Burmese bishops say it is time to hope for change in the country
Rome (AsiaNews) – Although they chose not to take to the streets to march against the oppressive policies of the military junta, Myanmar’s Catholic spiritual leaders feel “close in their hearts” to Buddhist monks who spoke up on behalf of the suffering population. Two Burmese bishops, Mgr Raymond Po Ray from Mawlamyaing in the south, and Mgr Charles Maung Bo, archbishop of the former capital Yangon, cautioned the international community that the time has come to do something concrete to get some change; otherwise it is not clear when another opportunity might arise. AsiaNews met them in Rome where they took part in the 2nd World Congress of Ecclesial Organisations working for Justice and Peace held from 22 to 24 November.
How is the situation at present, three months since the first anti-government marches?
Mgr Po Ray: “Since September’s demonstrations the situation in the country remains tense. Even though everything seems under control, people are not happy about their difficulties and the government crackdown against monks and demonstrators. Many still remember the bloody events of 1988. In their hearts though, they want improvements in the country but are too scared to speak up.”
Mgr Bo: “The situation is calm but soldiers are everywhere. They control monasteries and watch over every step people take. Everyone is now scared to make any wrong move.”
How did the crackdown against protests unfold in your diocese?
Mgr Po Ray: “In Mawlamyaing the crackdown was not as bad as in Yangon. The authorities intervened right away to prevent demonstrations. They imposed tight controls so that there would be no “inconvenient” episodes. Young monks and students were forced to leave their monasteries; hence the military’s intervention was not as harsh.”
Mgr Bo: “What we saw in September was something exceptional. Monks took to the streets trying to tell the government how much the people were dissatisfied with its actions. They became people’s spokesmen. The government reacted beating them up. Some died and this cause anger among the Burmese. We told our priests and nuns not to take to the streets because we are minority and to pursue our work we must be cautious. Of course our faithful were free to join the protests, but in our hearts we were close to the Buddhist monks as well. In late September and in October in Yangon there were raids against monasteries at 2 o 4 at night. Anyone who tried to get close to the monks to offer them some water or food was arrested.”
What hope is there for the international community to convince the junta to begin a real dialogue with the opposition and free political prisoners?
Mgr Bo: “The international community reacted by using harsh words to condemn the military’s behaviour. As a human being I am not very hopeful that these pressures will bring any change, but as a Christian I must have hope. In fact, compared to the past, there was greater international mobilisation this time around. It seems to me that the government is trying to gain time in order to get back to how things used to be. If the international community does not act now with great resolve, I don’t know when we shall have another chance.
Ordinary people hope that the US might intervene the way they did in Iraq but that is not possible. China maintains a very diplomatic attitude. When there was the crackdown it condemned the violence but continued to see the issue as a “domestic affair” in which no one should intervene. But this is not the case. What happens in Myanmar is not a domestic matter and must be a concern for everyone. The generals usually try to rid themselves of anything that might threaten their power and position. They fear for their position and are scared that they might lose their privileges. They do not want to give up any power, but this is a sign of weakness. If the regime is not much more open, there won’t be any hope for the population. A compromise must be reached now; this is the time to show good will.”
Mgr Po Ray: “Somehow international pressure on the junta has improved things a bit, but at the same time people realise that the military is pursuing the same strategy, holding fast to its positions. Given the way international sanctions are structured, they do not affect the real interests of the junta, but do have repercussions on the population, which is very poor. We would like to see the region’s great powers raise their voice, take more concrete steps, and not limit themselves to simply encourage “dialogue.” China is the country with the greatest influence on the Burmese government. We hear that China and India might play a more positive role in encouraging changes and reforms in our country. The wishes and needs of the people are growing and are as big as their difficulties. This time we feel more supported from the outside world, and I have hope that things can improve. We need a constructive leadership; otherwise people will continue to suffer. At present no one can do anything on the short term. Given their moral authority among the country’s religious majority monks have tried to lead protests. They have been beaten and jailed; some have been killed. Still their initiative provided the population with a good example.
What contribution can Catholics make to the cause of peace and democracy in the country?
Mgr Bo: “I am convinced that the September incidents are partly the outcome of a long campaign of prayer for peace in which the Burmese Church has been engaged since 2005 in all its dioceses.
Mgr Po Ray agrees. “Prayer is the only thing we can offer to those who put their lives on the line fighting for democracy and respect for human rights.” He added that “Catholics’ contribution to the country is especially significant in the social, educational and health care fields. We are close to the poor. As a minority we cannot speak our mind openly since the government is determined to crackdown on any form of dissent. We want to continue to exist as a community and therefore must keep a low profile and be very careful.
How is the life of the Church in your respective dioceses? What are the difficulties you face and your fields of activities?
Mgr Po Ray: “I have been bishop in Mawlamyaing for the past 14 years. It is a rural diocese with seven thousand members, 19 priests and 27 nuns. People are victims of political and military intimidation, forced to work in ways that come close to slavery. We can only stand by and encourage them. We try to provide a minimum of education and teach them new, more useful practices. We cannot run any school but we can raise awareness among the population about the importance of work and the need to commit to the family.
The greatest problem is the political situation. People are fighting to survive and this is their main concern. They don’t pay much attention to religion. We try to bring religious values in their daily life and make them understand the importance of practicing.”
Mgr Bo: “In Yangon Catholics number about 80,000 with 90 priests. Working with locals we provide social and health programmes. We train teachers and provide health care in the remotest areas. The problem is that we must keep a low profile across the board if we want to continue our work. For this reason I encouraged every diocese to join in prayer rather than take to the streets. We are a small minority and must keep this in mind.”
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