The Weight of the Cross

THE WEIGHT OF THE CROSS A report on the church in Burma from Christian Solidarity Worldwide

BY BENEDICT ROGERS

The brutality of Burma’s ruling military regime, known as the of human rights—mounting to crimes against humanity, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), was brought war crimes, and attempted genocide—for 45 years. The to the attention of the world in September 2007, when the violations committed by the SPDC against the country’s regime launched a severe crackdown against tens of thou- ethnic nationalities—particularly the Karen, Karenni, and sands of Buddhist monks and civilians who had participated Shan—have received far less international attention than the in peaceful protests. The demonstrations were an expression events of September 2007. Taken together, the catalog of of many years of deep-seated frustration among Burmese brutality by the SPDC over many years makes it one of the worst regimes in the world.1 people at the regime’s tyrannical rule, including the suppression The SPDC is shaped by a of democracy and basic human fascist mentality with echoes rights and the gross mismanof Hitler and the Nazis. It is agement of Burma’s economy. guided by a belief described Sparked by dramatic rises in fuel in Burmese as “Amyo, Batha, prices, the nationwide protests Thatana”—“One race, one lanbroadened into a movement guage, one religion.”The race is for democracy. The regime’s Burman, the language is Burmese, response was brutal but characand the religion is Theravada teristic. While the exact death Buddhism — and citizens who toll is unknown, it is believed by do not conform to the regime’s reliable sources that hundreds of version of these face potentially people were killed. According serious consequences.Christians to the Assistance Association of in Burma face varying degrees Political Prisoners in Burma, at of discrimination, restrictions, least 4,000 people were arrestand in some places violent ed, and while many have since persecution. been released, arrests continue Although the level of hardto be made. At least 2,000 politship varies depending on other A young man is baptized in Karen State. ical prisoners are in jail in Burma circumstances, there is no doubt Photo by Christopher Chan. today. that the SPDC demonstrates an It is vital that the international explicit bias against Christians community (and in particular China, India, and the Association and uses propaganda to generate anti-Christian sentiment, of Southeast Asian Nations) recognize that the events of regulations to restrict Christian activity, and violence to September 2007 were simply the tip of the iceberg. The mili- subjugate and even attempt to eliminate some of the Christian tary junta in Burma has been perpetrating gross violations population.

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BURMA The campaign of discrimination, restrictions, and persecution of Christians is widespread and systematic, and it is not limited to any one ethnicity, denomination, or area of the country. The evidence of abuses of human rights, including religious freedom, demonstrates that the ruling military regime in Burma has an explicitly anti-Christian agenda. In some places this is manifested in an extreme, violent way—the physical destruction of churches and crosses; the forced conversion of Christians to Buddhism; and the arrest, torture, and sometimes killing of pastors and church workers. In other places, it is manifested more subtly. It is a slow, steady, undramatic oppression with deliberate but subtle restrictions and inconveniences—organizing meetings for employees on a Sunday; demanding forced labor on a Sunday or during Christmas; the delay, if not denial, of permission for Christian events, meetings, or construction work. It ranges from churches in Rangoon finding it difficult to obtain permission to renovate their buildings to pastors in Chin State being killed.

Church leaders have at various times appealed to the SPDC to stop violating religious freedom—but to no avail.

On February 20, 2006, for example, six Christian organizations wrote to the head of the SPDC, Senior General Than Shwe. One of the signatories said,“We simply cannot let things go on without doing anything.This is because Christian associations have been suffering, and we are feeling the pain deep in our hearts.We have been waiting for things to improve but they have only got worse, and this is the only option left to us.”

“Persecution seems to pass through three phases.The first is dis information. Disinformation begins more often than not in the media.Through printed articles, radio, television, and other means, Christians are robbed of their good reputation and their right to answer accusations made against them. Without trial, they are found guilty of all kinds of misdemeanors.

“The public opinion that easily results from being constantly fed such disinformation will not protect Christians from the next step, which is discrimination.

Discrimination relegates Christians to a ‘second-class’ citizenship with poorer legal, social, political, and economic standing than the majority in the country.

