Analysis and recommendations: "Burma?s 2008 Constitution notes the ?special position? of Buddhism as the faith practiced by the majority, while Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Animism merely ?exist?.1 In practice, Buddhism is treated as the de facto State religion in Burma/Myanmar. In the Chin context, this interferes with the basic tenets of freedom of religion or belief as set out in the 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (the 1981 Declaration) in a number of ways. While State resources continue to be allocated for Buddhist infrastructure, there are ongoing restrictions on land ownership for religious purposes and on building and renovating Christian infrastructure.2 This is in spite of claims made in September by Minister for Religious Affairs U Hsan Hsint that his Ministry had already relaxed some regulations, such as the need to obtain step by step permission for maintaining, renovating, rebuilding, and constructing religious buildings. However, he noted that, "the Ministry will give suggestions" leaving some ambiguity as to how the relaxations would be implemented in practice, or at different levels of government.3 In 2013, senior government officials including President Thein Sein and the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Thura Shwe Mann visited Chin State for the first time since the nominally-civilian government took power in March 2011. However, they continued a decades-long pattern of official visits and events held on Sunday mornings in Chin State, with no respect for the right to freedom of religious assembly or the right to observe days of rest in accordance with the precepts of one?s religion or belief.4 Discrimination on the basis of religious identity continued to be a serious issue throughout 2013. Christian villagers in a remote part of southern Chin State reported threats to burn down their village if they continued to assemble for Christian worship, made by local government officials. Chin Christians continued to express concern about State resources allocated to the promotion of Buddhism, particularly at the State-run Border Areas National Races Youth Development Training schools (known locally as Na Ta La), where CHRO has previously documented coercion to convert to Buddhism. 5 In a positive development, Chin churches, pastors, Members of Parliament and other key stakeholders have begun to make concerted efforts to challenge the authorities regarding issues of freedom of religion or belief. A panel discussion on freedom of religion or belief at the historic Chin National Conference in Hakha from 12-15 November drew up 12 important recommendations to take forward with the authorities, including calls for the government to grant land ownership rights for religious purposes; guarantee freedom of religious worship, assembly and proselytizing; restore all Christians crosses that were destroyed under various pretexts; and replace the Ministry of Religious Affairs with an independent and impartial religious affairs commission in order to eliminate all kinds of religious discrimination. Recommendations to the Government of Burma/Myanmar 1. Adopt legislation that prohibits direct or indirect discrimination against persons from religious minority backgrounds. Such measures should include lifting the restrictions on land ownership for religious purposes and requirements to seek prior permission for building or renovating religious infrastructure at all levels of government."