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EPA/Ulrike Koltermann
A file picture shows the minaret of a clay-mosque in Timbuktu, Mali.
Cultural treasures in the ancient city of Timbuktu are under threat from the armed conflict that has gripped Mali following last month’s coup, the United Nations warned on Monday.
Irina Bokova, director-general of the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said in a blog posting that the recent takeover of the city by Tuareg rebels could damage the management and conservation of the three mosques and 16 mausoleums there, as well as well as the Tomb of Askia in another Mali city, Gao.
She called on all sides in the political unrest to “protect these heritage treasures, to which the international community and UNESCO attach great importance," adding that they are designated World Heritage Sites.
Control of the gold-rich west Africa nation was seized by a military junta on March 21, prompting separatist Tuareg rebels in the north of the country to take over towns and cities. They planted a flag in Timbuktu late on Sunday after a battle with the army, forcing the junta to pledge a return to civilian power.
Bokova’s posting said Timbuktu attractions “reflect the golden age of an intellectual and spiritual capital in the fifteenth century” and “played a vital role in spreading Islam in Africa, carrying the identity and dignity of a whole people."
A centuries-old crossroads on important trading routes, Timbuktu’s isolated position made it a global byword for remoteness and inaccessibility.
The modern-day city is much less important, and its cultural richness is overshadowed by poverty and the environmental threat posed by desertification.
“It is very remote and, in the current situation, not a place for tourists,” Alex Vines, an expert on Africa at British think tank Chatham House, told msnbc.com.
However, Mali is strategically significant for western countries, including the United States, he said.
“Prior to the coup, Mali was one of the few countries in the area with a democratic government and it has made some important progress in counter-terrorism so the US will want to see a political solution and an end to the violence,” he said.
Amadou Sanogo, an army captain who led the coup, is reported to have pledged to reinstate the constitution and all state institutions before transferring power back to civilians via elections.
That followed a threat by West African regional bloc ECOWAS to impose sanctions, including the potentially crippling closure of borders around the land-locked state.
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conserve a mosque? thought they were blessed with awesome reproductive faculties
Or could this be a case of "We had to destroy the village to keep it from falling into the hands of the enemy" sort of thing. No, wait...let's send in a US rescue force of say...60,000 troops to safeguard the mosque. Yeah, sure...that's the ticket. But whatever happens, you have to admire the British talent for understatement "...in the current situation, not a place for tourists".
Read http://www.timbuktufoundation.org and http://www.britannica.com. Timbuktu is an UNESCO World Heritage Site- it is an ancient trans-Saharan trading post -founded 1000 A>D> by Tuaregs (later after Mali became independent 1960 the Tuaregs northern region was made part of Republic of Mali. The Tuaregs wanted to have more autonomy and then there was a coupt d'etat by the Malian army- Tuaregs became rebels and seized the 3 important cities including Timbuktu to establish their own nation AZANAD,3 of the oldest West African mosques Djihguereber,Sarkore and Sidi Yahia built there during 14th and early 15th century. There was also Learning- center. I see Alps sounds like die Alpen no Les Alpes- ignorance is really a vice.
Ouch. Alps isn't going to get that, btw...
"She called on all sides in the political unrest to “protect these heritage treasures, to which the international community and UNESCO attach great importance," adding that they are designated World Heritage Sites."
As long as the UN supports African and Middle Eastern dictators, it is a useless money pit that is only good for issuing statements like the above. Until it has a goal of promoting and protecting individual freedom, as opposed to abetting criminal dictators, we should stop funding it and ask it to move to Brussels.
As in the rest of Africa, this particular region (a cultural crossroads...) has perpetually suffered from tribalistic wars. The various ethnic groups in Mali will battle it out as usual, and many will be forced to flee to some other scrub barren plain as refugees.
Aside from the military and political dimensions of the conflict mentioned in this article, the most important item cited is that of desertification of the region due to natural spread of the Sahara and human influences that aggravate that phenomenon. A new tribal war will certainly accelerate the deterioration of the region's agricultural productivity.
Sad stuff... I don't have much to add other than pessimism for the future of this region. I'm certain that the men wielding AKs (regardless of ethnic group or political faction) will be eating well while the farmers and their families will be the ones to suffer.
Anthony...you have a very insightful grasp of the situation and I applaud your empathy...well said. I on the other hand, I'm much more cynical and less empathetic. At some point people have to defend themselves, the Sudanese, while unable to turn things around are at least making an effort to stake their claim to what they believe is theirs. The good people of Timbuktu have to pony-up and defend the old "home turf" if that's what they feel is necessary. Lord knows there's more than a few weapons lying around and what they don't have they can take off the bodies of the dead. We should be suspicious of anyone who puts forth the notion that we need to step in (the UN or the US). And I bet that there's plenty of mud and sticks around Timbuktu should they need to rebuild the mosque.
UN = SHAM
and @!$%# produced out of our taxes.
You mean there's actually a timbuktu ? Well I'll be dipped in dog@!$%# .
You step in it enough.
I'd wipe it off on your back if you were nearby .
If the cultural treasures in the ancient city of Timbuktu are in "danger" it is up to the factions there to do something. If they don't care, I don't see why anyone else should either. So much for their culture!
Once Islamic cult spread from the seventh century Saudi Arabian's desert, then problems started in that place and that place started going down the hill to hell holes.
Mali became an important slave trading center later!
May be: that clay mosque was used to hold the slaves as prisoners before trading globally!
Interesting that you would say it started going downhill in the 7th century, since it wasn't even a permanent settlement until the 12th century. Then it had a nice golden age as a trading city for a few hundred years, all while it was Islamic.
Maybe researching stuff before you throw it out there would help a little.
Brisabar: Muslim Arabs started the slave trade in Africa.
Then British and Europeans copied them and followed the model all over the world. US was the latest to addition of slave trade from Africa. Hope you know about the auctioning of them in parts of the US in early days.
Why not you research fully into the slave trade business before throwing up some crap!
I think you are mistaken. Slave trade was started long before Islam was even a spark in Mohammed's mind. It has a very, very long history, going back to the pharoahs and well beyond.
And I really wasn't commenting on your statements on the slave trade. You start out by saying that when the "Islamic cult" arrived in the 7th century, things started going down the hill to hell holes. In truth, Timbuktu was not even established then. It was established in the 12th century, and had a nice golden age, all while being in that "cult". My reply was only in response to the 'crap' you started in this thread. But if you want to debate the history of slavery as well, I ready. ;)
Timbuktu also had the largest, most extensive library outside of Alexandria... but let's just hate on Islam because we are too lazy to even go to wikipedia... So much ignorance about Mali, and Africa in general.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali
jonathan Maybe you were part of that slave trade too? or may be a Achouth or harijan who knows ?
You people invent new terms while dividing people!
Of course, British and Europeans learnt the new business of slave trade started by Muslim Arabs, when they did not know about other trades. Then the settlers in the US copied their masters.
You must be knowing better about slave trade in Africa and travel to the US and other places!
So better go to the roots before commenting!