Bishop on Myanmar civil war: ‘We are repeating the story of Cain and Abel’

A Myanmar bishop lamented the destruction and suffering caused by the country’s ongoing civil war, which he compared to the conflict between Cain and Abel.

“I am ashamed of my country because of the conflicts… between brothers,” said Mawlamyine Bishop Maurice Nyunt Wai in his exclusive interview with Father Kasmir Nema of Radio Veritas Asia (RVA).

“We are repeating the story of Cain and Abel from Genesis,” he said. “We are not defending our country from invaders or foreigners. We are harming our own brothers. We don’t feel that the other person is part of ourselves.”

In 2021, Myanmar’s military staged a coup that toppled the country’s democratic leadership.

The ongoing conflict saw skirmishes of pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias against the junta’s soldiers, causing thousands of deaths and millions of displaced citizens.

Bishop Nyunt Wai said that he is actively working on addressing this issue as the newly appointed chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission.

He shared his plans to create “communities of peace” with other religions, Christian denominations, and the vast number of ethnic groups scattered throughout Myanmar.

The bishop is eager to accomplish this goal even though Catholics are a minority in Myanmar and the civil war engagements constantly impeding their travels.

“We have to create an atmosphere of peace around us, even if we cannot solve the country’s problems,” he said.

Bishop Nyunt Wai explained that such efforts can be a huge contribution to the work of peacebuilding, no matter how simple they may be.

“We are working and journeying together despite all of our sufferings and the chaotic situation,” said the prelate. “These difficulties and sufferings force us to be more united... Unless we are united, we cannot stand.”

The bishop encouraged the faithful to keep their faith amid the ongoing civil war.

“This is the time of eclipse, but the eclipse will pass away,” he said. “The day will come for the sun of righteousness to shine on us. Now, we are suffering, but we are not suffering alone. Jesus is suffering with us  and inside us.”

“One day, Good Friday will pass, and the Risen Lord's Day will come. We must be patient and resilient. After the dark night, the dawn will come, and the day will shine,” he also said.

As of April 2024, resistance groups are in control of more than half of Myanmar’s territory.