to be smashed. This
also covers the idols in Bamiyan." "The implementation of Mullah Omar's
order to destroy statues began this morning [March 1]. The destruction work
began in Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Kandahar, Ghazni, and Bamiyan. The
destruction work will be done by any means available to them. All the
statues all over the country will be destroyed."
Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil: "The abandoned relics are
not our pride. Destroying them would not mean that the freedom of the
minorities would cease."
Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef: "There is a
decision of religious scholars on this matter, this will be
implemented--for sure." "We don't care why they weren't destroyed in the
past, but we have a government now in Afghanistan that is religious and we
want to stop all things that are against Islam." "It is not a valid
precedent that we should follow just because they were not destroyed in the
past. Maybe in the past they tolerated it...now there is a government
established the by religious scholars." "Even if the pieces of the
destroyed statues made of gems, stones and metal can be made of value to
its owner, these remaining parts should also be smashed."
The Taliban: "As Islamic sharia [law] orders the destruction of statues and
considers the drawing of portraits a mockery to the servants of Allah, the
destruction of any site decorated with pictures is necessary."
Anonymous Taliban militia source(s): "They have started attacking the
Buddhas with guns and tank shells--with whatever arms they are carrying."
"Explosives, such as gunpowder, have also been placed beneath the statues
for more effective action."
