March 6, 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.

World Council of Churches