Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis has hit the headlines in recent weeks due to an extraordinary number of Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar into Bangladesh. It is estimated that in less than three weeks, up to 400,000 Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar. They are fleeing mass human rights violations and atrocities, including: the burning of villages and crops, using petrol and rocket Read more
Prior to the announcement that he is to visit Mayannar, Pope Francis has appealed for an end to the violent persecution of the minority population in Burma. “Sad news has reached us of the persecution of our Rohingya brothers and sisters, a religious minority,” the Holy Father told pilgrims and tourist in St Peter’s Square. “I would like to Read more
Myanmar’s Catholic leaders are planning to rebuild their country, which has been devastated by decades of military rule. Last week 72 bishops, priests, nuns and laypeople attended a “Mission planning for nation building” workshop to find a common platform so they could “effectively contribute to the building of the nation”. Read more
Pope Francis welcomed Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to the Vatican last week as a new agreement between the Vatican and Myanmar was signed. The occasion saw Suu Kyi and Francis formally agree to a diplomatic relationship between the Vatican and Myanmar. The agreement says it aims to “establish diplomatic relations at the Read more
Rakhine State in western Myanmar is in crisis rights groups say as thousands of largely stateless Rohingya Muslims attempt to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, while others are agitating for dangerous boat trips to Malaysia amid reports of villages being razed and gang rapes by Myanmar’s military. At least 5,000 Rohingya have fled the religiously and Read more
Henry Van Thio, who lived in Dunedin from 2011 until last year, has been sworn in as second vice-president in a historic moment for Myanmar – formerly known as Burma. Only two years before his swearing in, he was working at Silver Fern Farms’ Finegand freezing works, while his wife Anna Sui studied towards a PhD Read more
During a meeting with Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Pope Francis has expressed his support for her commitment towards democracy in her country. While the Pope assured the Nobel Peace Prize winner of the Church’s support for her cause, he specified that the Church does not show discrimination but is at the service Read more
Authorities restored order in Myanmar’s northern Sagaing region on Sunday after a Buddhist mob set fire to nearly two dozen Muslim-owned buildings and attacked rescue workers in the latest widening of sectarian violence in the former military-run state. Reuters news agency reported that about 1,000 Buddhists, some carrying sticks and swords, attacked Muslim villagers in Read more
Up to 5,000 Burmese children living on the Thai border face severe malnourishment, as the international donor community withdraws funds and shifts its attention back to Burma. As many as 2,000 children are experiencing stunted growth and nearly 1,000 are acutely malnourished, said Andrew Scadding, director of the Thai Children’s Trust, during an interview with Read more
The landmines that the land is scattered with and the serious epidemics affecting children: are among the most pressing problems of the population of ethnic Kachin, in the north of Myanmar, the scene of the clash between government troops and Kachin Independence Army” rebels, according to Rishop Raymond Sumlut Gam, Bishop of Banmaw.
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