“The third stage is persecution. Once the first two steps have been taken, this can be practiced with impunity, without normal protective measures taking place. Persecution can arise from the state, the police or military, extreme organizations, mobs, paramilitary groups, or representatives of other religions.

“In my opinion, it is vitally important to recognize this three-stage development, so that timely, firm, and appropriate action can be taken the moment there is any sign of disinformation.”

Johan Candelin, goodwill ambassador, World Evangelical Alliance

Beltsazar, Shutterstock

Buddhism as a political tool

The persecution of Christians in Burma cannot be separated from the fact that the SPDC does not tolerate any dissent in the country and seeks to impose its rule by force. The SPDC oppresses Buddhists who challenge its rule and persecutes Muslims.The regime’s philosophy is a distorted and perverted form of Burman Buddhist nationalism—which is contrary in its acts to almost all teachings of Buddhism—and it uses Buddhism as a political tool to oppress non-Buddhists.

Generals are fastidious in attending Buddhist festivals, giving alms at the monasteries, and giving themselves a public image as committed Buddhists. In 2004, for example, Burma hosted the fourth World Buddhist Summit, and the SPDC generals played a prominent part in it. The Assistance Association of Political Prisoners in Burma called on all Buddhist organizations around the world to “condemn the Burmese military regime

Karen resistance soldiers in prayer.

Photo by Christopher Chan.

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for using religion as a tool for political purposes and for the state intrusion in Sangha [Buddhist] affairs.”2 The SPDC has also used Buddhism as a tool to suppress its non-Buddhist opponents. In Chin State, for example, where the Chin population is estimated to be 90 percent Christian, there used to be crosses built by the Chins on hilltops as a symbol of their faith. The Burmese army has forced Chin Christians to tear down almost all the crosses and in many instances forced them to build Buddhist pagodas in their place.

The spirit of the regime can be summed up in the words of an SPDC commander, Burmese Army Column Commander Khin Mau Kyi, of IB 78, as he and his unit burned villages and churches, tortured pastors, and tortured and urinated on the head of a Buddhist monk. He said these words during an offensive in Dooplaya District in 2002: “I do not respect any faith. My religion is the trigger of my gun.”3 The SPDC uses Buddhism cynically, when it suits it to do so for its own purposes. But it has no real respect for any faith. The SPDC’s dislike of Christianity in particular, however, is clearly articulated. According to leading Burma authority Martin Smith, “schoolchildren in Burma are today taught that the Christian churches represented just another branch of the colonial armory, the three Ms: missionaries, merchants, and military.”4 In Chin State, the authorities say that their three major concerns are “ABC”: AIDS, Hepatitis B, and Christianity.

Christians among the non-Burman ethnic nationalities— particularly the Chin, Kachin, Naga, Karen, and Karenni—are targeted by the SPDC on three counts: religion, ethnicity, and

politics. These three factors are intertwined, but nevertheless it is abundantly clear that there is a strong and explicit antiChristian dimension to the regime.

Christians “most persecuted” Burma is a prime example of Johan Candelin’s model of the pattern of persecution (see shaded box on page 19): disinformation, discrimination, and persecution. While ordinary Christians and Buddhists in Burma have few problems with one another, the SPDC seeks to create division. “They get along well with each other on an everyday basis,” writes Asia specialist Anne Schreiber. “Simple people, according to a Christian dignitary, respect Christians as good neighbors with an ‘educated mind’. It is the political leaders’ propaganda that makes Christians out to be foreign spies and dangerous subversive elements.”5 She concludes that “Christians in Burma are marginalized and regarded as second-class citizens. They are not earmarked for promotion in state institutions for the simple reason that they are of the Christian faith.” Although Christians are sometimes seen as well-educated, many are denied access to education.

“Restrictions and discrimination of all kinds are the order of the day.”6 Some of the persecution has been generated because of the growth of Christianity in Burma and because churches have affiliations or relationships with Christian groups overseas. “From the regime’s point of view, the various Christian churches give cause for concern because of their links with the universal church and universal church organization,” Schreiber writes.“Furthermore it is almost exclusively Christian

A church in Karen State burned by the the Burmese army. Photo courtesy of Free Burma Rangers.

