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Prayers and Fasting for Burma in Ko



Subject: Prayers and Fasting for Burma in Kobe 

>From the Church Bulletin
September 29, 1996
Sacred Heart Church
Kobe Central Parish, 
Kobe, Japan

Editor's Corner

Today I'd like to commend to you a special intention, the country of Burma
(called Myanmar by the military junta illegally in power there).  Most
people in Burma are Buddhist, but there are also large numbers of Moslems,
especially on the west side near Bangladesh, and a couple of tribes that are
Christians, a large number of the Karens and especially the Karenni tribe
which is mostly Catholic. (Not that you can't have a cause which is
something besides Christian.)

There is a strong Catholic presence, with several dioceses, though all
foreign missionaries were deported years ago.  A new bishop was recently
appointed to a northern diocese whose former bishop died two years ago, and
the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (the order that used to own our own
Kaisei Hospital), now all Burmese, are planning the celebration of their
centenary in Burma in 1998.  Oct. 1-12 the Regina Mundi Conference of Women
Religious will be held in Rangoon.  This summer I sent the Karenni refugees
in camps inside the border of Thailand some cards from Sr. Elena, with our
greetings and prayers, and a bunch of donated clothes.

The junta is a brutal one which has squelched the pro-democracy movement
since it took power in a bloody coup in 1988, holding Nobel Peace Prize
winner Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest for nearly six years until last
summer.  It uses forced labor to support the military (to carry supplies and
walk in front to take the brunt of the land mines) and to build roads,
railroads and pipelines, moves whole villages for better political control,
plays the various tribes and tribal factions off against each other and in
general treats its citizens extremely badly.

The junta are willing to look like they're doing whatever people say they
should -- destroy the opium trade, start democracy, release political
prisoners, etc. -- for a short while, at least, to win aid and investment
from outside countries, but as soon as they get what they want, they break
their promises and spend the money for more weapons to keep themselves in
power.  Afraid of China which has become friendly with Burma (a potential
warm-water port for the Chinese), ASEAN countries have a policy of
"constructive engagement", but the US, at least, has not sent Burma an
ambassador for years and maintains a degree of embargo against the
government which it promises to strengthen if the junta harms Suu Kyi or
does nay more to interfere with the legitimate political activity of the
pro-democracy movement.

In the last few days news reports have said Suu Kyi will soon be charged
with illegal actions against the state, and her party's most recent meeting
has been banned this week.

This has led students in high schools and universities throughout the world
to play a 3-day fast, October 7-9, to protest the gross violations of human
rights in Burma and express support for democracy there.  It is also asked
that on the weekend of Oct. 4-6, communities of all religions offer prayers
for Burma and for its political prisoners' release and in support of the
fast.  It would be very good if we could participate in some way to show
solidarity with this activity.  Next week I will have some badges you can
wear on those days to show your support.  The more groups that join these
actions, the stronger the statement made to the junta, that there is
international public sentiment against them.  At the back of the church
there are copies of a small poser advertising the event.  Please take one
and put it up somewhere.

Apart from this event, we have an ongoing project to collect old eyeglasses
for those camps.  If you have any pairs of glasses which are not broke but
not used any more, you can bring them to me and they will get put to good
use by grateful refugees.