THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
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| Buddhist devotees pour water on a Buddha statue at the Shwedagon Pagoda on Oct 10, 2013, in Yangon, Myanmar. |
MYANMAR---An 11th-century Buddha was returned to Myanmar after two decades abroad. Several Southeast Asian countries - including Myanmar and Cambodia - are trying to reclaim cultural artifacts. The country's loosely protected ancient artworks are still vulnerable to theft, particularly as some in the antiquities trade develop newfound interest in Myanmar art, says Catherine Raymond, a professor at Northern Illinois University who played a central role in the sculpture's repatriation. "Contemporary art [in Myanmar] is a rising star, but the dark side is the trafficking of antiquities," she says, adding that the trade has been "flourishing" for the last decade. [
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