Saving Mes Aynak

LEFT Excavation at Mes E CULTUR Aynak, and, inset, one of the many fabulous SAVING MES Buddha statues from the site.

BELOW Director AYNAK Brent E Huffman

films Afghan REVIEW archaeologist Qadir Temori at Mes Aynak.

Countdown to tragedy Tom St John Gray reviews Brent E Huffman’s award-winning documentary Saving Mes Aynak

es Aynak, a spectacular 2,000-year-old hide landmines along the road at night. It’s very much like Russian Buddhist city south of Kabul, Afghanistan, roulette travelling to Mes Aynak. And that’s what it felt like. It was is facing total destruction.This sprawling the luck of the draw if you made it there, and made it back alive’. 500,000m² complex of monasteries, temples, The film traces the countdown to destruction over one year. and hundreds of Buddha statues is hailed as Battling adverse weather conditions, a lack of equipment, and Mone of the greatest archaeological discoveries of this century. vanishing funds due to corrupt officials, Qadir and his team valiantly The mountain city, an important hub along the ancient Silk excavate the site before demolition begins. Despite promises of Road, contains a wealth of unique artefacts in an astonishing state economic rewards, any gains from the mine would be short-lived, as of preservation. Experts believe future discoveries at Mes Aynak Huffman explains: ‘The mining deal will not benefit Afghanistan. could redefine our understanding of ancient Afghanistan and the The Chinese will bring in their own labourers, the money will go to history of early Buddhism. With just 10% of the site excavated, the corrupt people, the environment will be destroyed. What will be left archaeological potential is unparalleled. But, in the opening scenes are toxic craters where this incredible cultural heritage used to be’. of the documentary we learn that the city is one of the world’s Saving Mes Aynak shows the sheer determination of the Afghan most critically endangered heritage sites. Located in the Taliban- archaeologists to protect their culture against overwhelming odds. controlled Logar province, the site sits directly on top of a massive ‘We are all one. We must join together and raise our voices to spread untapped copper deposit valued at $100 billion. awareness around the world,’ Qadir insists. Bulldozers, not bombs, threaten this site. The Afghan government Huffman has crafted a remarkable film of courage, heroism, and sold the mining rights to China Metallurgical Group Corp (MCC) hope. And the fight is not yet over: ‘Cultural heritage goes in tandem in a deal worth $3 billion. Dr Mark Kenoyer at the University of with human rights. Erasing a country’s history is a terrible crime. Wisconsin explains: ‘Mes Aynak as a trading centre would have had There is still a chance to save the site, and now is the moment to people coming from China, the Mediterranean, and South Asia. It spread the word.’ He urges everyone to support the site by watching would have been a crossroads for everything we know of the Old Saving Mes Aynak online: www.savingmesaynak.com World. The destruction of Mes Aynak would be like Atlantis going into the ocean and disappearing from history.’ Saving Mes Aynak follows the desperate race to excavate the site before MCC’s diggers turn this unique landscape into a vast open-pit copper mine. The story is told through the embattled but unbeaten eyes of Afghan archaeologist Qadir Temori. Inspired as a child by the Bamiyan Buddhas, Qadir is a passionate advocate of Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage, and has a deep connection with Mes Aynak. There is great danger lurking throughout Saving Mes Aynak. We

learn that Qadir, a loving family man, risks everything to protect Mes Aynak E Huffman/Saving his country’s past: ‘Nobody should allow their cultural identity to be erased’. His team of workers face constant intimidation, and : Brent

Qadir regularly receives death threats from Taliban commanders IMAGES demanding money. Director Huffman reveals: ‘The Taliban would ALL