No. 0503

Local Afghans Look on Buddha Search with Curiosity, Bemusement and Worry as Election Thoughts Bring Fear Mixed with Optimism

Embassy, August 31st, 2005
NEWS STORY
By Steve Mason

Professor Tarzi has a mission: To wake the Sleeping Buddha of Bamyan. Travelers to central Afghanistan in the seventh century described in meticulous detail the two standing Buddhas, built in the third and fifth centuries, which loomed over Bamyan until they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. But they also described a third, much larger Buddha: supposedly the length of three football pitches, it was said to recline in the nearby fields and represent the apogee of Buddhist culture in the region.

Not a trace of the Sleeping Buddha remains, and most people regard the story of its existence as apocryphal. But Professor Tarzi, a renowned archaeologist of Afghan heritage, believes it exists and is determined to find it -- or at least some traces of it. For the last two years he has directed one of the most extensive historical digs in Afghanistan, uncovering priceless relics and structures of the long extinct Buddhist era.

The Buddha itself, if it is indeed hidden beneath the accumulated layers of dust and rock, continues to slumber undisturbed. Most of the local inhabitants regard the efforts to uncover it with a mixture of curiosity, bemusement and concern. Bemusement, because they cannot quite understand why someone would choose to devote himself to digging up the remains of a forgotten religion. And concern, because they wonder what will happen to their town and their fields if this giant Buddha is actually discovered. Most residents in Bamyan eke out a meager subsistence living on the narrow patches of fertile land that stretch up the many valleys -- the disappearance of three football fields of such land is no minor issue.

I've come to Bamyan for a few days of field visits and meetings. Bamyan, by all accounts, is one of the most spectacular places in the world. Bright green fields and crystal streams give way on all sides to low, rounded mountains of striking purple, red and brown hues. Behind these foothills lurk the rocky, jagged and snow-capped peaks of the Hindu Kush range, which stretches down from the Himalayas towards Iran. The landscape seems always to be capped by a faultless blue sky which reflects off nearby lakes in an awe-inspiring display of colour.

In Bamyan, one is surrounded not only by beauty but also by visible history. It is present in the remains of the Buddhas, which have left ominous hollow formations in the cliff-face that borders one side of the town. But it is also there in the Asian features of the local population, known as Hazaras. The story is that they are all descendants of Genghis Khan, who swept through this region in the 13th century as he conquered cities from China to Eastern Europe. Enraged when one of his favourite grandsons was killed in the battle to take Bamyan, he is said to have ordered that the entire indigenous population be slaughtered. In their place, he left one of his army units of 10,000 men and women to repopulate the region. The word Hazara means "10,000" in Persian.

It has been more than a year since I was last in this region, and it is amazing to see the progress which has happened during that time. Partly due to good rains in the spring and partly due to the size and scope of development initiatives, the quality of life in the area has improved substantially. I visited with a group of community representatives in a remote and inaccessible valley who demonstrated that the "integrated" approach to development that Aga Khan Foundation promotes is not mere rhetoric. The community-based governance structures that we have facilitated over the last year are now functioning institutions, able not only to prioritize community needs but also resolve internal disputes and relate with external authorities. Many community members have accessed small loans which we have provided, enabling them to buy much needed livestock or start small businesses. In several cases, the initial loans have already been paid back and second loans have been taken, enriching people and creating sustainable livelihoods. In one case, a group of seven communities has come together and created a homegrown health insurance plan: they have decided that everyone who uses the clinic which Aga Khan Foundation has built and operates will pay a minimal fee which will be collected and used to cover the medical expenses of the poor who cannot otherwise afford them.

It is also nice to be out of Kabul for a time. The heat of the city in the summer is oppressive, and the dust storms have started up again. The traffic seems to get worse on a daily basis. These days, it feels like there is a more menacing kind of Buddha sleeping under the streets: Parliamentary elections are fast approaching and there is palpable tension in the air despite the fact that, on the surface, things have been remarkably calm.

It is a time of both fear and optimism. No one believes that the elections can pass without serious disruptions -- either people will try to upset the voting process or repercussions will occur once the winners (or, more importantly, the losers) are announced. Already, parts of the South have erupted in violence: political assassinations, rocket attacks and other incursions.

All the same, it is hard not see promising signs in the lead up to elections. All across the city, empty spaces are plastered with campaign posters: The faces that glare down from them not only represent the churning ethnic mix that makes up Afghanistan but also reflect a surprisingly high proportion of women. Once the elections are over, Afghanistan will have its first ever representative Parliament. People are enthusiastic; they profess hope for the future of their country. But they are still cautious: like in Bamyan, most people here believe that it is better to let sleeping Buddhas lie.

Steve Mason has lived in Kabul for 18 months, working as programme manager of the Aga Khan Foundation (Afghanistan).
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