It is feared that the death tool will be high after a 7.7 quake struck the country, already devastated by four years of civil war. Local sources report the collapse of temples, mosques and churches, as well as bridges and other structures, some housing displaced people who had fled junta attacks. Roads between the main cities are closed. A priest offers a prayer for Myanmar: “How long, O Lord?”
On the feast day of St Joseph, the episcopal ordination of Mgr Raymond Wai Lin Htun, presided over by Card Charles Maung Bo. The Archbishop of Yangon warns against ethnic divisions: ‘Can we give in to the temptation to treat others on the basis of man-made identities, when instead we are all Children of God created in his image?’
Junta soldiers attack St Patrick's Catholic Church in Bhamo, Kachin, a day before Saint Patrick’s. In Mandalay at least 27 dead are killed in an airstrike today. Meanwhile, civilians protest against ethnic militias for abuses and forced recruitment. In Rakhine Chinese security personnel are already present to protect Chinese investments.
After the 2021 coup, Myanmar overtook Afghanistan with a production worth between US$ 589 million and US$ 1.57 billion. The economic crisis and war have pushed farmers and displaced people to turn to opium poppy cultivation, despite the meagre earnings. The flow of money finances both the military junta and ethnic rebel militias.
Despite reports of more people being freed, thousands remain at risk in compounds in Myanmar or even on the Thai border if their governments do not act. Analysts note that some Chinese citizens voluntarily work in online scams. Myanmar’s military and allied militias are out of sync with China because shutting down the centres would mean giving up an important source of income.
Southeast Asia expert Bridget Welsh analyses Kuala Lumpur's first steps at the helm of the bloc: the leadership will be successful if it puts ‘the interests of those who live in the region above those of its leaders’. ‘Calling for “inclusive elections” in Myanmar contradicts the real situation on the ground’.
