Burma agony continues
BAPTISTS are among those hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis, while Christians are being denied relief ai d by the Burmese authorities, according to latest reports.
More than 10,000 members of the Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) died when the cyclone struck the country on May 2 and 3. A further 94,000 have suffered loss of home and other property, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) has stated.
A leader of the MBC, whose family narrowly escaped death and injury when a tree fell on their home during the storm, told the BWA that members of his convention are in some of the hardest hit areas, such as Kayin, Pwo Kayin and Asho Chin.
Many church buildings have been destroyed, and the headquarters of the MBC has been badly damaged.
The difficulties faced by Christians in Burma have been further highlighted by Release International, a charity which supports those imprisoned for their faith.
The charity reported it has received information from its partners that the ruling military is denying aid to some Christian groups in the country.
These include the minority Karen people, many of whom are Christians.
A source, referred to as 'Pastor Barnabus', told the charity, 'When international aid arrived, the authorities discriminated against Christians.
'Those with the 'C-virus' (Christians) don't get aid.
'The junta is systematically carrying out an ethnic Christian minority cleaning operation.'
Karen survivors are hiding because of rumours the authorities will force them to undertake road construction, 'like prisoners on a chain gang', Pastor Barnabus added. Local churches had pooled their resources to take rice and other essentials to them.
He continued, 'It is clear they (the ruling military) want to replace the people of the fertile swamp delta area - the rice bowl of Burma - with the ethnically Burman people.
'And they want to drive the Karen to a different location to mix them with the Burman.'
Release International fears the junta may use the aftermath of the cyclone for ethnically cleansing groups that are predominately Christian.
CEO Andy Dipper said, 'Release is concerned that access to many of those in need is still being denied, as a result of discrimination against Christians.
'We remain troubled that international relief funds might be misused to forcibly relocate people on grounds of their ethnicity or faith.
'Any relocation of internally displaced persons from camps or disaster areas must be voluntary.
'They should not be coerced in any way - including through the suspension of aid.
'These people should be allowed to return to their former homes in safety and with dignity.'
Back in England, a campaign advocating regime change in Burma was launched by Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Premier Christian Media.
The campaign, endorsed by Bishop Desmond Tutu, highlights the current crisis in Burma and calls for urgent and meaningful change in the country.
There have also been reports that donations currently received have been less than expected, due to the actions of the military regime.
But despite these problems, international aid has reached around a million people affected by the cyclone, including many Christians, agencies have stressed.
The Disasters Emergency Committee, of which Christian Aid, Tearfund and World Vision are members, has reported on the 'heroic efforts' of its agencies.
The MBC for instance, which is partnered by Tearfund, organised the 'Nargis Relief and Rehabilitation Central Committee' to assist those affected.
Tearfund relief teams have reported they have reached 55,000 people and are focusing on giving food, water, shelter, medical supplies, basic medical treatment and provision of generators to pump clean water to those in the worst affected areas.
BWAid Rescue24, a search, rescue and relief effort of Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of the BWA, sent a team to work through MBC and the Karen Baptist Convention, one of MBC's smaller conventions.
It has been offering aid to six camps where internally displaced people are housed.
The team reported that 'the assistance is literally saving lives at this point, with situations of widespread diarrhoea, and serious electricity and water shortages.'
The relief efforts received a boost when United Nations general secretary, Ban Ki-Moon looked to have secured a pledge from Burma's top leader to let all foreign aid workers into the country.
Until that point the UN had estimated that only a quarter of people were being reached.
Elsewhere, the Revd Joel Edwards, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, urged evangelical Christians to keep up their efforts to support relief work in both Burma and China.
He said, 'We need to pray and give, give, give to organisations that can help the afflicted.'
Release International's partners in Burma have mobilised a network of pastors, students and churches to provide shelter for hundreds of homeless families.
By courtesy of the Baptist Times
 | 