The Christian community in war-torn Myanmar celebrated a low-key Christmas this year, to show solidarity with those displaced by the internal conflict between the military junta and rebels.
By Lisa Zengarini
This year, Christians in Myanmar celebrated a low-key Christmas in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of people forced from their homes by intensifying fighting between the military junta and ethnic rebel groups.
The army has been in power since February 2, 2021, when it deposed democratically elected representative Aung San Suu Kyi, imposing a brutal regime on the country to crush any resistance.
Since then, Christians in predominantly Christian areas of Kachin, Kayah, Chin and Karen states have been unable to celebrate Christmas and New Year due to fighting.
At least 2.6 million displaced
The conflict has further intensified over the past two months after the Three Brotherhood Alliance (3BHA), uniting three ethnic armed groups – the Liberation Army, the Arakan Army and the Army of Myanmar National Democratic Alliance – launched a major offensive in Shan State, in the north of the country. The fighting has now spread to other parts of Myanmar, including Kayah, Chin and Kachin states.
More than 660,000 people have been displaced since the military campaign began on October 27, bringing the total number of displaced people in Myanmar to some 2.6 million, according to the United Nations.
Dioceses affected by the war between the military junta and the rebels
Twelve dioceses, including Loikaw, Pekhon and Mandalay, out of the 16 in this Asian country, have been affected by the conflict since the 2021 military coup.
In November, Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw was forced to flee the bishopric with priests and nuns after the army occupied Christ the King Cathedral, and half of the diocese’s parishes were abandoned by the faithful who are now displaced with their pastors. . In his Christmas message, Archbishop Shwe urged the local Catholic community not to be discouraged by these events, urging the faithful to do God’s will by trusting in him, to encourage each other and to care for each other. , “to show love and do good”.
Churches and convents in Lashio Diocese, Shan State, were also damaged.
As reported Uca News In Kachin, Kayah, Chin and Karen states, Catholics decided to observe a silent Christmas to show solidarity with those displaced by the war. Christmas celebrations were subdued in other major cities like Mandalay and Yangon.
The Rohingya crisis
Meanwhile, as war rages in Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of stateless Rohingya, forced from their homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State by so-called “cleansing operations” carried out by the military in 2016 and 2017, continue to flee to safer countries. The 2021 military coup disproportionately affected Myanmar’s Rohingya population and increased their vulnerability. Most of them have found refuge in neighboring Bangladesh, where almost a million people live in dire conditions in refugee camps.
Many are also trying to flee to other Asian countries, taking immense risks including dangerous sea crossings, but have been repelled by Malaysia, Thailand and now Indonesia.
Indonesia pushes back Rohingya amid growing resentment from local residents
Until recently, Indonesia was known for providing sanctuary to the Rohingya. However, the sudden increase in boat arrivals in recent weeks has sparked growing resentment in Aceh province. Earlier this week, a mob of students reportedly stormed the basement of a local community hall in the capital Banda Aceh, where around 137 Rohingya had taken refuge, and demanded the group’s expulsion. UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, said it was “deeply troubled” by the incident.
Growing hostility toward the Rohingya has put pressure on President Joko Widodo’s government to act, and the Indonesian navy on Wednesday pushed back a boat carrying Rohingya refugees that was approaching the province’s coast. Indonesia has appealed for help from the international community and stepped up patrols in its waters, vowing to crack down on human traffickers suspected of being involved in the latest wave of boat arrivals.
