Prince Sultan Bin Salman, Chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, in an exclusive and wide-ranging interview has touched upon the issue of the removal or demolition of historical sites, the importance of establishing museums to correct misconceptions about the Kingdom's history, and various steps being taken to restructure the nation's tourism sector. Prince Sultan said that the Kingdom's historical sites and antiquities are protected by a national will extended from King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. “National antiquities are protected and no one on earth can demolish, destroy or touch them … We respect people's keenness and we take guidance from religious scholars, and we are determined that these archeological sites will not be turned into places that encourage heresies which encroach on our faith,” he said. Prince Sultan also stressed the importance of correcting misconceptions through enlightenment and development of museums for displaying antiquities because they are part of history. “Islamic history did not happen on the moon but in the Arabian Peninsula. It is impossible to ignore the cultural history of the Kingdom.” He said that the legal, organizational, and administrative aspects of the national tourism sector were being restructured, and that a new antiquities system is being studied by the Council of Ministers which will preserve the country's national archeological sites and urban heritage. Replying to a question as to why the national tourism strategy is being reassessed, Prince Sultan said after it was approved by the Council of Ministers, surveys were conducted and it was found that tourism was not an integrated and cohesive economic sector. “It was clear that national tourism management had to be comprehensively restructured. This, however, raised the important question: Who is responsible for tourism at the national level and who deals with partners in both the public and private sectors?” Assuming this role, he said, has been one of the most significant achievements of the Commission. “Today the Commission is not only a reference center for national tourism, but it has also established councils for tourism in the nation's regions and regional tourism agencies chaired by Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior. The SCTA is working closely with the Ministry of Finance to approve the jobs needed to fill these agencies which have become local administrations.” Elaborating on the stand of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities on demolition of some historical sites as sought by some institutions like the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Prince Sultan categorically said no sites will be allowed to be removed or demolished. “There have been some statements from enthusiastic people. In fact, we are all enthusiastic about our faith, but the statements that have been made regarding changing of the names of some historical sites. It is, of course, important to verify historical names so as to avoid linking them to the faith or to well-known historical names.” He said today our stance is completely different. “We are all citizens who live under the umbrella of a state that has been founded on basic pillars. That state does not rule one sector differently from another, nor does it favor one sector over another. All citizens are united for the protection of the principles and pillars on which the state has been founded. Thus it is natural that people's views differ,” he said. Being a tourism commission, he said, “We have been assigned by the state to protect the Kingdom's antiquities in accordance with the antiquities law issued 30 years ago. This regulatory system is currently being updated.” New regulation The SCTA has studied the new system thoroughly and has reviewed it with local and international experts, he said. It is derived from a study of successful international experiments, and is also based on a partnership for the development of archeological sites and exploration work. “The new archeological law has already been studied by an expert commission at the Council of Ministers and was distributed to all ministries two weeks ago for their comments. After receiving comments, the new archeological law will be sent back to the expert commission and the Shoura Council and eventually to the Council of Ministers. I hope that this procedure will not take more than a year,” Prince Sultan said. The new system, he said, is a modern one and is designed to achieve the comprehensive development requested over a year ago by King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz. “We have designed a comprehensive awareness campaign to enlighten the public about the misunderstanding over some archeological sites and antiquities. In fact, we do not base our stand on enthusiasm only, but on the value of the archeological site in terms of its historical importance.” The state has issued two decisive resolutions. he said. “Today historical sites and national antiquities are protected and no one can dare to demolish or disfigure them because there is a national will stemming from the King, who is keen on maintaining and preserving the principles on which the state has been founded,” Prince Sultan said. People's enthusiasm and their opinions, he said have always been respected and opinion of the scholars on Shariah issues has been sought. “We have innumerable Shariah opinions and studies on which we base our decisions. We are very keen that these archeological sites will not be converted into areas which encourage heresies affecting the faith because the foundation of the state is based on the faith and monotheism. We are the first to move to prevent such malpractices.” Prince Sultan said if there was a disease such as blockage of an artery, do we say that we should remove the heart? “Our stand is clear and transparent. We feel that these sites should remain open while, along with the concerned authorities, we attempt to correct misconceptions by enlightening the public. On the question of private sector's participation in running these historical sites, Prince Sultan said: “We are conducting an in-depth study with authorities in Makkah, Madina and other regions to find the exact number of Islamic historical sites, their locations and names in order to establish an integrated database on these sites. The government is the decision-maker and in our capacity as a sector or institution, we have a limited role, and thus cannot take decisions that exceed our capacity.” The SCTA, he said, is not in a rush to open these sites to promote tourism. “We look at the matter from a purely historical point of view focusing on the Islamic value of these sites. It is impossible to ignore the cultural history of the Arabian Peninsula. We are keen to open these sites while ensuring that they do not cause any confusion or activities which would be in contradiction to the Shariah. We have to care for Islamic history and develop museums that preserve historical artifacts.” At the Gulf Antiquities Exhibition, he said, he found artifacts from the Kingdom dating back to a million years. “We are working together with the Madina Mayoralty in Uhud and Badr to create an Islamic educational experience and to preserve these sites,” he said.
