Demolition begins on Letpadaungtaung monastery, stupa
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Demolition work on the Phahtama Laldi Sayardawgyi Monastery and stupa started on Monday near the Letpadaungtaung copper-mine project site.
The monastery in Sarlingyi Township, Sagaing Region, is where the venerable monk Laldi Sayadaw is believed to have resided. A revered Buddhist shrine, it is scheduled to be relocated to make way for the mine.
Residents staged a demonstration to mark one year and five months since the violent crackdown on protesters over the Letpadaungtaung copper-mine project.
“Residents don’t want those who have a false belief and who are trying to demolish the Laldi Sayadaws ordination hall and stupa,” said Min Min, a local from area.
Demolition of the religious building started on the evening of April 28 and carried on until 9pm.
The following day, local residents gathered to inspect the damage leading to a spontaneous march against the mine project.
“We didn’t allow all departmental staff to enter the Letpadaungtaung project area starting from April 28. I think, it may be for the demolition of the ordination hall,” said a staffer, who was assigned to duty in Letpadaungtaung project area.
Although locals have long worshipped at the monastery where Laldi Sayadaw resided during his lifetime, the authorities have argued that the venerable monk had not actually resided there.
The religious buildings and shrine will be transferred by Salingyi Township authorities to a new 1.8-acre site. But local monks from the monastery have been dismayed at the way the authorities have handled the issue.
“The problem was that monks consecrated the ordination hall and then other monks came to disgrace the hall. This is the government’s project. The land is owned by the Buddhist religion and the profit thus gained must be for the Buddhist religion. We have to wait and see,” said the vice-chairman of the Sagaing Region Sangha Nayaka Committee.