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organizations and authorities that have managed to set up viable functioning non-governmental organizations (NGOs).”7 Another Burma expert, who cannot be named for security reasons, believes Christians “are the people most persecuted” in Burma today, although he acknowledges that “people of all ethnicities and those who stand for freedom are all persecuted.”

Christians are especially persecuted because “they answer to something higher than the dictators; they proclaim Christ, his redeeming love, and the need of all humankind for God; they have close communities; they are often well-educated and productive; they historically have been close to foreigners and have held elite positions in Burma; they receive outside support and have good international contacts; they are mostly members of ethnic minority groups; many of them are involved in the armed pro-democracy resistance and at all levels of the movement for freedom and democracy; and they claim a Kingdom not of this world.”

A C T I VAT E !

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (csw.org.uk) is a human rights organization which specializes in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs, and promotes religious liberty for all. Look for prayer and protest ideas, as well as further information on Burma, at csw.org.uk.

The Free Burma Rangers (freeburmarangers.org) are a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement bringing help, hope, and love to people in the war zones of Burma. Ethnic pro-democracy groups send teams to be trained, supplied, and sent into areas under attack to provide emergency assistance and human rights documentation. Together with other groups, the teams work to serve people in need.

The FBR were formed during the Burmese army offensives of 1997, when villages were destroyed, people were killed, and over 100,000 fled their homes. Over 2 million people are now displaced inside Burma. In the face of the overwhelming force of the dictators’ army, the FBR organized with the idea that no one can stop people from giving love and serving each other. During this time the Ethnic Nationalities Seminar at Mae Tha Ra Hta was coordinated and supported by the FBR and the Global Day of Prayer was started. Since 1997 four unity and reconciliation seminars have followed, helping to build trust and coordinated action. Numerous leadership and communications trainings for ethnic and Burman men and women have been conducted, with trainees being sent on relief, communications, and unity missions.The FBR has trained over 90 multiethnic relief teams and there are 20 full-time teams active in the Karen, Karenni, Shan, Arakan, and Lahu areas of Burma. The teams have conducted over 300 humanitarian missions of one to two months’ duration into the war zones of Burma. On average between 1,000 and 2,000 patients are treated per mission, with 2,000 more people helped in some way. Since 1997 the teams have treated over 300,000 patients and helped over 600,000 people.

A call to the church at large

Christian Solidarity Worldwide urges churches and church organizations around the world to provide a voice for justice for the people of Burma, in the same way that they campaigned against apartheid in South Africa. The World Council of Churches, the World Evangelical Alliance, the Vatican, and other Christian denominations and organizations should recognize the desperate plight of the people of Burma and stand up in prayer and protest. A Chin pastor who chose to return to his people in Chin State despite the challenges, sums up the desire of Christians in Burma: “Please let the world know we want freedom. Freedom to speak, freedom to worship, freedom to praise God, freedom to work, freedom to learn, freedom to write. Just freedom.”8 ■ Human rights activist and journalist Benedict Rogers is advocacy officer for South Asia at Christian Solidarity Worldwide and author of A Land Without Evil: Stopping the Genocide of Burma’s Karen People (Monarch, 2004). He has traveled many times to the Karen, Karenni, and Shan peoples on both sides of the Thai-Burmese border, and has made several visits to the Chin on the India-Burma border and the Kachin on the China-Burma border. He regularly briefs government officials in the United Kingdom, European Union, and United States on international human rights issues. In addition to Burma, he makes regular fact-finding visits to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Author’s Note: Although the official name of the country according to the regime is “Myanmar,” the term “Burma” is used here at the request of the prodemocracy and ethnic nationality groups, who argue that the regime had no mandate to change the name of the country. The current regime is the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

The Global Day of Prayer for Burma is March 9, 2008. Learn more at Concerned Christians for Burma (prayforburma.org).

Editor’s note: the endnotes for this article have been posted at esa-online. org/EndNotes.

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