Dr. Jones liberates priceless relic

Indiana Jones is at it again. 'This belongs in a museum'. While they act like this is a real big deal, I'm sure that '50 million kyat' is actually $3.80. A relic like this has so much more symbolic value than any real street value.

Sacred stone stolen from pagoda in Rangoon Mayanggone

Aug 14, 2005 (DVB) - A jade believed to be worth around 50 million kyat was stolen from Swedawmyat Pagoda in Rangoon Mayanggone Township, at around 4am local time on 14 August.

Initially, it was reported that the diamond tip of the pagoda was stolen but when DVB contacted the local police station No.1, a police officer on duty said that it was not the diamond but the jade, revered as a clone of Buddha’s tooth, was stolen during a break-in. “Currently, we are still investigating from which entry it was entered. We don’t know the details yet,” the officer told DVB. “All the police from the station are here. Those from the district and division are all here to investigate.”

The officer added that the pagoda is being cordoned off and no worshipper has been allowed in and the usual suspects have also been rounded up, interrogated and their fingerprints taken. The Swedaw Pagoda in Rangoon and another similar one in Mandalay were both built and venerated by the ousted Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt while he was in the all powerful position, according to local residents.

The pinnacle of another pagoda in Moulmein Lawka Okeshawn which was re-innovated and revered by the local military commander Maj-Gen Myint Aung, was struck and damaged by the thunderbolt on 19 July. Superstitious local people are said to be very puzzled as to why the thunderbolt hit only the pagoda sponsored by the military commander, out of many pagodas built on top of the mountains in the area.

Lawka Okeshawn means master or figurehead of the world.