For Mgr Peter Louis Ca Kü, in eastern Myanmar, "We cannot defeat the drug lords or a brutal government,” but “By educating young people, we can make them more aware about political issues.” His diocese has 60,000 members. Colleges house students from poor farming families to keep them in school and away from drugs and human trafficking. The current regime “appears more democratic, but there has been no change of heart.”

Kengtung (AsiaNews) - We cannot "defeat the drug lords or a brutal government, nor those who incite religious extremism and violence against women and children. We can only educate young people, and do the best we can,” said Mgr Peter Kü Ca Louis, 63.

Speaking about his diocese’s mission, which is in Shan State, eastern Myanmar, the bishop, who has been the bishop of Kengtung since 2002, noted, "Education is the priority of our diocesan programme for now and the future. Our approach to evangelisation is holistic: we do not try to save people's souls without also saving their body."

The diocese of Kengtung lies on the border with China, Laos and Thailand, the so-called "golden triangle", a world hub for the production of heroin and methamphetamine. The diocese "is quite big compared to the rest of Myanmar and has more than a million people. Catholics number more than 60,000."

"The community is quite lively,” Mgr Ca Kü said. “We have some groups for young people. For instance, the St Dominic Association brings together children, the choir and the altar boys.

“Our educational programmes are offered in schools with residence halls that we set up in various parishes. in these facilities, we house students (especially tribal Akhas) because their parents are poor and cannot take care of them since they have to work all day long. We help them with after-school activities, tutoring and moral and religious education, although not all of them are Christian or ready to convert."

"Before I became bishop,” Mgr Ca Kü said, “education levels in the diocese were very low. At present, it has gone up a lot. About 600-700 children in the diocese are university graduates.” At the same time, “We are very concerned about issues like drugs, human trafficking, and exploitation. We are trying to keep kids away from all this.”

“In theory, public education in Myanmar is free,” the bishop said, “but that is actually a joke because they [the government] raised every imaginable tax. Thus, life is much more expensive than in the past."

For Mgr Ca Kü, education is the only way to make the country more democratic. "We are praying for free and fair elections,” the prelate said speaking about the elections of 8 November. “If it is time for a change of government, we hope that it will better than the one in power today.”

“The problem with politics is that it appears more democratic, but there has been no change of heart. Politicians do not appreciate people as they ought to. By educating young people, we make them more aware about political problems, hoping that some of them may want to pursue this kind of career. In view of its history, this country is not accustomed to participatory politics."

"We have few Christians in parliament,” Mgr Ca Kü said, “with limited political weight.” In fact, “We lost the debate over the polygamy and conversion laws, which limit freedom of conscience and which we opposed as a Bishops’ Conference. For this reason, it is important to educate the new generations: everyone should get involved in politics."

PIME missionaries evangelised the area of Kengtung after they arrived in 1912. Erected in 1927 as an apostolic prefecture, Kengtung was elevated to the status of diocese in 1955.

"At present, there are no more missionaries,” the bishop noted. “We have 40 priests, all locals, 30 seminarians in the diocese’s minor and intermediate seminaries and another 20 in the major seminary in Yangon."

"Since we are close to the border with other states, we work a lot with the tribals and immigrants, especially Chinese. We get many conversions. Every year we celebrate between 2,000 and 5,000 baptisms."

Relations with the government are good. “President Thein Sein paid a friendly visit to our diocese,” the prelate said. “My duty is to protect people and I must be diplomatic. We talk frequently with local authorities and they do not hinder us. "

“The desire to convert is always the last thing in our work of evangelisation, never the first,” Mgr Ca Kü said. “We provide farmers with financial help, as well as health assistance and education. We encourage them to plan for the future. If someone wants to convert, our door is open.”

“Some time ago, we organised a conference to mark the 500th anniversary of the arrival of missionaries in Myanmar,” the bishop said. “Many non-Christian historians and experts spoke. One of the most beautiful comments was, 'You Catholics never force anyone to convert'."

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