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Regime chef Min Aung Hlaing strikes a pagoda bell painted in an uncommon gold colour 9 occasions through the pagoda consecration ceremony in Kengtung on Saturday. / Cincds
By The Irrawaddy 15 Might 2023
As Cyclone Mocha was about to hit land in coastal areas of Rakhine State in western Myanmar on Saturday, junta boss Min Aung Hlaing was performing magic rituals, referred to as yadaya in Burmese.
The International Catastrophe Alert and Coordination System had predicted that the utmost sustained winds may attain 257 km per hour when the cyclone made landfall close to Rakhine State’s capital.
Min Aung Hlaing nonetheless confirmed no indicators of concern over the catastrophe, which affected thousands and thousands of individuals. He was busy performing yadaya within the hope of having fun with lengthy rule.
Accompanied by two notorious monks, Min Aung Hlaing consecrated a duplicate of India’s Bodha Gaya on Saturday in Kengtung.
The 2 monks in query had been Sitagu Sayadaw Ashin Nyanissara and Vasipake Sayadaw. Sitagu Sayadaw, arguably essentially the most influential monk in Myanmar earlier than the 2021 coup, has hailed Min Aung Hlaing as a “king” of nice generosity and knowledge. The monk reportedly referred to as forward of the final election of November 2020 for the army to grab energy from the Nationwide League for Democracy (NLD) authorities.
Vasipake Sayadaw hails from Kengtung and is legendary for his vows of silence. He’s extensively believed to be the coup chief’s astrological adviser, and has been accused of advising his follower Min Aung Hlaing to order safety forces to shoot anti-coup protesters within the head as a type of yadaya. Many of the anti-regime protesters killed within the early days of the junta crackdown had bullet wounds to the pinnacle.
The 2 monks presided over the consecration because the junta boss put “Hti” atop the pagodas on Saturday. A Hti umbrella is taken into account a very powerful a part of the pagoda, and is positioned atop the very best a part of the non secular construction. It is usually certainly one of 5 gadgets of Myanmar royal regalia, and represents sovereignty.
As Myanmar is a Buddhist majority nation, it’s typical of monarchs to construct pagodas within the conventional perception that doing so will assist them acquire divine blessings. Generals who view themselves as kings are additionally obsessive about constructing and consecrating pagodas.
After placing the Hti atop the newly constructed pagoda in Kengtung, Min Aung Hlaing along with the 2 monks shouted thrice in Burmese “Aung Pi!”—a typical phrase that means one thing like “We did it!”, used to mark the profitable conclusion of a non secular ceremony. However within the mouth of Min Aung Hlaing, the exclamation is believed to be meant as a yadaya, shouted within the hope of conquering his enemies.
All of this was taking place on Saturday, when Myanmar individuals throughout the nation and worldwide humanitarian companies feared the cyclone would inflict critical destruction on Myanmar.
However virtually the entire cupboard members of the regime, which calls itself a authorities, had been in Kengtung, attending the consecration. Myanmar army leaders and their followers apparently imagine the benefit that they count on to realize from constructing and making donations to pagodas will offset their dangerous deeds. However they’ll by no means be capable to wash the blood off their fingers.
Generals’ pagodas
In 1980, former dictator Ne Win had the Maha Wizaya Pagoda constructed close to the southern gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Generally known as Ne Win’s pagoda, Maha Wizaya sees few worshippers regardless of its proximity to Shwedagon.
Ex-military dictator Than Shwe additionally had the Uppatasanti Pagoda, a duplicate of Shwedagon Pagoda, inbuilt Naypyitaw.
U Thein Sein, the general-turned-president of the quasi-civilian authorities that succeeded Than Shwe’s regime, additionally had a duplicate of Bodha Gaya inbuilt Naypyitaw.
Min Aung Hlaing has consecrated a number of pagodas since his putsch, and has additionally had a large Buddha statue, touted because the world’s tallest sitting Buddha statue, inbuilt Naypyitaw.
One yr earlier than his coup, the army chief positioned the “Hti” umbrella atop Bagan’s Twelfth-century Htilominlo Temple—a transfer pushed by his want to win the nation’s presidency in 2021. Historically, it’s believed that rulers who make choices to the pagoda will obtain divine blessings and revel in lengthy reigns. Vasipake Sayadaw was additionally on the ceremony, supervising Min Aung Hlaing as he positioned the Hti atop the pagoda.
Everybody who is aware of properly the generals’ megalomania and their superstition are properly conscious that these consecration ceremonies are stuffed with yadaya, and goal for nothing greater than to hunt divine blessings and avert misfortune.
Following the consecration in Kengtung on Saturday, Min Aung Hlaing struck a pagoda bell, which was painted in an uncommon gold colour, 9 occasions. Myanmar generals have a standard obsession with the quantity 9, which is the regime’s talisman.
