THE ancient Buddha statues in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province survived the raves of time and nature for centuries. But not man's cruelty. Restored in their pristine glory thanks to an Indian archaeological expedition sponsored by the UNESCO in 1974-75, there was hope of their surviving longer. But in the last 20 years, the work done by the Indian team led by Rakhal Sengupta has been undone. The mighty statues, carved from the rock, have been subjected to repeated assaults and have been all but destroyed.

Two things have caused this desecration and destruction. One is the belief among the Wahabi Muslims who think that the presence of idols, and that too of another religion, is an affront to Islam. They have been subjected to rocket and mortar fire to the extent that the Buddha faces, reflecting supreme silence and detachment from worldly matters, have been totally disfigured.

Secondly, Bamiyan in Central Afghanistan has a significant population of the minority Shia Muslims. The Shia militia led by Karim Khalili and others had taken upon itself the task of defending the Buddhas. But with the area becoming the battle ground, they could not help much. And finally, in October 1998, the Shias lost to the invading Taliban forces. And the Taliban have done the remaining damage. The Buddhas are not even a pale reminder of the pristine glory that they reflected for centuries.

Now distressing word comes from Cambodia about what has happened to another world heritage, the Angkor Vat. Here too, after years of Indian-led effort, the monument had been restored to glory—only to fall prey to man's greed and total insensitivity to his past. For years, the ancient mountain-top capital of Phnom Kulen was beyond reach for Cambodian archaeologists. Isolated by the country's long civil war, it represented a priceless look into the ancient Khmer Empire's first capital. But after the war, the army units that moved into the area soon settled on a price.

The 20-dollar entry fee that uniformed soldiers collect from foreigners (one dollar for Cambodians) does not go to the government in Phnom Penh. Instead, it goes to an army regional commander and a local businessman who is also a member of Parliament.

It is a situation that outrages cultural officials in Cambodia, who say they are increasingly having to go to battle with the National Army for control of the coutnry's national treasures. “It's simply outrageous. They are desecrating sacred places,” said Son Soubert, an archaeology professor in Phnom Penh and member of Cambodia's constitutional council. “The military should be out of all cultural zones.” While the well-known 9th-15th century Angkor complex and a few other temples are under the jurisdiction of cultural officials, most of the rest of Cambodia's hundreds of temple ruins are under military control, according to Hor Rachna, a member of UNESCO's special committee for the protection of the Angkor site.

International cultural organizations are also expressing concern that Cambodia's government is allowing military and commercial interests to take over and reap profits from dozens of ruins of the Khmer Empire, which once ruled a vast swath of Indo-China. Often, the military units raise money by looting centuries-old artifacts and selling them abroad, according to officials of these organisations.

Army units administer Phnom Kulen, where the legendary Jayavarman II founded the Khmer Empire in the 9th century by crowning himself God-king. The site is shortlisted to be added to the UN's world heritage list, but archaeologists fear the site may be stripped down by the time that happens.

Also under army control is the Preah Vihear temple on the north-western border with Thailand, Banteay Chhmar temple further south and 13th century Banon in Battambang province, according to UNESCO.

But conservationists have won small victories. Recently, the government cultural authority Apsara was able to take control of Kbal Spean, another river site full of 11th century Hindu Lingas that had been run by soldiers in Siem Reap.

But they have a tougher job at Phnom Kulen, which Military Region 4 Commander General Chea Man said was officially ceded to the military by the government in 1998. The Army has since gone into partnership with Sieng Nam, a prominent businessman in Siem Reap and parliamentarian for the ruling party, to set up ticket sales at the base of the mountain. “We de-mined the area and also built a road into the mountain,” General Chea Man said. “Now we have some soldiers and some civilian guards from Sieng Nam's side to guard the place... It is our job to protect the area.”

However, Son Soubert said that army forces are the prime suspects in most cases of looting—including at Phnom Kulen. Conservationists argue that a provision in Cambodia's constitution banning “military activity” at national heritage sites should ban all army administration of temples.

There have been some recent signs, however, of a willingness to stop the looting. Recently, four men were arrested and accused of digging up artifacts from a 100-year-old kiln atop Phnom Kulen. When they named a local army platoon commander as having hired them, civilian police sought a warrant for his arrest. However, no warrant had been issued by the local court. Will the future generations get to see Angkor Vat