Burma sends military to protect precious rock

Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly;Saw Yan Naing (irrawaddy.org), "Hpakant Jade Stone Estimated at 50 Tons," Feb. 20, 2014

Myanmar's "Golden Rock," Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Mon State, Burma (hjuengst/flickr.com)

 

Thai cave temple, Wat Umong (Decha Thapanya)

RANGOON, Burma - A massive precious jade stone recently discovered near a village in Kachin State’s Hpakant region is believed to weigh 50+ tons.

But with half the rock yet to be unearthed, its exact mass remains unknown.

 

After visiting the discovery site and sizing up the raw jade stone in Wai Ka Village amid tight security, local jade merchant U Cho said initial reports of its size were likely underestimated.

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  Jade boulders still buried (The Irrawaddy)

  [Prior to becoming a military dictatorship and, along with England, part of the inspiration for George Orwell's dystopian Nineteen Eighty-Four, Burma was the richest country in Southeast Asia. (Orwell was born in British India but stationed in Burma during his military service. See Shooting an Elephant). It is still a tremendous source of raw resources fought over by the USA and China, both aspiring to strip the land and its corrupt military dictatorship/false front democratically elected parliament to enrich themselves. Dictator and head of the ruling military junta, Gen. Than Shwe took a backseat while still pulling the levers of political control, as former U.S. Sec'y of State, and potential future presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton cut deals and helped put pressure on the junta to give opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi a seat in parliament.]

“We estimate that the stone might be bigger,” he told The Irrawaddy. “What we had heard [that the stone was thought to weigh about 20 tons] was because the body of the stone is still buried in the ground. But we don’t know how much it will be worth.”

 

Jade stone used for life-sized Buddha (R-E)

Government troops were deployed this week to guard the area where the jade stone is located. As a result, local small-scale jade miners have been completely barred from s[caveng]ing for jade in the surrounding area.

The jade [boulder], described by locals as being “as big as a Mitsubishi Pajero truck,” was found by a small-scale miner, Aung Naing Win, on Feb. 9th in Hpakant Township. The region, west of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina, is known for possessing some of the world’s best jade.

 

Theravada novices on alms (Hilde Juengst)

Contacted by The Irrawaddy on Wednesday, a staffer at the state-owned Myanmar Gems Enterprise in [the new Burmese capital and secretive military headquarters] Naypyidaw (WSJ video) said she was not allowed to comment on the jade stone discovery in Hpakant. Asked for contact details for an individual authorized to speak to the media, the staffer said she was not at liberty to provide that information.

 

The Myanmar Gems Enterprise operates under Burma’s Ministry of Mines.

 

Small-scale miners in the region operate unlicensed, and thus have no legal claim to jade that they discover. Most of them deal in the black market trade. More

(This World Rocks) Burma with its massive golden, jewel-encrusted Shwedagon Pagoda (housing the Buddha's first relics, a few hairs given to merchants shortly after the great enlightenment and decision to teach, according to legend), a testament to the country's wealth.

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Encounters in a Forgotten Country: Burma

Ton Kraayenvanger, May 2013; Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

See Part 2/11

Burma has a new name -- Myanmar -- given to it by dictators. Its size is more than five times that of England, and almost twice as big as Germany. The Theravada Buddhist country is dotted with pagodas, stupas (sacred reliquaries), and monasteries.

 

Former glorious empire in 1580

Burma has a deeply-rooted Buddhist culture and many distinct ethnic groups. Walking through its Buddhist culture is intrusive -- even overwhelming. If the term were not condescending, one could probably say that it is the country's main attraction.

The former capital of Rangoon is not known for its architecture. There are some striking cottages built by the British. They are far from beautiful but quite out of place. Yet, former colonial Rangoon is worth seeing. It is immediately noticeable that the city is not as dirty as many other Asian metropolises.

 

Largest Buddha statues in Asia in Burma (WQ)

One will not be blown off the pavement by public karaoke machines and runaway scooters. It is pleasing that it is less dirty and less noisy. The center is populated by traders who use a large part on the sidewalk and the Madurodam terraces. Here one can drink green tea or eat deep fried snacks of indefinable origin. 

 
Every compassionate Buddhist resists the killing of living beings, but it seems to be no obstacle to eating the murdered remains of animals for many. 

Burma's dictator, Gen. Than Shwe

One looks around in wonder. There is trade in everything. Many places offer printed tee-shirts and laminated photographs of The Lady, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and her famous father for sale. This was unthinkable before due to police state crackdowns by the military junta led by Gen. Than Shwe. (See Patricia Arquette in Beyond Rangoon).

 

Suu Kyi finally free, in the White House

There are even DVDs for sale of "The Lady," a film about the life of Suu Kyi, now a member of Parliament. Its lead actress, Michelle Yeoh, was expelled less than a year ago. Apparently, people are more daring now that a sham civilian government is in power. The dictators still pull the strings from their secretive new capital, Naypyidaw.

Recent history of regards Suu Kyi's father, Aung San, is known as a freedom fighter. In the West, he enjoys a reputation as a freedom fighter that helped liberate the nation from colonial slavery. But for many Britons, who were ousted, he was a war criminal.
 

Shwedagon Pagoda (Farnesina/flickr)

Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon has some of the most important Buddhist structures on Earth short of the larger structures in Afghanistan (Mes Aynak, Bamiyan), Indonesia (Borobudur, a UNESCO site), and Cambodia (Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Mount Kulen, Mahendra Parvata). 

The Shwedagon complex is situated on a high hill. Golden and well lit, Shwedagon shines and sparkles from afar. Entering the sacred sanctuary, as in many places in the country, is only allowed barefoot.

 
During the colonial period, British occupiers emphasized their superiority by blatantly disregarding this tribute and keeping their footwear on. This must have cut deep wounds in the Buddhist psyche. Today one dare not try such an offense or risk being immediately called to order.

The steps up are quite a climb. Only once one has reached the top, gasping for breath, does the stupa become overwhelming, particularly in the bright morning sun. It is blindingly brilliant. Bring sunglasses. For all that glitters is gold here.

 

Buddhist nuns in pink (AFP)

Everywhere there are people -- walking quietly, sitting on the marble ground, meditating -- others talking with one other in hushed tones. People are busy making offerings or libations of water on Buddha statues. Visiting a pagoda is an integral part of daily life.

This pagoda is a place to pay tribute to the highest aspiration (enlightenment and nirvana), individually or with a loved one, a friend, or relatives, as well as to gain ordinary happiness. People are very devout, sometimes briefly for their visit, sometimes for a long time after.

Simultaneously, the pagoda is a place to stroll around and chat. In brief, it is a place for worship as well as a social place, serene and relaxed. The city center is small enough for a pleasant walk in what was once the wealthiest country in Southeast Asia before being plundered by the British. 

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