Saturday’s consecration was the fourth by Min Aung Hlaing over the previous 4 months. He was busy flying in a helicopter between Rakhine’s Sittwe in western Myanmar and Lashio, Pa-O and Kengtung in japanese Myanmar to consecrate pagodas there.
Why did he do it?
Min Aung Hlaing was not seen in public throughout Myanmar’s New Yr Thingyan Water Pageant regardless of his makes an attempt to make it festive. He didn’t even be part of the competition’s opening ceremony in Naypyitaw.
As a substitute, he noticed a non secular vow throughout your complete Thingyan interval in Pyin Oo Lwin, which he believes is a land of victory for him. He refused to obtain generals and cronies throughout that interval as a result of his astrological advisers advised him that he and Myanmar would expertise dangerous luck in April and Might.
“He could be in worry as a result of astrologers have stated some distinguished [military] leaders could be assassinated [in April and May],” stated a supply from Naypyitaw who’s near generals and astrologers.
Because the army chief has a number of astrologers, it isn’t clear which one stated so. Min Aung Hlaing has since busied himself with performing rites to avert misfortune, setting apart the nation’s affairs. He has not convened a gathering of his regime’s governing physique, the State Administration Council, since Feb. 23, after he prolonged emergency rule for an additional six months.
Min Aung Hlaing apparently believes yadaya is the one factor that may assist him remedy the disaster now as he’s below growing stress from the worldwide group, and the resistance motion is rising day-to-day.
“Min Aung Hlaing has higher religion within the astrologers after the storm hit Myanmar this month. It’s apparent he has been performing yadaya constantly,” stated the supply from Naypyitaw.
Maintaining Eleven Risks away?
Min Aung Hlaing normally chooses the eleventh day of the month to carry out yadaya. It’s not a coincidence, however rigorously chosen to avert “Set Ta Mee”, or Eleven Risks, in accordance with a standard Myanmar perception.
On Feb. 11, he had the Maravijaya Buddha picture that he’s constructing in Naypyitaw placed on a plinth, which the regime calls a “palin” or throne.
Underneath the steerage of his astrological advisors, he had Hseinwi Haw (Haw is the palace of the Shan feudal lords) repaired on April 11, and checked Kengtung Haw on Might 11 for doable repairs.
He has additionally carried out one other yadaya, which is dredging lakes. Army leaders imagine it should drive off hazard and produce good luck.
He had Kandawgyi Lake in Sittwe dredged on March 30, and did the identical at Kandawgyi Lake in Pyin Oo Lwin on April 17—which is Myanmar’s New Yr’s Day—Shan Lake in Naypyitaw on Might 8 and Naung Tung Lake in Kengtung on Might 11.
On Might 1, he put a sorcerer’s stone within the Maravijaya Buddha.
The pagoda was briefly closed after stripes appeared under its eye, as if the Buddha picture was crying. After a collection of yadaya, the Buddha picture was opened to the general public once more.
Min Aung Hlaing’s mentor, former army dictator Than Shwe, additionally constructed a jade Buddha picture whose face was sculpted to resemble him. The picture is stored at Shwedagon Pagoda.
The army chief has been touring far and large from coastal areas to plains and hilly areas throughout Myanmar to carry out yadaya. He has even carried out yadaya within the sea.
In April, Min Aung Hlaing traveled to the Coco Islands to unveil a monument marking the assembly level of the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. This was additionally yadaya, executed on the instruction of his soothsayers.
In one other yadaya, Min Aung Hlaing ordered his regime to develop 1 million acres of sunflowers, claiming that he wished to supply extra sunflower oil and curb costly imports of palm oil. However it raises the query: Why not promote different already-popular edible-oil crops like sesame or peanuts?
Soothsayers imagine it might extend his rule (“sunflower” in Burmese is a homophone for a phrase which means “long-lasting”).
Agriculturalists dare not complain although they’re conscious that the mission is certain to fail, stated an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
“He reproached [participants in] the assembly on Might 10, because the sunflower cultivation mission failed,” he stated.
The sunflower mission reminds Myanmar individuals of former army dictator Than Shwe’s state mission of rising castor oil, which additionally resulted in failure. It was additionally yadaya, executed within the title of manufacturing biofuel.
In a single yadaya, generals made themselves a laughing inventory once they had been advised to put on htamein, or ladies’s sarong, to a state-level dinner.
Within the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in Might 2008, which killed over 100,000 individuals and prompted large destruction, former army dictator Than Shwe held a nationwide referendum to ratify the military-drafted 2008 Structure, which was designed to make sure the army’s grip on energy for a very long time, whereas turning a blind eye to the sheer distress of the Myanmar individuals.
Precisely 15 years later, Than Shwe’s successor Min Aung Hlaing is doing the identical. He was busy attempting to guard his pursuits, and didn’t trouble to deal with Myanmar individuals whereas a cyclone as highly effective as Nargis was heading to Myanmar.
The tyrant, who has killed hundreds of his opponents, wrote on the plaque of the newly constructed pagoda in Kengtung: “Might Myanmar Be Peaceable.”
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