I didn’t mean to be dissing the OP, and I was quite serious. It was the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas that first turned the world spotlight on to what a horrifying regime the Taliban was in Afghanistan. If this incident can similarly be what pushed Mali into the wider public consciousness, then at least some good will have come of it.
Actually yes, pretty much, unless you’ve heard of one I haven’t.
Allah help me, I knew what that was before I clicked the link.
Awesome.
Benedictine monks still talk, but via sign language. Spanish Sign Language started when a monk convinced his abbot that the sign language they used in the monastery could be taught to deafmutes, enabling them to learn a trade and “get a life”, rather than spend their lives as beggars or depending on relatives.
You’re talking about the area that’s being “governed” by the rebels, right? I mean, one of the candidates for president in Mali isn’t Muslim.
It’s sad where Mali is headed. We lived in Bamako for two years in the 90s, while posted to the embassy there, and found the people to be delightful, peaceful and optimistic despite the poverty there. We even saw Toure play in a local venue, which was a thrill for us. Adding religious oppression to the crushing poverty is unconscionable.
I can’t quite agree with this. By the time those Buddhas were destroyed, I think most of the world was already quite well aware of the regime’s overall character. Anyone who didn’t see that destructive act coming hadn’t been paying attention.