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Kabul Museum |
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April 2003 As is well known, Afghan cultural heritage has suffered irreparable damage through years of war and turmoil. No archaeological research has been conducted in the country since the late 1970's, ancient sites have been systematically looted for antiquities which are sold on the international art market, and the Kabul Museum suffered serious shell damage in the civil war which followed the withdrawal of Soviet troops. At that time the Museum was looted and much was lost. What little remained included large stone statues which were too heavy to carry away. These were then later deliberately smashed by the Taliban at the time of the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. Today, the Museum is slowly coming back to life. The roof of the ground floor has been repaired and the Director, Mr Masoudi, can once again receive visitors in his office. Thanks to the efforts of SPACH (Society for the Preservation of Afghan Cultural Heritage) the electricity supply has been reconnected and. SPACH is also coordinating a rebuilding programme for which contracts were issued in April. Two small rooms have been set up as conservation laboratories. The floor of one is covered with chests filled with fragments of the statues, all carefully gathered up and laid in beds of cotton waste. A museum conservator has begun the slow and painstaking task of fitting together the pieces. Amazingly, on his table, out of the shattered remains, the shape of a figure with elaborate drapery is beginning to emerge. Up to 30% of the Museum collections are believed to be still in safe storage and the card catalogue is also apparently preserved, along with a smaller number of prints or negatives. However, it is far from clear as to when the Museum will be able to reopen. The political situation in the country is still unstable. Thanks to the presence of western forces, Kabul remains fairly peaceful, despite occasional bombs, but the countryside, particularly the south and west, is still controlled by private armies and there is little indication that this will change in the near future. President Karzai has recently held a meeting with the regional governors in an attempt to persuade them to cooperate with the government, but this is likely to prove difficult to achieve. Travel is hazardous and there have been incidents of attacks on foreign NGO staff. As as result it is difficult to assess the level of damage to archaeological sites across the country, although it is well known that widespread looting still continues. Recently a small collection of artefacts was returned from overseas after being seized by customs officers from a passenger returning from Afghanistan. In Kabul itself some archaeological work has begun. A team from Germany has begun to restore Babur's Garden, with the help of Afghan archaeological trainees. However, despite the fragile stability of the country, work on reconstruction is going ahead, although very slowly. There are over a thousand aid organizations in the country, many of them running health and education programmes. In the streets of Kabul private citizens are breaking down ruined buildings to extract bricks for new construction, and occasionally workers can be seen tearing up sections of shattered pavement to repair damaged underground cables and pipes. The municipal electricity supply is only partially operational, while for water most people have to reply on wells. The national telephone system has collapsed and so the prepaid mobile phone is the best way to stay in touch. Some Afghan nationals who had fled to Iran and Pakistan have returned to start new lives and become involved in rebuilding their country, but those who were able to move to Europe or North America are unlikely to come back. The future of Afghanistan remains uncertain and it is clear that it cannot rebuild politically, economically or socially without sustained and extensive support from the international community at all levels.
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