There was a notable increase in the number of churches under military attack in Myanmar in recent weeks, said reports from communities and independent media organizations.
In several towns in Kayah and Shan states in the eastern part of the country fighting between the military and local militias and resistance groups caused damage to at least eight churches.
Among the churches that have suffered damage by the attacks are the Golden Temple of Jesus and Jeroblo Marian Shrine and Our Lady of Lourdes Cave in Pekon, Mother Mary’s Church in Moebye, St. Joseph’s Church in Demoso, the Catholic Church in Daw Ngan Khar Village, and St. Peter’s Church in Loikaw.
A Radio Free Asia report quoted a Catholic priest from Demoso in Kayah state saying, “It’s just a building, but it hurts people in their hearts. Are they just targeting us? I would like to appeal to both sides not to carry out such attacks in future.”
Hundreds of people have reportedly sought shelter in churches when soldiers attacked villages. During clashes in Moebye and Pekon, people sought sanctuary in churches, but government soldiers reportedly attacked the churches resulting in casualties among the civilians.
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Myanmar’s highest Catholic Church official, has earlier expressed “immense sorrow and pain” over the attack on churches in the country that resulted in the death of civilians. - LiCAS.news
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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