"Ongoing and important political reforms in Burma have yet to significantly improve the situation for freedom of religion and belief. During the reporting period, most religious freedom violations occurred against et hnic minority Christian and Muslim communities, with serious abuses against mainly Christian civilia ns during military interventions in Kachin State and sectarian violence by societal actors targeting Muslims in Rakhine (Arakan) State. In addition, Buddhist monks suspected of anti-govern ment activities were detained or removed from their pagodas, and at least eight monks rema in imprisoned for participating in peaceful demonstrations. In addition to sometimes severe restrictions on worship, education, and other religious activities and ceremonies, religious gr oups continue to face a range of problems, including: pervasive surveillance, imprisonment, di scrimination, societal violence, destruction or desecration of property, and censors hip of religious materials. In light of these systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of freedom of religion and belief, USCIRF recommends that Burma again be designa ted as a ?country of particular concern” in 2013. The State Department has designated Burma as a CPC since 1999. Over the past year, the Burmese government continued to release po litical and religious prisoners, revised laws on media censorship and freedom of assembly, and allowed Aung San Suu Kyi?s National Democracy Party (NLD) to assume its seats in parliament. Nevertheless, Burma?s overall human rights record remains poor and the government was either unable or unwilling to curtail security forces or social actors who enga ged in serious abuses against religious minorities and others during armed conflicts in Kachin St ate and sectarian violence in Rakhine (Arakan) State. Rohingya Muslims, who are denied Burmese citizenship, experience widespread discrimination, strict controls over their religious activities and ceremonies and societal violence that is often incited by Buddhist monks and carried out with impunity by mobs and local militias, including police in Rakhine (Arakhan) State. In the past year, over 1,000 Rohingya have been killed, their villages and religious structures d estroyed, and women raped during attacks. In Kachin and northern Shan states, home to la rge Christian minority populations, the military conducted large operations beginnin g in January 2013. The military reportedly continues to limit religious worship and forcibly promote Buddhism as a means of pacifica tion in these areas and targets Christians for forced labor, rape, intimida tion, and destruction of religious sites. The government also continues to censor religious pub lications and prohibits the import of Bibles and Qu?rans in indigenous languages . Released prisoners face harassment and restrictions, including U Gambria, the head of the All-Burma Monks Alliance. .."