Myanmar's persecuted Christians fight for survival

As we celebrate Easter this month, we should reflect on those Christians who live in fear of persecution.

Across the world, millions of Christians live under the constant threat of imprisonment, violence, and death simply for their faith. This Easter we should consider the plight of this marginalised group which is the victim of around 80 per cent of religious violence worldwide, from Russian-occupied Ukraine where occupiers have arrested and killed religious leaders, to Pakistan where Christians are lynched, burned alive and jailed over false allegations.

Asian countries have seen the worst persecution of Christians, though this is often ignored by Western media. One country in particular, where Christian persecution has been overlooked is Myanmar (formally Burma), which has suffered from civil war and poverty ever since it became independent from Britain in 1948.

Following on from last week’s earthquakes in Myanmar which killed more than 2,000 people, Christians in the country are facing a more challenging time than ever. Since the military coup in 2021, many Christians, along with other minorities have been displaced by both war and persecution.

Myanmar’s military junta has indiscriminately attacked Christians in rebel-controlled areas, driving Christians out of their homes and forcing them to flee to the jungle. Christian villages are targeted, churches are destroyed, and pastors are killed. Christian ethnic minority groups like the Chin, Karen, and Kachin, have suffered from ethnic cleansing with allegations of chemical weapons being used against them. The junta, also known as the Tatmadaw, has often used airstrikes and executions to crush Christian resistance groups. Even after the recent earthquake, the Tatmadaw did not hesitate to continue its evil campaign of bombardment.

The Tatmadaw has also targeted Muslims in what has been described as a genocide. According to Human Rights Watch, starting in August 2017 the Myanmar security forces killed thousands of Muslims and burned down nearly 400 villages.

According to Open Doors, persecution in Myanmar is violent, systematic, and escalating. Like in many other countries, Christian converts are persecuted because they are seen as threatening the Buddhist ethos of communities which aim to exclude people of different faiths. This has often led to forced conversions to Buddhism and “Buddhist-only” villages. Because of the ongoing war, Christian women from ethnic minorities are especially vulnerable to sexual and physical assault by the Myanmar armed forces who act with impunity.

According to Yale Scholar David Moe, the ideology responsible for Christian persecution in Myanmar is Buddhist nationalism, which started as an anti-colonial movement and then was used to target minorities:

“After we gained independence from the British in 1948, Buddhist nationalism became an anti-ethnic minority movement. Many Buddhist nationalists believed that ethnic minorities easily embraced Western Christianity. That’s why they faced discrimination in the Buddhist majority country.”

In Myanmar, outside of academic circles, Buddhist nationalism is known as lumyo-gyi wada, which means the “domination of the majority race.” In a deeply divided country, to be Bamar (the majority ethnic group) is to be Buddhist, whereas to be Chin, Karen, or Kachin is to be Christian.

In the West, there is a conception that to be Buddhist is to be peace-loving and compassionate. Buddhists such as the Dalai Lama famously shun violence. Yet, unfortunately, as with other religions, some use Buddhism as a political tool for identity-based discrimination, and violent ethno-nationalism. In Sri Lanka as well as Myanmar Buddhist nationalist groups portray Christians as outsiders and have attacked churches.

Relentless persecution from both the junta and Buddhist nationalists has forced many Christians to fight back, with Christian militias playing a large role in the nation-wide resistance against the Tatmadaw. Groups such as the Kachin Independence Army, the Chin National Army, and the Karen National Liberation Army seek greater autonomy, protection of Christian rights in Myanmar, and an end to Buddhist nationalist oppression. While the aims of these groups are primarily political, they also see their fight as part of a holy war to conserve their religious freedom and protect their communities from annihilation.

Despite brave resistance from some, the ongoing civil war and worsening persecution have caused many Christians to flee Myanmar, with many seeking asylum in nearby Thailand and India. Between 2010 and 2020 approximately 125,137 refugees were admitted to the United States from Myanmar, many of whom were Christians from ethnic groups such as the Karen, Chin, and Kachin. So far, the UK has not accepted many Burmese refugees, with less than 14,000 Myanmar-born residents in the UK. This is because unlike the US, Australia, and Canada, the UK doesn’t have a resettlement program for Burmese refugees.

With Christians in Myanmar and other countries fearing for their lives in the face of harassment and violence, the UK cannot continue to ignore this issue. The government must follow the example of other Western nations and establish a specific resettlement program for Burmese refugees. More broadly the UK should also fast-track asylum for Christians who as a marginalised group face a specific threat.

In addition to providing humanitarian aid to Myanmar, Britain must work with and support resistance groups who are fighting back against the brutal junta. This could involve providing them with covert intelligence and weapons or imposing tough sanctions on Chinese and Russian firms that sell weapons to the junta.

For too long the plight of Myanmar’s Christians has been ignored. The Christian resistance in Myanmar is a fight for survival, faith, and freedom. This Easter, we should reflect on those fighting for their beliefs and stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar as they bravely resist the evil junta.