Maldives, Concealing an Enormity: the Media Blackout on the Destruction at the National Museum by Xavier Romero-Frias

Maldives, Concealing an Enormity: The media blackout on the destruction at the National Museum By Xavier Romero-Frias News items or papers documenting the planned and methodical destruction of the archaeological remains of Maldivian ancient history in 2012 are very rare. The irreplaceable antique coral stone pieces, remnants of the Buddhist period were kept at the National Museum of the Maldives in Male’, the capital. The collection, gathered from archaeological sites in different islands since HCP Bell’s excavations in the early 20th century, and carefully preserved, was systematically vandalized on 9 February 2012. The pieces of the Maldivian Buddhist past were displayed in the showcases of one of the new halls of the Museum that had been built by the government of China. Previously these invaluable artifacts had been kept on the floor in a room at the ground level. A leaflet had previously been issued by the Islamic Foundation of Maldives, a parastatal organization that had a pivotal role in the affair.1 Prior to the systematic vandalizing of the valuable museum pieces, the foundation distributed pamphlets calling for the destruction of the Maldivian archaeological patrimony. In defiance of all International laws and conventions, this shadowy, but influential body issued recommendations to the government that amounted to commands. In its pamphlets the Islamic Foundation of Maldives barefacedly demanded the immediate and thorough annihilation of the Maldivian archaeological heritage, including ancient Buddhist sculptures, temple and stupa structures, as well as their foundations, throughout the archipelago. Its unconcealed aim was the obliteration of all remains witnessing to ancient Maldivian Buddhist history, and even some remains of more recent times, such as the shrines of Muslim saints. One of the very few documents investigating the destruction of the Maldivian Buddhist heritage pieces is part of a report by French TV channel France 2 titled « Maldives : La Charia au Paradis » which was broadcast on 23 November 2014. It must be noted, however, that it was not even the central feature of the French news programme, but a barely two-minute section within it. 1 Xavier Romero-Frias, The Destruction of the Cultural Heritage of the Maldives. In “A Secular Maldives” (January 2017) The translation of the French TV report segment related to the vandalizing of the Maldivian museum relics reads as follows: There is only one museum in the Maldives, the only witness of the past history of the country. And it is there that, in a very symbolic way, the Islamists carried out the first attack. We have arranged a meeting with Ismail Ashraf, one of the restorers of the museum. He remembers that morning, it was on 9 February 2012. « These people came in very aggressively. You see these showcases where the antiquities were displayed. They came here. One of these people had a cobblestone and the others iron bars. They began to destroy the showcases and they pushed them. All they wanted was to destroy the exhibits and if they did not break, they took them and smashed them against the floor. » The group of vandals entering the museum premises in full daylight with faces uncovered. It was during some of the darkest days of the history of the country. It was said that there was a coup in progress and the capital was overwhelmed by waves of violence. The police, supported by religious fundamentalists toppled the first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Nasheed –here in the centre, deemed not to be religious enough. Here is what the surveillance cameras placed inside the museum recorded. About twelve men, with faces uncovered, burst into the place. They fiercely begin to destroy the limestone or coral stone remains which had survived for many centuries. These were irreplaceable antiquities, between 850 and 1,200 years old. « Right after rushing into the museum they began to destroy the remains that were part of the collection of the era before Islam in the Maldives. Afterwards we understood that the whole operation was organized. They knew very well what they were looking for. » The vandals inside the museum gallery destroying their target: the ancient archaeological exhibits. The antiquities were statues of Buddha representing human faces, forbidden by Islam according to those extremists. This is what could be saved. Just a few fragments; it is impossible now to restore the only witnesses of the very ancient history of the Maldives. « I am a Muslim. These antiquities merely exhibited here, never make out of me a bad Muslim. Not at all. It is ridiculous to think that one would begin to adore these statues. But according to those who have destroyed them one should not even see these remains, they should be totally annihilated. Even so, they will never be able to suppress the fact that the Maldivians have followed other religions in the past. » This is the history. « Yes. » Nobody has ever been charged for this massive destruction. The preliminary investigations were stopped shortly after a number of radical Islamists became part of the new government. This is the point where the « Maldives : La Charia au Paradis » TV programme section on the subject ends. After the initial press reports in February 2012, a pall of silence fell over the whole affair. The Islamic Foundation of Maldives, which by its actions had been setting itself above the country’s laws and above the Maldivian government was being effectively protected by the nation’s censorship. The silence on the topic, particularly in the Maldivian media, is still practically total, save for very rare exceptions where the matter is not even highlighted.2 Camera footage shows that, unlike the way it was reported in some articles at the time, those who attacked the museum were not an uncontrolled mob.3 The vandals were a well-organized group of men who knew what they were going to do. These individuals did not enter the premises under the cover of night, but unabashedly in at 11 am, in broad daylight and in a very purposeful manner, not even bothering to cover their faces. So far, however, their identity has not been disclosed. Besides Ismail Ashraf, other government officials lamented the annihilation of the Maldivian archaeological remains, but their declarations were cautious. Ali Waheed, the Director of the National Museum, declared that all but two or three of the nearly 30 Buddhist statues were damaged beyond repair. “The collection was totally, totally 2 Museum staff express concern over moving artifacts to host Independence Day event, Minivan News – Archive, 23 July 201 3 US to assist in restoration of damaged pre-Islamic artifacts, Minivan News – Archive, 9 July 2012 smashed,” he said. Naseema Mohamed, a historian and retired museum official, highlighted that the loss was particularly devastating because the collection of Maldivian Buddhist artifacts had been painstakingly gathered and protected with a great degree of care along the years. “There was very little left,” she concluded. Further reading Vandalism at Maldives Museum Stirs Fears of Extremism, Vikas Bajaj, The New York Times, February 13, 2012 Mob Storms Maldives National Museum, Destroys Buddhist Statues, Havva Lubna, Archaeology News Network, 2/11/2012 Islamists destroy some 30 Buddhist statues, Asia News, 02/15/2012 Maldives mob smashes Buddhist statues in national museum, Al Arabiya News, 08 February 2012 .

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