KARACHI - People, especially the youth active on social media, criticised PPP government in Sindh for setting a stage on heritage site of Moen-Jo-Daro, fearing damage to the 5000 years’ old archeological site.
A group of people belonging to media, civil society and others have written a letter to the UNESCO, urging to take notice of installing material to build the stage on the heritage site. A group of archaeologists, historians, academia, civil society leaders, writers and intellectuals through their letter urged UNESCO to intervene to stop the provincial government from building stage on the heritage site. Letter jointly sent by Aziz Narejo of Sindhi Association of North America (SANA), Zulfiqar Halepoto, Ishtiaq Ansari, Dr Ali Gul Metlo (London UK), Khalid Hashmani (Washington DC USA), Badar Abro, Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari, Munir Bhurgari, Shuja Qureshi, Ali Palh and others was sent to UNESCO.
“The tragedy is that the governments at national and provincial level have been so insensitive to preserve and respect their glorious past culture, heritage and archaeological sites. Same happened to this greatest site and it has been neglected till now. The site's clay brick walls, layer of mud, continuous salt crystals from rain and river water and other factors are destroying the bricks”, the letter said.
They appreciated the idea of celebrating the Sindh Festival from coming February 1st to 15, 2014 which was announced by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to lead an international campaign to save Moenjodaro, the crumbling ruins of the world's last surviving Bronze Age city.
The group in their letter also drew the attention of UNESCO to take notice that under the slogan of cultural coup, the organisers of the events are damaging archaeological assets, history, culture and art of Sindh province.
However, the group has welcomed the initiative of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to celebrate the Sindh Festival with objective to protect the secular civilization fabric of Sindhi society but at same time they seem worried for the weak and timeless structures of Sindh’s heritage.
In their letter, the group presented eyewitness accounts, which suggests the site is continuously decaying for the last two decades, raising questions regarding the use of funds generated to save Moenjodaro. Both the federal government, the previous caretaker of the site and the Sindh government, the current caretaker of the site, have also failed in the promotion of the site as a tourist spot. On the other hand a huge sum of $23 million was generated through “Save Moenjodaro” international campaign jointly run by federal government and Unesco but very little is known about the usage of that money, they said.
Bina Shah, columnist and novelist suggested that the Sindh Festival should take place at least a mile away from Heritage Site to avoid damage, pollution, litter, etc.
However, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Sindh for Culture Department, Sharmila Farooque on Twitter claimed that site of the event was selected in consultation with foreign experts. A team of 4 French technical experts spent 2 days along with local curator.
“We have archaeologists and administration on board. Protection of heritage site is our prime concern and we have taken care of adhering to International regulations for heritage sites in this regard,” she claimed.
However, PPP Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who have been addressed in every tweet he has not replied yet. Archaeological Ruins of Moenjodaro are declared as one of the greatest and precious cultural heritage of human civilization. The site inspected by UNESCO team in 1980 and later was declared as the greatest heritage site to be preserved and protected.
The discovery of the colonial officials from the Archaeological Survey of India in 1924 when they excavated a hill on the banks of the Indus River is now known as the identity of a highly civilized, integrated, well-planned urban landscape Sindhi society. The amazing intact large houses on grid-system roads, with their own bathrooms and drainage and sewage systems exposed the modernization of Sindhi society at this time.
The recovery of a ceremonial public bath, a civic centre, grain stores, a debating hall and artifacts which indicated a system of taxation, weights and measures as well as jewellery, toys and chess-like pieces which highlighted its regard for beauty and recreation further expand the existing of a great urban Sindhi society.