Destruction of the Past

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34398899

Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi is on trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for destroying cultural sites in Timbuktu during the unrest in Mali in 2012 and 2013. He was part of the Islamic group Ansar Dine that destroyed many ancient ruins during the unrest. The destruction destroyed mosques, mausoleums, and burnt tens of thousands of ancient manuscripts.

The destruction of ancient ruins, even Islamic ones, by Islamic groups has become frequently more common in recent years. Whether they find them guilty of idol worship or just don't like them, the destruction of history is something that should not be tolerated. While the mausoleums were able to be saved by rebuilding them, ancient texts that were destroyed cannot be so easily remade. While these group's other crimes are unforgivable, this destruction of history and culture cannot be ignored.