Burmese priest Fr. Matthias Nga Reh leads the burning of the palms to produce ashes for Ash Wednesday, at a parish in San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David 

Burmese priest Fr. Matthias Nga Reh leads the burning of the palms to produce ashes for Ash Wednesday, at a parish in San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David 

Burmese priest Fr. Matthias Nga Reh leads the burning of the palms to produce ashes for Ash Wednesday, at a parish in San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David 

Sharifullah Habibi, 8, plays with a toy computer that teaches English, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S., November 27 2021. Bowling Green has welcomed waves of refugees over four decades, beginning with the Cambodians in the 1980s and then Bosnians in the 1990s, plus Iraqis, Burmese, Rwandese and Congolese and others, who have helped make the city of 72,000 a diverse and economically thriving place. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud SEARCH "KARAOUD REFUGEE HAVEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Shafiqullah Habibi, 34, pushes his children, Sharifullah Habibi, 8 and Roya Habibi, 6, on the swings at the Three Springs Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S., November 7 2021. Bowling Green has welcomed waves of refugees over four decades, beginning with the Cambodians in the 1980s and then Bosnians in the 1990s, plus Iraqis, Burmese, Rwandese and Congolese and others, who have helped make the city of 72,000 a diverse and economically thriving place. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud SEARCH "KARAOUD REFUGEE HAVEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Shafiqullah Habibi, 34, gets his children dressed before a volunteer comes to take them to Three Springs Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S., November 7 2021. Bowling Green has welcomed waves of refugees over four decades, beginning with the Cambodians in the 1980s and then Bosnians in the 1990s, plus Iraqis, Burmese, Rwandese and Congolese and others, who have helped make the city of 72,000 a diverse and economically thriving place. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud SEARCH "KARAOUD REFUGEE HAVEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Khadija Habibi, 5, pushes her brother Sharifullah Habibi, 8, at Three Springs Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S., November 7 2021. Bowling Green has welcomed waves of refugees over four decades, beginning with the Cambodians in the 1980s and then Bosnians in the 1990s, plus Iraqis, Burmese, Rwandese and Congolese and others, who have helped make the city of 72,000 a diverse and economically thriving place. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud SEARCH "KARAOUD REFUGEE HAVEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Mohamed Azizi, 24, prays the evening prayer with his aunt Wahida Habibi, 37,in Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S., November 6 2021. Bowling Green has welcomed waves of refugees over four decades, beginning with the Cambodians in the 1980s and then Bosnians in the 1990s, plus Iraqis, Burmese, Rwandese and Congolese and others, who have helped make the city of 72,000 a diverse and economically thriving place. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud SEARCH "KARAOUD REFUGEE HAVEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Roya Habibi, 6, plays with donated toys in her room in Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S., November 5 2021. Bowling Green has welcomed waves of refugees over four decades, beginning with the Cambodians in the 1980s and then Bosnians in the 1990s, plus Iraqis, Burmese, Rwandese and Congolese and others, who have helped make the city of 72,000 a diverse and economically thriving place. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud SEARCH "KARAOUD REFUGEE HAVEN" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Children sit in a hammock near the Burmese border in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand, while fleeing from gunfire between ethnic minority Karen insurgents and Myanmar military, April 29, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha 

Zaw Min Htut, the president of the Burmese Rohingya Association in Japan, attends the press conference "Restoring Democracy in Myanmar" at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo, Japan March 23, 2021. REUTERS/Akira Tomoshige 

Kyaw Kyaw Soe, a board director of the Union of Myanmar Citizens Association in Japan, and Zaw Min Htut, the president of the Burmese Rohingya Association in Japan, attend the press conference "Restoring Democracy in Myanmar" at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo, Japan March 23, 2021. REUTERS/Akira Tomoshige 

People handle an albino Burmese python on Bourbon Street as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions are eased in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., March 13, 2021. Picture taken March 13, 2021. REUTERS/Kathleen Flynn 

A woman handles an albino Burmese python on Bourbon street as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions are eased in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., March 13, 2021. Picture taken March 13, 2021. REUTERS/Kathleen Flynn 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

Members of the Burmese community in Taipei protest against the Myanmar military coup in Little Burma, home to many of Taiwan's Burmese immigrants, in Taipei, Taiwan, February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang 

A woman wearing a face mask places a hand for a temperature check outside a Burmese restaurant with a picture of Aung San Suu Kyi in the window, in Bangkok, Thailand February 4, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

People use their cellphones as they sit outside a Burmese restaurant with a picture of Aung San Suu Kyi in the window, in Bangkok, Thailand February 4, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A Buddhist monk at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary prepares to release Burmese pythons into a forest on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 30, 2020. Picture taken November 30, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

A Buddhist monk holds a Burmese python at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha feeds a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Rescued Burmese pythons lie in a cage at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

A Buddhist monk and firefighters release Burmese pythons into the wild at a forest on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 30, 2020. Picture taken November 30, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

A family looks at rescued Burmese pythons at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

A rescued Burmese python lies on a Buddha statue near other snakes at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha feeds a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Rescued Burmese pythons lie in a cage at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha poses with a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha poses with a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha holds a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha feeds a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

A rescued Burmese python lies on a Buddha statue at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

Buddhist monk Wilatha holds a rescued Burmese python at his monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

A rescued Burmese python peeks out of a monk's robes at a monastery that has turned into a snake sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, November 26, 2020. Picture taken November 26, 2020. REUTERS/Shwe Paw Mya Tin 

The fine white dust that shrouds much of his northern Myanmar village also covers sculptor Chin Win as he leans over a half-finished Buddha statue. "We are blessed to carve Buddha," he said at his stone workshop surrounded by the seven white hills that give Sagyin village its name, which means "marble" in Burmese. For generations, artisans in this part of Buddhist-majority Myanmar have carved out a living from the marble, fashioning mostly colossal Buddha statues to be sold in the nearby city of Mandalay or exported to neighbouring China and Thailand. Many of the several thousand villagers here earn a modest living from the marble mines, hauling the slabs down the hill, carving them into statues, or exporting them overseas. Burmese marble, which ranges from pure white to bluish grey, is prized for its hardness and texture. A 45-tonne slab can sell for $40,000. In Sagyin, specks of the stone are used for everything from brushing teeth to washing clothes. REUTERS/Ann Wang TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SEARCH "SAGYIN MARBLE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. MATCHING TEXT: MYANMAR-MARBLE/ TEMPLATE OUT 

A Burmese migrant worker is seen at a construction site after the government eased some protective measures following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand, June 16, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva 

A boat of a Burmese pythons hunter is seen in the Everglades' swamps during the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

A badge is seen in the shirt of Thomas Aycock as he explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass looking for Burmese pythons, during the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock uses a flashlight as he explores the Everglades' swamps looking for Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock rides on top of his SUV as he explores the Everglades' swamps looking for Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock talks on his phone as he hunts Burmese pythons, in the Everglades' swamps, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock uses a flashlight as he explores the Everglades' swamps looking for Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock uses a flashlight as he explores the Everglades' swamps looking for Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock uses a flashlight as he explores the Everglades' swamps looking for Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello 

Thomas Aycock explores the Everglades' swamps and sawgrass as he hunts Burmese pythons, as part of the 2020 Python Challenge Python Bowl in Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida, U.S. January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello