Tag: Chin

Freedom of religion among Myanmar’s ‘biggest challenges’

May 26, 2016 Myanmar Cardinal Bo, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Ma Ba Tha, Myanmar, Naga, Religious freedom, Yangon

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Myanmar’s first Catholic Cardinal, at the UK Parliament in London, 25 May, 2016. World Watch Monitor Myanmar’s first ever Catholic Cardinal has said protecting freedom of religion or belief for all is among the “biggest challenges” facing his country as it adapts to life after . . . Read More

Myanmar’s Christians cautiously hopeful

November 12, 2015 Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, Buddhist nationalism, Chin, Elections, Kachin, Ma Ba Tha, Myitkyina

In Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy , has won a landslide victory in the first freely-contested election in 25 years, winning the needed two-thirds of the vote to enable it to nominate the country’s new President. Even though she herself is barred from that role, Suu Kyi has . . . Read More

Myanmar regulates interfaith marriage

September 23, 2015 Myanmar Buddhist nationalism, Chin, Karen, Ma Ba Tha, Marriage, Minorities, Myanmar

Myanmar’s President has signed a law requiring interfaith couples to seek permission before they can marry. “Under the law, interfaith couples have to notify the local government and post a public announcement of their intention to marry,” reports Al Jazeera. “They will be allowed to wed if there are no . . . Read More

In Myanmar, Christian rebels are in double trouble

May 19, 2015 Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Myanmar, Panglong

In March the Myanmar government and 16 rebel groups signed a draft ceasefire agreement, ahead of national elections scheduled for November this year. The pact, however, doesn’t contain self-determination provisions that these ethnic groups have demanded. Myanmar is made up of eight major and eight minor ethnic groups, each of . . . Read More

2014: A year of particular concern

April 30, 2015 Global News -- No Particular Country Anti-balaka, Bashar al-Assad, BJP, Boko Haram, Central African Republic, Chibok girls, Chin, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghar Wapsi, Hindu nationalism, India, Iran, Iraq, Islamic State, Kachin, Kano, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Potiskum, Rohingya, Saudi Arabia, Seleka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

If ever there were a year that made plain the importance of religious freedom, 2014 was it, according to the just-released annual report by an American government advisory group. “By any measure, the horrors of the past year speak volumes about how and why religious freedom and the protection of the . . . Read More

Myanmar police accused of raping Christian, 15

April 27, 2015 Myanmar Buddhist nationalism, Chin, Churches, Kachin, Myanmar, Rape, Women

Two policemen have allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl from Myanmar’s Chin state – home to the majority of the country’s Christians. The allegations were made by the girl’s father. He filed a report at the local police station stating that two officers had taken her away on a motorbike and . . . Read More

Plight of Christians in Myanmar under-reported

February 18, 2015 Myanmar Buddhist nationalism, Chin, Crosses, Kachin, Minorities, Myanmar, Rohingya

The Huffington Post reports that, while persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority in the majority Buddhist country has attracted much international attention, in Chin State – along Myanmar’s northwest border – a predominantly Christian population faces its own challenges and restrictions. “There is no improvement with regard to religious freedom . . . Read More

Myanmar on the road to religious freedom

November 22, 2013 Myanmar Buddhist nationalism, Chin, Myanmar, Rape, Religious freedom

Myanmar is moving towards greater interfaith freedom of expression, but challenges remain, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s Benedict Rogers, writing for the Wall Street Journal. Rogers notes that, while the country has made great strides in recent years, there is an ongoing threat of ethnic and religious violence. However, he . . . Read More

Myanmar reforms offer no respite for ethnic Christians

May 4, 2012 Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, Baptists, Buddhist nationalism, Chin, Churches, IDPs, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Minorities, Myanmar, Shan

Amid global euphoria over reforms in Burman-majority parts of Myanmar, life has changed little for more than 3 million Christians and other minorities left to suffer from one of the world’s longest running civil wars. Headlines around the world hailed the induction on Wednesday (May 2) of opposition leader Aung . . . Read More

Myanmar’s Christian civilians attacked during Christmas

January 9, 2012 Myanmar Chin, IDPs, Kachin, Karen, Myanmar, Myitkyina, Panglong

Attacks on Christians in Myanmar continued into the Christmas season in Kachin state as Burmese Army troops killed a civilian and destroyed church property despite President Thein Sein’s order to stop the war against insurgents. A Baptist church in Loije, Bhamo district, held a funeral on Dec. 27 for 47-year-old Maran . . . Read More

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