Bangladesh Catholic bishops express ‘support and solidarity’ with Church in Myanmar

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Bangladesh, through its Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace, has expressed support and solidarity with the people of Myanmar.

“We too share the pain and suffering of the peace-loving people of Myanmar who only want the democracy back, nothing more,” read a statement released by the bishops on April 6.

They said that it is “with grief and sadness” that they have have been following the recent incidents of seizure of power by the military and the “inhuman atrocities on the peaceful demonstrations.”

The statement signed by Bishop Gervas Rozario, chairman of the commission, said the Catholic faithful of Bangladesh “kneel down with Sister Ann Nu Thawng … who knelt in front of the military and pleaded with them to stop shooting the innocent people and instead to shoot her.”

The photo of the nun kneeling in front of policemen and soldiers in the middle of the street has become viral on social media.

“We too suffer when the people of Myanmar suffer. We too as neighbors feel the pain in our heart for the deprivation and oppression of the people of Myanmar,” said the statement.

The Church in Bangladesh “cannot but have the same experience of oppression with the Church in Myanmar,” it added.

The bishops called on Myanmar’s military junta “to be sensible” and “to sit with the relevant people” for a dialogue to solve the crisis. - Nikhil Gomez / RVA News