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Burma

• People Call for Prayer as Cross is Destroyed

  The people of Chin State in Myanmar (Burma), are calling for a day of prayer on January 30 for the persecuted Christians in their state.  The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) is also calling for protests at embassies around the world.  The Chin people are predominantly Christian and have experienced numerous incidents of persecution from Myanmar's military regime.

  In a recent act of opposition to the presence of Christianity in Myanmar, government forces defaced and then destroyed a fifty-foot concrete cross on a hilltop on Matupi Township of southern Chin State on January 3.  A cross had been in that location for two decades as a testimony to their faith in Christ.  Since the mid-1990's, the government forces have destroyed at least half a dozen crosses and several churches in Chin State.  In many cases, these have been replaced with Buddhist pagodas.  It is rumoured that this is also planned in the latest incident.  The CHRO believes that "the destruction of crosses, church buildings and persecution of Christian religious leaders are evidently designed to crush the will and psychology of Chin Christians to preserve and defend their religious, cultural and ethnic identity." 

  Pray for the Chin people as they stand firm in the face of opposition from this brutal regime.  We encourage Christians around the world to write their government leaders as well as Myanmar embassies to protest the persecution of the Chin people and other Christians in Myanmar.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Myanmar,click here.

• Five Christians Released from Prison

  On June 18, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on five Christians who had been arrested in Myanmar. (For more information, see https://www.vomcanada.com/mm-2003-06-18.htm). The charges arose from a dispute with the government over orphanages confiscated for military use. In court, the men were convicted of selling children and given the option of life in prison or death.

  However, on July 8, news was received by VOM Australia that the five men had been released after court proceedings. Praise God for His intervention in this matter. Pray for these men and other Christians facing continued harassment at the hands of the military dictatorship in Myanmar (formerly Burma).

• Five Christians Arrested

  Five Christians were arrested in Myanmar (Burma) last week including a pastor. They have been charged with selling children and given the choice between life in prison or the death sentence.

  According to sources for The Voice of the Martyrs, the military had confiscated twenty-two orphanages for military use. Pastor Run Hesh Ling and Sa Tin Khup tried to prevent this from happening, which lead to the arrests. Arrested along with these men were Sa Tin Khup's daughter, Cung Hlen, Mr. Thongte, and Mr. Lowib.

  Please pray for strength and endurance for these believers. Torture by the Myanmar military is common. Pray that they will remain faithful.