Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Miytkina (Agenzia Fides) - In the war that rages between the Burmese army and armed rebel groups in Kachin, in the north of Burma, the military is using chemical weapons, said a local source of Fides in the Kachin people. Meanwhile, refugees increase and find shelter in the woods and, as the winter season approaches, they are without food, without clothes, without shelter and many die of starvation and disease. The Kachin people, mostly Christians - refer Fides sources -even the government is denying them religious freedom because it has imposed new restrictions: Sunday meetings for the study of the Bible "are possible only with permission".
"The Burmese government is not doing anything to help Kachin refugees and the situation worsens. We ask the support of the universal Church so that the violence and injustice to Kachin people are known throughout the world", invokes the source of Fides.
An organization of Christian inspiration as "Christian Solidarity Worldwide" (CSW), confirmed in a statement sent to Fides that "the Burmese authorities have imposed new restrictions on religious activities in the Kachin state, ordering that the meetings of the Christian communities have to be communicated 15 days in advance, so as to be authorized". CSW recalls that "for many years, the Burmese regimes suppressed freedom of religion. Today it seems that, despite changes at a verbal level, the local Burmese authorities have not changed in any way their attitude. To impose the authorization to read the Bible or to pray is an extreme restriction of religious freedom. We urge the Burmese authorities to withdraw this requirement. We ask for the UN intervention". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 04/11/2011)
