Uyu River
24°51′N94°57′E/ 24.850°N 94.950°E TheUyu River,also pronouncedUru River(Uyu ChaunginBurmese), is a river in northernMyanmar,formerly Burma. It is a major tributary of theChindwin River,itself the largest tributary of the country's chief river, theAyeyarwady.Its source lies in theHukawng ValleyofKachin State,and it takes a southwesterly course through a fertile and well irrigated valley. It enters the Chindwin on the left bank atHomalininSagaing Division.[1][2]
Economy
[edit]Hpakant,situated in the headwaters of the Uyu, is the only place in the world[failed verification]where the best qualityjadeknown asjadeiteis mined.[3][4]Sand and stones deposited from jade mining operations have impeded the flow during themonsoonsand caused flooding with damage to the roads.[5]'Gold boats' that mine the riverbed for precious metals began to appear in the 1990s along the 215 km stretch of the Uyu from Haungpa to Homalin. A cleanup plan by a government-appointed special environment committee started in May 2004 with a ban on gold digging, and the jade miners were made responsible for the rehabilitation of a 26 km stretch out of the badly damaged 40 km of the river between Lonkin and Haungpa.[6]
Flora and fauna
[edit]The area is covered with primarily tropical evergreen forest, dense bamboo and rattan undergrowth. Mixed deciduous teak forest is also seen on higher slopes. HtamanthiWildlife Sanctuaryfor thetigerand therhinocerosis located between the Uyu and the Chindwin.[7] [8][9]
The Uyu River is an importantconservation areafor thegreen peafowl(Pavo muticus), thespot-billed pelican(Pelecanus philippensis) and thewhite-rumped vulture(Gyps bengalensis).[10]
World War II
[edit]In May 1942 after theJapaneseinvaded Burma, theUS ArmyGeneralUncle JoeStilwellled his staff of 103Americans,BritishandChineseon foot setting out fromShwebotoIndia.He carried bully beef to his raft across the Uyu River, pictured wearing his underwear and campaign hat.[11]They were joined byGordon SeagraveofBurma Surgeonfame and his team ofBurmesenurses on their journey down the Uyu on rafts reaching Maingkaing in two days and Homalin after another three days of rafting.[12][13]
References
[edit]- ^"Chindwin River".Encyclopædia Britannicaonline.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary.Merriam-Webster1997. 1997.ISBN978-0-87779-546-9.Retrieved2008-12-28.
- ^"Hpakan Other Rock Mine(Myanmar)".aditnow.co.uk.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Richard W. Hughes & Fred Ward."Heaven and Hell: The Quest for Jade in Upper Burma".Ruby-Sapphire.com.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Aye Lae."Areas of Kachin State Hit by Flooding".The IrrawaddyAugust 8, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2008.RetrievedDecember 27,2008.
- ^Ba Saing."Cleanup work begins on long-abused river".Myanmar TimesAugust 9–15, 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-08-22.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^"National Tiger Action Plan for The Union of Myanmar"(PDF).Wildlife Conservation Society(WCS). Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2005-12-15.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Sein Tu."The Tamanthi Wild-life Sanctuary".Perspective June 2002. Archived fromthe originalon 2004-07-12.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Rabinowitz, A.; Saw Tun Khaing."Status of selected mammal species in North Myanmar".The Rhino Resource Center.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^"Uyu River(Important Bird Areas of Myanmar)".BirdLife International.Retrieved2008-12-28.
- ^"Flight from Burma - Stilwell leads way through jungle to India".LifeAugust 10, 1942. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-23.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Alan K. Lathrop."Dateline: Burma".Dartmouth Medicine.Retrieved2008-12-27.
- ^Col. Paul L. Jones."The Withdrawal from Burma and the Stilwell Walkout".Ex-CBI Roundup May 1992. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-10-05.Retrieved2008-12-27.
External links
[edit]- Satellite mapGeoNames
- Wartime mapBurma Star.org
- Map of Sagaing DivisionAsterism
- Crossing the Uyu RiverChinditsPhoto Gallery