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Badakhshan: Who Destroys Historical Sites?

2018 was declared the Year of Tourism and Folk Crafts in Tajikistan. It gave certain results. For example, only during 9 months of this year, about five thousand foreign tourists visited the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). The previously established Tourism Development Department, created under the executive body of GBAO, began working in early 2018.


Tajik Russian

Special report of scientists from the Institute of Humanities of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan to the office of the Chairman of GBAO
Special report of scientists from the Institute of Humanities of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan to the office of the Chairman of GBAO

In previous years, according to official data, no more than 2000 tourists visited the region. According to the mentioned Tourism Development Department, the regional budget received 5 million 651.3 thousand somoni for 9 months from tourists.

GBAO has a unique mountain landscape, as well as historical monuments that attract tourists from all countries. This industry could bring good profits to the budget of the country and region. However, as shown by a journalistic investigation, the unique historical monuments of the region are destroyed, and the reason for this, on the one hand, is the irresponsibility of local leaders, and in other cases it is the hunishness of local residents, Russian border guards stationed in these places in the past, as well as some foreign citizens. In addition, the investigation revealed that there are facts of the historical property theft in order to sell it on the black market.

The results of investigation were published as wake-up calls, in the form of scientific and journalistic articles both at the regional and at the state level.

Unfortunately, the competent departments of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Culture, the chairman of the region did not respond properly to the scientists’ proposals and “now, most of the historical monuments are in a disastrous state”.

Resolution of the Chairman of GBAO
Resolution of the Chairman of GBAO

Thus, officials ignore the implementation of a number of governmental decisions, including the decree on the implementation of 2011 State Program for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage in 2012-2020. On the basis of this program, the former head of GBAO Kodiri Kosim issued a decree in January 2012 demanding the local heads to execute the program of the government and submit a report on the work done every six months.

Worth to note that almost seven years have passed since the adoption of the abovementioned state program, but there is still no effect of its implementation. On the contrary, a number of unique historical monuments continue to be destroyed; some of them either are destroyed or are on the verge of disappearance.

According to the former director of the Institute of Humanities, Professor Shodikhon Yusufbekov, the ancient fortress of Kakh-Kakha (III-IV BC) in the Namadgut village of Ishkashim district, which is the largest in the country, remains in critical condition.

The professor stressed out that its disastrous state contrasts the fact that, for example, the Hulbuk fortress (XI century) in the city of Kulyab has been recently completely renovated and rebuilt.

In addition, sometimes, the Kakh-Kakha fortress is used by the military personnel of frontier post #3 stationed in Namadgut as a toilet. “It is a pity that the walls of the high tower of this fortress are destroyed by our militaries,” said Yusufbekov.

Fortresses of Kakh-Kakha, 2001
Fortresses of Kakh-Kakha, 2001
Photo from the book “Pamir: the roof of the world” by M. Bubnova
Photo from the book “Pamir: the roof of the world” by M. Bubnova

The current state of Kakh-Kakha fortress

The current state of Kakh-Kakha fortress
The current state of Kakh-Kakha fortress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the residents of Namadgut, the former head of the GBAO K. Kosim decided to withdraw military from the fortress due to their vandalism. However, despite this, the border guards use the unique object as a toilet again.

Another well-known fortress Yamchun of Ishkashim district (III century BC) and its area are used as a pasture by local residents, as Professor Yusufbekov noted.

The Qal’ai Khumb castle (16th century) of the namesake village in Darvaz district, the fortress of Jikar Qal’a (6th century) and Jiruj Qal’a (7th century) of the village of Javshangoz of Roshtqal’a district, the fortress of Roshtqal’a (middle ages) and dozens of other monuments are also destroyed for various reasons.

Another unique object – the Qal’ai Vamar fortress, located in the village of the same name in Rushan district was severely damaged in recent years’ fires. Later, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan allocated 70 thousand somoni for the partial restoration of the object. However, according to the head of the Information and Analytical Department of the Chairman of GBAO Office Azorabek Azorabekov, only 8,000 were received from this amount, the remaining funds are still in the Ministry. Azorabekov also noted that no money was allocated from the budget for the Program of Preservation of Historical Monuments of the region.

The article published on July 19 of this year in “Badakhshan” newspaper, the press organ of GBAO administration, admits the disastrous state of Qal’ai Vamar fortress.

“It is sad, that the gardens, squares, gates, artillery depots and prison premises of the fortress disappeared without a trace. The stones and wood of this object are used by the military and local residents. Over the past ten years, residents of the district center, having obtained permits from the district leaders, turned the neighborhood of the fortress into gardens and private yards,” the article says.

The author reported that funds were allocated for the restoration of the Qal’ai Vamar fortress and a person was hired to upkeep the object. “However, the current state of Qal’ai Vamar causes great concern,” the author believes.

