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Please don't be so gullible as to take the Western media's narrative without a grain of salt; The only reason for burning the manuscripts is as a provocation, t

by nsns 14y ago

Please don't be so gullible as to take the Western media's narrative without a grain of salt; The only reason for burning the manuscripts is as a provocation, that is, because they are highly valued. Not to mention the fact that it now seems (As the article reveals), that the provocation (the "hoax") was mostly made by the other side.

oijaf888 14y ago
I don't mean in just this instance, I'm talking the suppression of knowledge and learning throughout many areas of the globe. It would seem doubtful that the rebels are planning on revitalizing the role that Timbuktu had in learning during the Mali empire.
macspoofing 14y ago
Idolatry, or fear there of, is another very real reason for burning old manuscripts. You don't have look further than Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia to see modern examples of cultural artifacts being destroyed and justified by religious arguments.
_djo_ 14y ago
The OP makes it clear that the manuscripts were not destroyed only because of the good work that was done to hide them before and during the Ansar Dine occupation and because most had not yet been moved to the new building. Some manuscripts did not survive and were destroyed, the good news is that more were not. Nor is Ansar Dine too noble for such destruction, as they have destroyed UNESCO World Heritage sites on religious grounds before[0] and have plainly stated that they'll destroy anything they believe to be idolatrous in their narrow religious definitions. The Western media has many, many faults but be very careful of falling into the trap of believing that it is always correct to take the 'other' side or believe that those being portrayed as bad are being unfairly treated. Whether you read Western news sources, alternative sources like Al-Jazeera and Russian news or (better yet) local Malian and regional African news, the clear image that emerges of Ansar Dine is that of a ruthless and cruel extremist religious group. That villages, towns and cities were welcoming French troops in with cheers should tell you all you need to know about how much Ansar Dine were hated. The situation with the MLNA is a little more complex however, so it's more than I can get into in this post. [0]http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/01/us-mali-crisis-idUSBRE86008Z20120701 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/01/us-mali-crisis-idU...

by nsns 14y ago

oijaf888 14y ago

I don't mean in just this instance, I'm talking the suppression of knowledge and learning throughout many areas of the globe. It would seem doubtful that the rebels are planning on revitalizing the role that Timbuktu had in learning during the Mali empire.

macspoofing 14y ago

Idolatry, or fear there of, is another very real reason for burning old manuscripts. You don't have look further than Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia to see modern examples of cultural artifacts being destroyed and justified by religious arguments.

_djo_ 14y ago

The OP makes it clear that the manuscripts were not destroyed only because of the good work that was done to hide them before and during the Ansar Dine occupation and because most had not yet been moved to the new building. Some manuscripts did not survive and were destroyed, the good news is that more were not. Nor is Ansar Dine too noble for such destruction, as they have destroyed UNESCO World Heritage sites on religious grounds before[0] and have plainly stated that they'll destroy anything they believe to be idolatrous in their narrow religious definitions. The Western media has many, many faults but be very careful of falling into the trap of believing that it is always correct to take the 'other' side or believe that those being portrayed as bad are being unfairly treated. Whether you read Western news sources, alternative sources like Al-Jazeera and Russian news or (better yet) local Malian and regional African news, the clear image that emerges of Ansar Dine is that of a ruthless and cruel extremist religious group. That villages, towns and cities were welcoming French troops in with cheers should tell you all you need to know about how much Ansar Dine were hated. The situation with the MLNA is a little more complex however, so it's more than I can get into in this post. [0]http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/01/us-mali-crisis-idUSBRE86008Z20120701 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/01/us-mali-crisis-idU...