Praying for the Persecuted Church in Lent - Burma (Myanmar)

Burma has around 4 million Christians (9% of the total population). Most Christians are members of the non-Burman ethnic minorities, such as the Chin and Karen. The military junta supports the largest ethnic group, the Burman, and persecutes others severely. It also makes use of Buddhism, the majority faith, as a weapon against Christians, who find themselves persecuted partly for their ethnicity and partly for their faith.

Displaced Christians in Burma celebrate the delivery of aid supplied by Barnabas Aid

One of the main methods of oppression is the destruction or compulsory relocation of whole communities. The Burmese army frequently raids jungle villages, shooting their inhabitants as they run for their lives or seizing them to work as slaves. Many children are left orphaned and without support. The army may then burn or mine the villages to kill anyone who tries to return. Many of those who flee to the surrounding jungle die there from disease or snake-bites.

Church buildings are often attacked. The army sometimes requires Christians to do forced labour on Sundays or on Christian festivals. In Chin State Buddhist monks are sent into towns and villages to rule over them, and they report any disobedience to the army. Inducements are offered to Christians to convert to Buddhism, and then to convert others. Christian children may be lured away from their families and forced to train as Buddhist monks. The printing of Bibles is forbidden, and smuggled copies may be seized and burned.