Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 115 | Wed 06 Jul 2011

———————————–
BURMA (MYANMAR): KACHIN FLEE TERROR
———————————–

By Elizabeth Kendal

Kachin State, which borders China in Burma’s far north, is home to Burma’s
ethnic Kachin minority. Most Kachin are devout Christians and the state is
defined by its Christian culture. Like other ethnic-religious minorities
in Burma, the Kachin are politically marginalised and persecuted on racial
and religious grounds. When the junta wants to impose its will, it usually
does so through extreme brutality fuelled by racial and religious hatred —
a manifestation of militant Burman-Buddhist supremacy. Because the Kachin
have resisted the junta’s demand that they disarm, the junta has labelled
them ‘separatist’.

Burma Rivers Network reports: ‘Large dams are being constructed on all of
Burma’s major rivers and tributaries by Chinese, Thai and Indian
companies. The dams are causing displacement, militarisation, human rights
abuses, and irreversible environmental damage, threatening the livelihoods
and food security of millions. [. . .] Neighbouring countries benefit from
this situation by gaining electricity without bearing the social and
environmental costs.’ This is one reason why the junta has a renewed
interest in controlling Kachin lands. As reported in RLPB 114 (June
Update) China wants to build nine hydro-power mega-dams in Kachin State,
even though the Kachin have warned China that the dams could trigger civil
war in Burma.

Fighting erupted in the second week in June and reports of extreme
brutality, ethnic cleansing and humanitarian crises are now emerging. The
Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the Kachin
Independence Army (KIA), reports that some 16,000 Kachin refugees are
living in five camps in and around Laiza, a town still under KIA control.
KIO adds, ‘So far no international humanitarian agency has offered any
help to them.’ In Myitkyina, 220 displaced people have taken refuge in the
Catholic Church of St Joseph and 330 in the Baptist Church. Another 4,000
Kachin refugees are reportedly fleeing through the jungle, trying to avoid
Burmese soldiers. A further 10,000 — possibly as many as 20,000 — are
languishing at the Chinese border; Beijing will not accept them and no
international agency is able to get aid to them. Meanwhile, the Burmese
Army is sending up reinforcements, mostly in small groups dressed in
civilian clothes. The Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) recently
reported that at least 18 women and girls from age 15 to 50 were gang-
raped in the war-zone by Burmese soldiers between 10 & 18 June. Four of
the women were killed after being gang-raped (one in front of her husband)
while another died from her injuries. KWAT believes gang-rape is being
systematically employed as a weapon of war and means of terror.

A local priest confirmed to Fides news agency that Burmese soldiers are
killing old people and children, raping women, burning homes and
confiscating properties. ‘They use ruthless methods [for] ethnic
cleansing,’ he said, adding that ‘almost all [the victims] are
Christians’. KIA Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Gun Maw, believes the junta has
broader military goals than just protecting the dam sites. Indeed, the
junta is doubtless exploiting the dams issues as a pretext to launch a
concerted campaign of ethnic cleansing. According to the KIA military
commander in neighbouring Shan State, Col. Zau Raw, ‘We are in for a major
war.’ The Bishop of Myitkyina, Mgr Francis Daw Tang, has been speaking
through Radio Veritas, encouraging the people — most of whom are
Protestant — to ‘stay united’ and remember, ‘The Lord is near you. Have
faith in him,’ and ‘. . . continue to pray for peace.’

Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8,9 NKJV

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT —

* God will intervene (in this rainy season) to bring humanitarian aid to
the Kachin people: food, medicines and shelter.

* God will intervene to bring peace: may China be held as accountable as
the Burmese junta, and may God turn their hearts towards achieving
peace.

* all God’s Kachin people will know and experience the love, presence and
provision of their faithful LORD. (Isaiah 40:27-31)

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
———————————————————–

KACHIN FLEE TERROR IN BURMA (MYANMAR)

Civil war has erupted in Burma’s Kachin State, a state defined by its
Christian culture and home to a predominately devout Christian people. The
trigger has been China’s building hydro-power mega-dams that will displace
hundreds of thousands and threaten the food security of millions of
Kachin. Reports of massive displacements, brutal killings of civilians,
gang-rapes and property confiscations have led some to conclude that the
junta is actually engaged in a campaign of systematic ethnic cleansing,
fuelled by ethnic and religious hatred and greed. About 16,000 Kachin
refugees are in five camps in and around Laiza and 4,000 in the jungle.
Some 20,000 are massed on the Chinese border, but China denies them entry.
No humanitarian assistance is getting through. Please pray for our Kachin
brethren.

——————–

We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ .

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.
Previous bulletins may be viewed at
.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly
issues direct by sending a blank email to .