INFORMATION SHEET No. A.0395(I)

[OKKAR66127@xxxxxxx]

                          INFORMATION SHEET  No. A.0395(I)

             No. A.0395(I)                                         20th April
1998

(1)		French Palaeontologists Discover Fossilized Remains at Pondaung
				Region
		The Pondaung Primate Fossil Exploration and Study Team made up of geologists
of the Ministry of Education led by the Office of Strategic Studies of the
Ministry of Defence explored Pondaung region together with foreign experts at
Bahin and Magyigan Villages in Myaing Township and Mogaung Village in Pale
Township from 1 to 12 April. The foreign experts group comprised
Palaeontologist Professor Jean Jacques Jacger of Universitie Montpellier and
Dr. Stephane Ducrocq and 
Dr Rosemarie Ducrocq of France.  Dr Benammi Mouloud of Morocco and 
Dr Yao Wa Lak Chaimanee of Department of Mineral Resources of Thailand.  
The combined team based their camps at Bahin and Magyigan Villages in Myaing
Township and Mogaung Village in Pale Township and explored the neighbouring
areas from 1 to 12 April and discovered bony plates of turtles, teeth of
alligators, jaw fragments and teeth of ancestors of pig, mandibles and teeth
of ancestors of 
rhinoceros, mandibles and teeth of rock goat, and mandibles and teeth of
carnivores, mandibles and teeth of small mammals, fins of fishes and leaf
fossils from the layers of soil.
		The foreign experts used Ultra-Violet Rays (UVR) at night in their efforts
to explore fossilized remains of the primates which were found easily after
being touched by the UVR.  French palaeontologists assessed the finds
displayed at the National Museum may belong to higher anthropoid primate and
to the Eocene, which is about 40 million years back, that they would be firm
evidence to determine the origin of man and that further study need be made.  

(2)		Third Summer Course on Myanmarsar, English and Computer for 				Lecturer
Sayadaws Opens in Insein
		The third summer course on Myanmarsar, English and computer for 
lecturer Dhammacariya Sayadaws opened at Zeya Theikdi (Maha Thonthara Kyaung)
in Taungthugon Ward Insein Township on 19 April. The one-month course is being
attended by 98 Sayadaws.


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