Syria's planned massive archaeological site restoration efforts do not have to be perfect in every cm of detail-although surely that is the goal. But what must be avoided is falling into the temptation of quick money by destroying archaeological sites and turning them into strip-malls of boutiques for the rich tourists as Beirut's leaders did during the 1990's. They bulldozed their and our damaged culture heritage into the Port of Beirut to create more space for "development." On top of the archaeological sites speculators created an empty abomination and the "chic" stores have mainly shut due to the local population boycotting them in protect and few, if any at all these days, rich Gulf tourists are anywhere to be seen. Many Lebanese are rightfully enraged.
This observer has seen no evidence over the past few years that the Syrian people intend to follow Lebanon's solution to damage cultural heritage sites and sell them for quick cash.
Concurrently, the frenetic destructive
iconoclasm of ISIS may be lessening to some degree in Syria given the growing
popular resistance in a majority of areas under its Caliphate. ISIS brutality and its wanton destruction of
Syria's much cherished past is increasingly meeting local resistance. It is
well known that ISIS views its movement as a return to the roots of Islam
although this claim is contested by Muslims throughout Syria and the
world.
The ISIS perception involves a built-in brutality toward non-Muslims and its definition of Shirk as any form of innovation (or "Bid'ah") in Islamic belief, theology, worship or custom. In the overarching scheme to "command right and forbid wrong," ISIS militants will often physically destroy all material artifacts and edifices they define as Shirk. ISIS sees itself as the all-encompassing educator about, eradicator of and enforcer against Shirk. More than one ISIS supporter has explained to this observer that they strongly condemn the Taliban and others who have failed to totally erase Shirk in their wake and left some centers of reverence, ritual prayer and devotion, or amulet production behind. ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi repeatedly commands his followers to "strike the apostate's Shirk with your Tawhid (Tawhid is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam) and Allah will break their strength."
There is a growing chorus among Muslims in Syria and elsewhere rejecting this Shirk idea as applied by ISIS. Many Syrians, especially those under its domination, are accusing ISIS of not defending the Koranic heritage of the Prophet, but inventing a modernist, opportunistic perversion for political and not religious purposes. A Muslim 'dialogue', more likely an internecine Sunni bellum sacrum-not to be confused with the deepening Shia-Sunni version, appears to be underway. History will judge its course.
At the same time, given a truce among their many enemies, ISIS faces heightened challenges of manpower, finance, and credibility about its message among local populations. ISIS has been forced to cut salaries by 50% reduce public services, face and punish significant desertions among its fighters who want to opt out of the Caliphate. Contrary to earlier recruit-centers hype the salary this week is only $50 per month for fighters, raised to $100 if he is married, and another monthly sum of $35 per child. That figure obtains except for male children over 15 in which case they are required to become Caliphate fighters and head to the front after four weeks or less of military training. Too make matters worse for ISIS, for a number of reasons foreign jihadists are not arriving in the numbers as during the heady Caliphate days of much of 2015.
If the truce holds and the war ends, there are many reasons to believe it will have helped save our cultural heritage in Syria. And that its protection, preservation and restoration will begin in earnest.
There are also reports that in certain areas of Syria hosting archaeological sites, most also being tourist destinations, citizens and volunteer civil society organizations are ready to help restore them immediately when security conditions allow.
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