CPO has been following this story for some time. When the Taliban dynamited ancient Buddhas in Afghanistan, the world was aghast. Now, the current Afghan Government has authorized the destruction of another important Buddhist site by a Chinese Mining Company, but the outrage has been minimal.
Why has the archaeological establishment been silent? Good question.
In any event, you can make your concerns known through this petition on change.org, though I question whether it really will matter as it seems that the Chinese will start mining operations shortly.
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This is a bit misleading. The Chinese company have agreed that archaeologists, led by DAFA (the French mission), should have a pretty generous chunk of time (the ways things are) to investigate what's there. It's not ideal, but I can't help thinking that it doesn't compare too badly with emergency digs in the City of London in the 80s or in the centre of Amsterdam in the 90s. What you also have to appreciate is how good it is that ANY kind of archaeological investigation is going on in a particularly sketchy part of the country. What I suspect is that a very delicate arrangement has been reached which will preserve (indeed has already) a lot, whilst allowing the state to earn some money from extraction.
Well some preservation is better than none, but I'm not sure the comparison is apt. This is apparently a major site, that just won't be covered over with new building; it will be absolutely demolished. And why can't the Chinese pay for the archaeological investigation on the site they intend to demolish instead of someon else (the US taxpayer perhaps?)
"Why has the archaeological establishment been silent?"
Golly, where have you been?
There was even one conference about it in Washington in June. Alliance for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage if you missed it - despite allegedly "following this story for some time". It has not been the only archaeological initiative even in your own country.
You cite pretty obscure stuff. I know you have publicized the plight of this site, but where exactly is the archaeological establishment on this AIA, etc? Please cite where they have raised the alarm. It seems to me they scream about "looting" when someone snatches anything, however insignificant, but the silence is deafening when it might involve actually criticizing a source country, even when a major site is being destroyed. Do you disagree?
"obscure"? If you've been "following the story" a conference held in June in a building literally 292 metres away from the door to your office is surely not exactly distant....
Tell me, do you consider the Archaeological Institute of AMERICA actually has the duty, or even the right to tell archaeologists and lawmakers - or the public - in Poland, Great Britain, Greenland, Norway, Lithuania, Afghanistan etc how we must run our archaeological business? If so, why? Because it is American and we must all listen to what Big Brother thinks we should do?
But is your real concern with Mes Aynak at all, or just continually kicking archaeologists and the AIA in the shins because they criticise the trade in illicit artefacts?
By the same logic, what business is it of the archaeological lobby to lecture collectors and dealers....if the point is concern about cultural heritage why is the outrage so selective?
This is the Archaeological Institute of AMERICA and AMERICAN dealers and collectors, and AMERICAN legislation (CCPIA) isn't it?
Would you not consider that the AIA has a stronger duty to attempt to sort out the ills on its own front doorstep than trying to influence what happens in other people's back yards half way around the world? I would.
If the AIA wants to take the moral high ground, it should do so consistently and in particular speak truth to power. In any event, by your logic you should confine your own comments to the ills in Poland, no?
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