ASIA/MYANMAR - Cardinal Bo: "The country needs peace and freedom; the role of the army is to protect, not to attack the people"

Friday, 12 March 2021 cardinals bishops violence peace democracy civil society human rights

MYANMAR

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Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - "In this Lenten season let us not abandon the hope that Myanmar will rise again. The path to be followed with faith, love and dialogue is a path of truth and justice, which leads to freedom, peace and democracy. To reach it we need the prayer of all our brothers and sisters in the world": these are the heartfelt words, released to Agenzia Fides, by Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Salesian Archbishop of Yangon and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar, highlighting the sentiments of the Catholic community who lives in Myanmar, in the midst of social and political tension. The Cardinal, who is also President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences and co-president of the "Religions for Peace International" organization describes "with deep sorrow" the situation in the country which, after the coup of 1 February, "has suddenly returned to the nightmare of military repression, of brutality, violence and dictatorship".
On the other hand, the Cardinal praises "the incredible courage, commitment and creativity of our people", who demonstrate peacefully, giving "a sign of maturity": "Young people and all citizens show tenacity and resilience: they are determined not to allow that democracy, freedom and peace, conquered with difficulty, can all of a sudden be canceled. Young people do not accept that their hope is stolen. Their strength of mind is a great inspiration for all of us", he says to Fides, noting the "mutual solidarity between people of different ethnic groups and religions, side by side for the same cause, a good for the people".
"The nation - he asserts - is experiencing a moment of great trial and suffering, marked by bloodshed, pain, mourning", as "many innocent people are injured, killed or arrested", while "in the states of Myanmar inhabited by ethnic minorities the military has resumed attacking civilians, causing thousands of internally displaced persons". Cardinal Bo hopes for "a Myanmar in which the military lower their weapons, leave power and do what an army should do: protect, certainly not attack, the people".
In this context of violence, he continues, "the Lord calls the Church to be an instrument of justice, peace and reconciliation, to be "her hands and feet "in comforting the afflicted, in contrasting hatred with love, in saving human lives". And he concludes: "From prayer and from the Word of God we welcome a message of hope which is the center of our faith. We, the Church in Myanmar, cherish this message in our hearts. We will pray and work for a new Myanmar to rise from this tragedy, as a nation in which "every human being is truly a participant of fundamental rights and freedoms and where authentic peace is enjoyed". (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 12/3/2021)