Posts Tagged ‘Myanmar’

Myanmar government head offered refuge in Vatican City

Thursday, September 26th, 2024
Myanmar

Pope Francis has urged the release of the ousted leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, and offered her refuge in the Vatican. The Pope’s plea was revealed in a conversation with Jesuits during his trip to Southeast Asia from September 2 to 13. The Italian daily Corriere della Sera published excerpts from these talks Read more

Myanmar junta restricts cash withdrawal at banks amid economic crisis

Monday, July 22nd, 2024

Amid steep inflation and a freefalling economy, Myanmar banks have begun restricting the amounts of cash that can be withdrawn daily, according to residents, a bank branch, and a bank officer who told Radio Free Asia it was to prevent a bank run. “People have experienced more anxiety,” the bank officer said, referring to the Read more

In Myanmar, priest shot while celebrating Mass

Monday, April 15th, 2024
priest shot

A priest who was shot while celebrating Mass in Myanmar’s Kachin state last Friday is seriously injured. Church sources say two men opened fire on 40-year-old Father Paul Khwi Shane Aung during the early morning service. “They were wearing black clothes and masks and entered the church on a motorcycle to shoot the priest three Read more

Landmines leave Myanmar’s children biggest losers

Monday, April 8th, 2024
Landmines

Children are affected most when landmines and explosives are used in conflicts, UN children’s agency UNICEF says. A new report from the agency says the landmine and explosive legacy in Myanmar (formerly Burma) killed or maimed at least 210 children last year. Those children represent over 20 percent of last year’s 1,052 civilian casualties in Read more

Civilians, clergy forced to flee Myanmar cathedral amid army takeover

Thursday, November 30th, 2023

Civilians, including elderly residents and patients seeking refuge, were compelled to evacuate a Myanmar cathedral as junta soldiers forcibly seized control on November 27. Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw and clergy members, alongside a congregation of worshippers, found themselves displaced from Christ the King Cathedral in Loikaw due to the intrusion. “It’s sorrowful to Read more

More than 550 doctors fired by Myanmar junta for refusing to work in protest

Thursday, November 3rd, 2022

The Myanmar junta’s Ministry of Health has fired 557 government-employed doctors who left their jobs to protest against the military government, revoking their licences at a time when medical professionals are in short supply, sources in the country’s medical community said on Tuesday, citing an official list. The striking doctors joined other government workers in Read more

Myanmar military surround Catholic church with landmines

Monday, September 19th, 2022

Surrounding the church with landmines does not surprise Frank Bird (pictured). The New Zealand priest has just returned from the Myanmar-Thai border. Landmines surround a Catholic church in Myanmar. Before mining it, the military had been using the church as a kitchen. The military junta’s mining of the Mother of God church in Mobye, a Read more

30,000 and counting … Myanmar’s troops burn homes, churches, villages

Thursday, September 1st, 2022
Myanmar's burning

Myanmar’s military junta has burned nearly 30,000 homes, churches and villages during the past 19 months. That’s how long it is since the junta overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government. Domestic research group Data for Myanmar says troops had torched 28,434 houses since the military seized power on 1 February 2021. This year in May and Read more

Real power comes from service

Thursday, August 26th, 2021
real power

Governments get their legitimacy from service to the people says Cardinal Charles Bo. “Real power, as Pope Francis often cited, comes from service. Not imposing power on the innocents,” the Myanmar cardinal said recently in a homily. “For any government, in any just country, the government is not above the people. “The government is one Read more

‘We cannot wait!’ pleads Catholic missionary in Myanmar

Monday, May 17th, 2021

On Sunday, May 16, Pope Francis celebrated a Mass in Rome for Myanmar Catholics on the Feast of the Ascension, underlining his religious and diplomatic efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the troubled Southeast Asian country. Myanmar, once known as Burma, spiralled into violence when military forces took over the country on Feb. 1, Read more