A group of villagers in Kampong Chhnang province are refusing to relinquish an ancient statue recently discovered in Kampong Leaeng District, arguing it should remain in their local pagoda and not with the government’s culture ministry. Sok Thoun, director of the Kampong Chhnang provincial Culture and Fine Arts Department, said yesterday that a girl in Da commune discovered the 11th-century statue last Tuesday in a rice field.

 

“My colleagues and I, as well as the local authorities, went to explain to the villagers that this ancient statue could not be kept as private property, but they still refused to hand it over,” Mr Thoun said. “Ministry of Culture and Interior Ministry heritage  representatives went to explain more, but they still refused to hand it over to the police.” Mr Thoun said the people argue it is not being kept as private property. Rather, it has been placed in Prasat pagoda within the commune where it was discovered, so that villagers can visit it and worship.

 

Usually, such items are handed over to the government to be placed in a museum after small cash “encouragements” are offered to the discoverers. “Measures to take this ancient statue to be kept in a museum are the responsibility of the police and the heritage police, while the department of culture is only entitled to take care of it if the people give it to the police,” Mr Thoun added.

 

read more http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/40164/villagers-refuse-to-relinquish-artefact/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khmer Times 11/07

 

worshiping statues, not very Buddhist, perhaps they've all become Catholics.

I wonder how many people will turn up to find the lottery lucky number