Several historical artifacts exhibited at the Maldives National Museum, including Buddhist statues were destroyed in a mob attack on Wednesday morning, an act of vandalism that is said to have caused “unimaginable damage” to the treasured Maldivian heritage.
Speaking to Minivan News, a museum official said that a group of five to six men stormed into the building twice, “deliberately targeted the Buddhist relics and ruins of monasteries exhibited in the pre- Islamic collection, destroying most items “beyond repair”.
The official said that the details of the damage cannot be released as the police have asked the museum to withhold the information until the investigation into the attack is pending.”‘But I can say that attackers have done unimaginable damage,” he added.
“This is not like a glass we use at home that can be replaced by buying a new one from a shop. These are originals from our ancestors’ time. These cannot be replaced ever again,” the official exclaimed.
According to a source, a coral stone head of Lord Buddha, an 11th century piece recovered from Thoddoo in Alifu Atoll, was smashed up by the attackers, one of the most significant pieces at the museum inside Sultan’s Park.
The museum was built with Chinese government aid and opened on July 26, 2010.
Other pieces vandalised include the Bohomala sculptures, monkey statues and a broken statue piece of the Hindu water god, Makara, while the two five faced statues discovered from Male’ were also damaged – the only remaining archaeological evidence proving the existence of a Buddhist era in the Maldives.
The glass casings holding the items were also destroyed in the attack.
According to the museum official, some of the attackers who returned to the museum for the second time were apprehended by the police who arrived on the scene.
“Around five to six people were taken under police custody. But by then they had already done the damage they wanted,” he observed.
Minivan News could get the confirmation on the arrest from the police at the time of press.
The attack on the museum coincided with the political unrest that escalated in Male’ on late hours of Tuesday night, after a group of policeman and military allegedly joined the opposition protestors, forcing Former President Mohamed Nasheed to resign the following day.
AFP reported Nasheed as saying that the vandals included Islamist hardliners who had attacked the museum because they believed some of the statues inside were “idolatrous”.
The monuments gifted by the South Asian countries to the Maldives ahead of the 17th summit of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation SAARC, hosted in Addu city were also denounced as idolatrous monuments and vandalised, including the monument gifted by Pakistan.
Removal of the contentious monuments was one of the five demands of the December 23 protesters, including religious groups and opposition, who also demanded that the government prohibit Israeli airlines from operating in the Maldives.
The museum official who spoke to Minivan News earlier said that he cannot comment on whether the attack was connected to fundamentalists.
‘We are not trying to promote any religion here. These artifacts are used for the purpose of teaching, archeological research and showing Maldivian history to visitors,” he explained. “But a significant part of our heritage is lost now.”
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I honestly considered becoming Islamic by reading the Koran several times several years ago. I was having a deep disbelief in God. The Koran opened my eyes to the Other in my life and the world. I have decided that I cannot now because of the radicalism. The Koran said that when Muslim took over a country those who did not convert were respected and allowed to continue their own belief and pay a tax so they did not have to fight in the army. ALSO, they are forbidden to commit suicide or kill kill non-combatants. At current faith that ignors the Koran will find it hard to justify this act of desecration of a heritage of so significant importance. Or most of all what is happening monsters that kill their own people of faith, demean women to the level of cattle. The scrib of the Koran's wife was a business woman who ran a company, he said women could receive inheritances and divorce. They may be an extreme minority in Islam, but those are the ones we "know" from the press. I know Muslims who are praying that this ends because they truly hear and follow the Koran.
This has nothing to do with politics. This is Islmic extremism, intent on distroying all other beliefs. They will only distroy themselves.
See how the false Oogah Boogah Gods could not protect themselves against our brave mujaheddeen?
What a glorious day this was! I shall celebrate on this day next year: the triumph of Tahweed over Shirk!
(Though there were still some left intact...)
For all the commenters;
Same things Aboojahl and other deviated non-muslim told to prophet mohamed (pbuh) regarding the islam . They told to prophet mohamed(pbuh) this is our forefathers our ancestors religion so stop your calling , if you stop we will give money position vice verse...Prophet mohamed(pbuh) cleared all the statues in the ka'ba in makkah after victory. In this clear example we know that what we have to do for this extreme statues . We dont want the view of extreme westerners because for us for muslim for Allah they real extremists. If you hold the statues then you are not muslim. you are non muslim.