Church Leaders Demand Stop to Repression by Military in Burma   

Leaders of churches and Christian institutions in Delhi have called on the Christians around the world and the church organisations at global, continental and national levels to create awareness regarding the repression and brutalities by the Military Junta in Burma , and demanded that the international community exert pressure on the dictatorial Burmese government to restore democracy and human rights.  

The gathering of Christian leaders at the CNI Bhawan, New Delhi on Thursday 18th October 2007 heard the Burmese leaders in exile narrate details of the misrule by the successive military governments since 1962, and suspension of the political rights as well as the universal human rights of the people.

Dr. Tint Swe, MP of National League for Democracy elected in 1990, said that in absence of a constitutional framework to govern the country, the military has crushed the democratic aspirations of the people, plundered the natural resources, and the social and human development requirements of the people have been ignored and put on the back burner.

Ms. Thin Thin Aung of Women's league of Burma said that the leaders of Karen, Mong, Shan, Kachin, Arakan and Chin minorities in exile have been meeting in Thailand to draft state and national Constitution providing a federal government structure.  Ms. Aung urged the people and the government of India to exert pressure on the Military Junta for a dialogue with the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for early restoration of democracy in Burma .

The representatives of the Chin, Kachin and Arakan minorities highlighted the discrimination experienced under the polity of ethnic cleansing adopted by the military to achieve Burmanisation of the population.

The meeting constituted an ecumenical core group to mobilise participation of Christian laity, clergy and programme beneficiaries of Christian institutions and organisations in Delhi in series of activities as candle light vigils, sit-ins, demonstrations, rallies, exhibitions, campus meetings, etc to demand action by the Indian government and the international  community to stop brutalities on Burmese people by the Military Junta.

The meeting was jointly organised by the Synod of the Church of North India and the Commission on Polity and National Governance of the National Council of Churches in  India .  Rev.Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, the General Secretary, CNI Synod and Chairman, NCCI Commission on Polity and National Governance presided over the meeting.  The Refugee Desk of The Other Media and Burma Solidarity group facilitated the interaction.  Fr. Dominic Emmanuel, Spokesperson for the Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi , did consolidation of the proposed action plan.