Ethnic rebels who closed more than 100 churches in eastern Myanmar (Burma) in 2018 have allowed many to reopen, sources said in late December.
Ethnic Wa rebels of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) announced they had permitted 51 Baptist churches to reopen in northern Shan state after investigating the congregations and their activities for 14 months. The review process is still underway for the remaining churches, according to UWSA officials.
At least ten church buildings were destroyed when UWSA troops closed the churches in September 2018 and detained more than 200 Christians, who were later released after investigation.
‘We are investigating the rest of the churches. We shut down the churches because some people who work at the churches were very extreme,’ Nyi Rang, in charge of UWSA’s liaison office in Lashio town, northern Shan state, told Morning Star News: ‘… there were many churches. It created disunity with local ethnic communities.’
The General Secretary of Lahu Baptist Convention, identified only as ‘Rev Lazarus’, said the churches were not extreme.
‘I don’t think churches and our religious activities create division and problems, because we have churches that belong to ethnic Wa, Kachin, Lahu, Ahkar and Lisu,’ Lazarus said.
Most of the population in the Wa region bordering China worships spirits. Many ethnic races such as the Lahu, Ahkar, Kachin, Lisu, as well as some Wa, however, are Christian. There are some Buddhists in the region.
The UWSA is Burma’s largest ethnic armed group, with an estimated 30,000 soldiers. Its leaders have communist views, a reflection of their long-time proximity to the Chinese border.
Lazarus said denomination officials were very happy that 51 churches were reopened.
