Afghan Buddha statues in danger

A group of about 100 monks and Buddhists called on the United Nations and Unesco yesterday to help save the remains of ancient Buddha sculptures threatened by a copper mining project in Afghanistan.

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Part of the group of 100 monks and Buddhists who yesterday called for the UN to act to save an important Buddhist site in Afghanistan. Photos by APICHART JINAKUL

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Afghan Buddha statues in peril

Monks urge UN, Unesco to save ruins from miner
 
Lamphai Intathep

A group of about 100 monks and Buddhists called on the United Nations and Unesco yesterday to help save the remains of ancient Buddha sculptures threatened by a copper mining project in Afghanistan.

The group, led by the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (WFBY), made the call during a brief rally in front of the UN building on Ratchadamnoen Road in Bangkok before handing their petition to Unesco officials on Sukhumvit Road.

Without the intervention of the UN and Unesco to suspend the mining project, the ancient remains of Buddha statues at Mes Aynak would perish, the protesters said during their rally.

Mes Aynak (little copper well) is a site located 40km southeast of the capital Kabul, in a barren region of Logar province.

The site contains the world's second-largest copper deposits, as well as the remains of an ancient settlement with over 200 Buddha statues, stupas and a 250-rai monastery complex. It is also considered a major transit route for insurgents coming from Pakistan.

The mining project is for "an open-pit mine, covering an area of 6,000 rai", said Pornchai Pinyapong, the WFBY chief. "The remains will be completely wiped out of human history just for commercial gain."

A Chinese government-owned company, China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC), which holds a 30-year mining concession from Kabul, is scheduled to begin demolishing the ancient site next month.

"The archaeological site is a priceless World Heritage Site for Buddhists and mankind. It is located along the Silk Road, so it must be preserved for our next generation," Mr Pornchai said.

The ancient ruins at Mes Aynak would suffer the same fate as the giant Buddha statues at Bamiyan, which were destroyed by the Taliban more than 10 years ago, he said.

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site – a place where something is located  สถานที่
statue – a human or animal image that is made of stone, wood, metal, etc. รูปปั้น
peril – serious danger การตกอยู่ในอันตราย, การเสี่ยงภัย
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
ruins – the remains of a building that has been badly damaged or destroyed ซากปรักหักพัง
mine – a deep hole or holes under the ground where minerals such as coal, gold, etc. are dug (a miner is a person/company that digs in a mine)  เหมืองแร่
remains – the parts of something that are left after the other parts have been destroyed, used, eaten, removed, etc   ซาก
ancient – very old ที่เก่าแก่ ที่โบราณ
sculpture – a solid object that someone makes as a work of art by shaping a substance such as stone, metal or wood รูปปั้น
threaten – to put at risk; to put in danger ทำให้ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
copper – a soft reddish-brown metal used for making electric wires, pipes and coins ทองแดง
fellowship – an organised group of people who share an interest, aim or belief สัมพันธภาพ  
youth – young people considered as a group เยาวชน, คนวัยหนุ่มสาว
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม
petition – a document signed by a large number of people demanding or requesting some action from the government or another authority การถวายฎีกา,การร้องเรียน
intervention – becoming involved in a situation in order to try to stop or change it  การแทรกแซง
suspend – to stop for a period of time ยกเลิกชั่วคราว, ระงับชั่วคราว
perish – to die or, in this case, to be destroyed usually in a sudden way  ตาย, ตายอนาถ
located – where something is ตั้งอยู่
barren – dry and empty with few plants growing  แห้งแล้ง กันดาร
deposit – a layer which has formed under the ground, especially over a long period สิ่งที่สะสม
settlement – a place where people come to live ชุมชน
stupa – a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics สถูป, พระปรางค์
monastery – a building or serious of buildings in which monks  live, worship and work together วัด
complex – an area that has several parts  พื้นที่ประกอบด้วยส่วนต่าง ๆ
consider – to regard as; to think of as ถือว่า
transit – the act of moving from one place to another การเดินทางผ่าน
route – the roads used to go from one place to another เส้นทาง
insurgent – someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country by force กลุ่มก่อการกบถ
open-pit – of a mine in which rocks and minerals are taken from a large hole in the surface, i.e., not an underground mine
wipe out – to get rid of something completely กำจัดให้หมดไป
commercial – for business purposes เกี่ยวกับการค้า
gain – a benefit, or an advantage ผลประโยชน์
concession – a right that is given to a person or group to do a particular activity, in this case, to operate a mine สัมปทาน
scheduled – planned to happen at a particular time or day ตามตารางเวลา
demolish – to completely destroy a building, especially in order to use the land for something else รื้อ (สิ่งก่อสร้าง), ทำลาย
archaeological – related to the study of the buildings, graves, tools and other objects which belonged to people who lived in the past, in order to learn about their culture and society (the subject is archaeology) เกี่ยวกับโบราณคดี
priceless – describes an object which has such a high value, especially because it is rare, that the price of it cannot be calculated  ที่ประเมินค่ามิได้
World Heritage site – a place, building, structure, etc. that has been determined by the UN to be of great historical or culture value and is given a special protected status โบราณสถานที่เป็นมรดกโลก
mankind – all humans, thought about as one large group; the human race มนุษยชาติ
preserve – to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from being damaged or destroyed ทำให้คงอยู่, สงวน
generation – a group of people in society who are born and live around the same time รุ่น (คนรุ่นต่างๆ)
suffer – to be badly affected by a very difficult or unpleasant situation ประสบความลำบาก
fate – the things that happen to someone/something, especially unpleasant things ชะตากรรม