Qal’ai Vamar, 2008
Qal’ai Vamar, 2008
Qal’ai Vamar, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shukhrat Aliev, one of the residents of Vamar village of Rushan district, says that the level of patriotism and respect for historical monuments among local residents has plummeted, some of them are indifferent to the fate of these objects, and therefore the fortress is in a critical state.

The report by the Institute of Humanities noted that most historical monuments do not have certificates for the use of the land. The State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy and the Ministry of Culture were  proposed to issue special certificates to such objects that no one could use their land.

In fact, the problem of preserving monuments is aggravated by the unjustified distribution of land certificates to local residents for the land use near these objects.

For example, local residents demolish the remains of the Chilkhona archaeological site in the village of Zimudg in Ishkashim district (located 150 km south of Khorog). There, private houses were built on the site of the tombs of Chilkhona (the object was created several centuries BC). The situation is similar in Varhez town of the Gund valley in Shugnan region: there, houses are built on the site of an old medieval settlement.

The unique Langarkisht petroglyphs of Langarkisht village in jamoat Zong of Ishkashim region – a monument of the II-Vl centuries BC also disappear. The total number of petroglyphs at this object is 5878, what makes it the second largest petroglyph monument in Central Asia (after the Saymalitazh petroglyphs in Kyrgyzstan). However, the locals barbarously destroy petroglyphs and write their names on top of them.

Petroglyphs in Langarkisht
Petroglyphs in Langarkisht

Similarly, the stones with medieval calligraphic inscriptions were destroyed in the village of Sist in jamoat Andarob of Ishkashim district. For example, Candidate of Historical Sciences Aloviddin Shohinbekov told how two years ago, during a trip to this village, he managed to save one such stone, which residents were going to use to build a house.

Sist village inscriptions stones  
Sist village inscriptions stones  

Also, local residents completely destroyed the famous frontier post “Nikolai”, built in the village of Langar in Ishkashim district at the end of the 19th century. Outposts’ stones were used to construct private facilities.

Frontier post “Nikolai” in the village of Langar in Ishkashim district
Frontier post “Nikolai” in the village of Langar in Ishkashim district

The house-museum of Shirinshoh Shotemur, Tajikistan Hero, located in Porshnev jamoat of Shugnan region is also in poor condition. At the same time, Shotemur’s relatives upkeeping the museum, water the surrounding gardens, which floods the premises of the museum needing repair.  

The Hero of Tajikistan Shirinshoh Shotemor’s museum in Porshnev jamoat of Shugnan region
The Hero of Tajikistan Shirinshoh Shotemor’s museum in Porshnev jamoat of Shugnan region

The medieval cemetery of Bashgunbaz near Yashilkul of Murghab district is used by the locals as a warehouse. Moreover, local residents raid neighboring tombs searching for gold and jewels.

Bashgunbaz cemetery near Yashilkul of Murghab district
Bashgunbaz cemetery near Yashilkul of Murghab district

As an anonymous resident confessed, since 1992, they have dug up several graves together with other villagers, and no one has stopped them. “Unfortunately, we did not find anything valuable,” the resident told.

The scientists of the Institute of Humanities reported that in 2012, even foreign citizens dug up a Buddhist tomb in the Dirizh town of Ishkashim district having no permission. They found a silver statuette and tantric manuscripts there. Found artifacts were taken outside the country. The scientists have noticed that such valuable discoveries can be found only using the special equipment.

An interview with a Tajik archaeologist, Mira Bubnova, published in 2011 in the Asia-Plus newspaper (“Black market archaeologists” are rampaging in GBAO), was devoted to the problem of the theft of GBAO historical monuments. According to scientists, many historical values have long been exported from the area to be sold on the black market.

It should be noted that the solution to the problem of preserving historical monuments is also influenced by the absence of the specialized Department of Culture in GBAO, which operate in other regions (Sughd and Khatlon). It is only that departments and field offices function locally, but they lack inspectors and specialists for the historical heritage preservation.

The scientists paid special attention to the fact that no one has been brought to court for the destruction of Badakhshan historical monuments.

This raises questions: who or which department should be responsible for the preservation of historical sites? Will they disappear completely? Why do not the authorities responsible for the preservation of our country’s heritage pay attention to these historical sites of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region? Meanwhile, the development of a tourist route to these architectural sights could attract a large number of foreign tourists and generate greater income.

Mashhur IMOMNAZAROV


This article was prepared as part of the Giving Voice, Driving Change – from the Borderland to the Steppes Project implemented with the financial support of the Foreign Ministry of Norway. The opinions expressed in the article do not reflect the position of the editorial or the donor.

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