wfn.org | WCC Myanmar visit

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World Council of Churches
Update Up-03-08
For Immediate Use
6 March 2003

Myanmar: Raiser points out discrimination against Christian minorities,
affirms role of interfaith dialogue

Cf. WCC Press Update, Up-03-07 of 5 March 2003
Cf. WCC Press Update, Up-03-06 of 28 February 2003
Cf. WCC Press Release, PR-03-11 of 24 February 2003

Freedom of religion and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities were
the main focus of a discussion between World Council of Churches (WCC)
general secretary Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser and Secretary 1, General Khin Nyunt,
the chief executive of the military-led government of Myanmar (formerly
Burma), during a three-day visit to the country. 

"I would be failing in my task if I did not indicate to you concerns about
intentional or involuntary discrimination in certain parts of the country
against Christian minorities and ethnic groups. I am raising these concerns
not out of any political interest, but concern with the well-being, peace and
stability of the whole country," said Raiser to General Khin Nyunt, Secretary
1 of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the Myanmar government's
cabinet.

During an hour-long meeting at SPDC headquarters, Raiser recalled that the
Myanmar government had formerly taken over educational and other social
service institutions run by the churches. WCC accompaniment of the Myanmar
churches in difficult times went beyond mutual spiritual support and formal
religious activities, Raiser said.

In a previous meeting, Myanmar church leaders had told Raiser about problems
in rural areas: local Buddhist monks have forced Christians to renounce their
faith, and local government authorities have closed their eyes to incidents
of pastors being mistreated and church buildings destroyed.

Citing examples of WCC efforts to accompany churches in countries plagued by
internal conflicts like Sri Lanka and Sudan, Raiser said that commitment to
peace and reconciliation has been central to the work of the WCC. Stressing
his awareness of "the strongly Buddhist character of this country and
people", Raiser affirmed the importance of inter-religious dialogue in
situations like that in Myanmar. 

In response General Khin Nyunt, who is the country's most powerful military
leader, admitted that discrimination against certain minority ethnic groups
had been reported in certain areas. He said that the government takes action
whenever such incidents are brought to its attention, assured the WCC general
secretary that his government will treat Christians properly, and added that
he welcomes WCC commitment to accompanying its member churches in Myanmar.

Raiser was accompanied by WCC Asia secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara, the
Myanmar Council of Churches president, Rev. Samar Giyi, its vice president,
Archbishop Samuel San Si Htay, its general secretary, Rev. Smith Zwang Thang,
and the chairman of its Public Issues Committee, Rev. Tha Din.

General Khin Nyunt was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues: the foreign
affairs minister, U Win Aung, the deputy foreign affairs minister, U Khim
Maung Win, the deputy minister for religious affairs, Brigadier General Thura
Aung Ko, and the director general of protocol in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and advisor to SPDC on religious affairs, U Ant Maung.

Ecumenical commitments
Addressing theological seminary faculty members and students at the Myanmar
Institute of Theology, Raiser talked about ecumenical theological education.
"Since theology is the reflection of the living faith of the country, it
should stay close to the living realities of Christian communities," he said.
Liberation of churches from institutional captivity is needed to strengthen
ecumenism, he added.

An exchange of views with the leadership of the Catholic bishops' conference
of Myanmar focused on common ecumenical tasks in pluralistic situations where
Christians are in a minority. Raiser attended a reception organized by the
Myanmar Baptist Convention, visited the International Theravada Buddhist
Mission University and Kaba Aye (world peace) pagoda and Shwe Dagan pagoda at
Yangon.

A 90-percent Buddhist country where Christians make up only about 6 percent
of the population, Myanmar has been in self-imposed isolation since 1962 when
a left-wing military coup overthrew the democratic government. A
pro-democracy movement was crushed in 1988, and another military government
has been in control of the country since then. 

At the close of his visit Raiser said: "We must bring the living realities
into dialogue, and think seriously about what it means to be a church
struggling against undue emphasis on nationalism and ethnicity." 

Myanmar was the third stop on a 26 February-9 March, four-nation WCC visit to
Asia that began in Laos, continued in Thailand and Myanmar and will end in
Pakistan. 

For further information, please contact the Media Relations Office,  tel: +41
(0)22 791 64 21 / 61 53

**********

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in
more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, which
meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in
1948 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary
Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

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