Persecution Index 9: Burma

Poor Burma. Its people's troubles are endless, as the story from which this pic is taken shows. There is a long history of persecution of Christians in Burma, as this article from January last year illustrates. But really Christians there are not targeted more than any other group, as the writer of the piece makes clear. The Buddhist religious are equally victims, as we have seen recently, of a regime determined to keep itself in power, even when its population is dying by the thousands  because of a freakish 'act of God'.

I am posting this because the general impression to potential donors might be that, because of the corrupt and incompetent regime, it is pointless giving money because funds won't get through. The Barnabas Fund, which has worked for many years in Burma to help the oppressed, is anxious to make clear that funds chanelled through are getting through to those who need them most.

Here is what they say:

'Barnabas Fund’s aid for Christian victims of the Burma cyclone is being channelled through Christian organisations and churches on the ground in Burma, to which we have access. It is NOT going through the Burmese government.

We have already sent a first grant and we would like to assure supporters that our partners are based in Burma and do not need to get visas to enter the country. They are already there.

Please do continue to give. There will be a great need for many months as we move from emergency relief to reconstruction and the rebuilding of the homes and lives of the Christian community.

We need to remember that Burma (Myanmar) has a long track record of persecuting Christians, especially through deliberate homelessness and starvation. So this disaster compounds the problem for our brothers and sisters. Please keep praying for them and for the whole country.

If you can give to help the Christian victims of the Burmese cyclone, please click this link to donate using our secure server. (Please quote project reference 75-745)

If you prefer to telephone, dial: 0800 587 4006 from within the UK or +44 1672 565031 from outside the UK. (Please quote project reference 75-745)

If you prefer to send a cheque by post: Click this link for addresses of our regional offices. (Please quote project reference 75-745)'

(I have a soft spot for Burma because my late grandfather, Prof Alan Gledhill, worked there as part of the British regime - he was a high court judge - until independence, when he had to leave on foot without any possessions except a brass Buddha which he passed on to me when he died. He ended up in Calcutgta and then at Soas and wrote lots of books, becoming something of an expert on the constitutions of both Burma and Pakistan. It is fashionable to knock our colonial days and of course there's no turning back the clock, but surely Burma at least might be better off today if the British had never left.)

Comments

[Dr. Irene Lancaster FRSA]

Totally right about Burma. I chaired the Liverpool Burma Support Group in the early nineties, which was supported by the Dalai Lama, David Alton MP and many others.

All religions worked together in this charity, the aim of which was to publicise the plight of the Burmese people and Aung San Suu Kyi in particular.

Many expatriate Burmese, living in Liverpool, said that the British had been much better than the Slorc!

I even received a nasty letter, written in Burmese, from the Burmese embassy in London. Luckily, I couldn't understand a word, but one of my Burmese friends read it through and said it was embarrassingly obscene and better not translated.

[Mike Homfray]

The Burmese re3gime is one of the world's worst - just about everyone who doesn't agree with the regime is persecuted.

I feel that it is sad that some countries appear to be able to get away with so much without intervention.

[Rick Beekman]

"Freakish act of God"??

According to all The lovable atheists on here there is no God.

According to Al Gore and The lovable enviormentalists..It was caused by "Global Warming" not God. (Unless it Snows Then they don't have any good explanations).
So let's all be Politically correct and believe what these good folks want you believe...throw out truth!