Burmese workers earn US $1 - 2 per day at marble quarries in Sagyin, near Mandalay In recent years, China’s imports from Burma have included everything from precious stones and timber to natural gas and exotic animals. Now add marble to that list. Chinese companies have been excavating tons of marble from quarries in Sagyin near Mandalay for three years now. The white stone is widely used for marble sculptures in Chinese temples, cemeteries and homes.
Today, sculptors at Sagyin continue the tradition of chiseling spectacular statues and artwork. However, the creations have a cost. Respiratory problems are common among workers; employers provide neither masks nor health care. The Sagyin sculptors and diggers work at the quarry for between US $1 - 2 a day. It goes without saying that the Burmese authorities and Chinese companies that finance the operation earn considerably more. |
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