This 2,600-Year-Old Buddhist Site Will Soon Be Turned Into A Chinese Copper Mine

[rug]

Mining operations are scheduled to begin in January 2013



Flickr/U.S. Embassy Kabul

Michael Kelley
Sep. 26, 2012, 10:52 AM

Mes Aynak is a 2,600-year-old Buddhist site in Logar province, Afghanistan, that is home to both an ancient archaeological site and one of the largest copper deposits in the world.

In 2007 a Chinese government-owned company paid $3 billion to lease the area for 30 years and plans to extract over $100 billion worth of copper from the area.

While preparing the land, laborers found a 100-acre monastery complex that holds a bunch of Buddhist temples, statues, relics and manuscripts.

In 2009 archaeologists were given three years to attempt to excavate the site, but they say it's a 30-year job and they currently have limited tools at their disposal.

http://www.businessinsider.com/mes-aynak-turned-into-copper-mine-2012-9?op=1#ixzz27fnKqzJ5

[msongs]

1. the buddha himself allegedly preached that change is inevitable nt

[greyl]

2. 2011: "Buddhists Destroy Muslim Shrine in Sri Lanka"

Karma's a bear, some say.

[etherealtruth]

5. Taliban Islamic militia began demolishing towering ancient stone Buddhas

Afghanistan's puritanical Taliban Islamic militia began demolishing statues across the country on Thursday, including two towering ancient stone Buddhas.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines.shtml?/headlines01/0301-04.htm

What exactly is your point?

[greyl]

6. It was a joke

with 4 grains of truth.

[etherealtruth]

12. Oh God ... I AM humor impaired sometimes

sorry

[geckosfeet]

3. The Chinese are not real big on Buddhism.

[pansypoo53219]

4. as bad as the taliban

destroying the banyan(sp) buddhas.

[jsr]

7. The Red Guards destroyed countless Buddhist temples and burned Confucian writings

during the Cultural Revolution. So this is not a big deal for the Chinese regime.

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. Meanwhile, Massey Coal is eating whole mountain tops in West Virginia...

...leaving behind a barren, toxic wasteland.

...so we can power our electric tooth brushes and illuminate used car lots at night.

[cali]

11. What does that have to do with the destruction

of Mes Aynak?

[jsmirman]

9. Where the hell is UNESCO???

China is a member state - wtf????

What the hell gives?

[cali]

10. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE MES AYNAK

http://www.change.org/petitions/president-hamid-karzai-prevent-destruction-of-ancient-site-of-mes-aynak-the-environmental-damage-3