Churches burnt by Myanmar military

At least two churches have been burned down by the Myanmar military in the Thantlang township of the Chin state.

That’s according to The Chin, an organisation that campaigns for human rights and democracy for the ethnic Chin and all peoples from Myanmar.

Writing on Twitter, the organisation reported that the Assembly of God Church and a church belonging to the Thantlang Association of Baptist Churches were among 50 buildings burnt to the ground on 30th December by the Myanmar military.

It also claimed that Light Infantry Battalions 222 and 269, as well as Light Infantry Division 66, were responsible for “the arson fires.”

But this is not the first time churches have been burnt in the Chin state. According to the Chin Human Rights Organization, at least 22 churches were burned down or destroyed between August and November in 2021.

The attack comes a week after at least 35 people were burnt alive, including two Save the Children workers in Kayah State, also carried out by the Myanmar military according to the Karenni Human Rights Group (KHRG).

The UN has said the people of Myanmar face an ‘unprecedented’ crisis in 2022. According to a new report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) the turmoil is projected “to have driven almost half the population into poverty heading into 2022” and “projects that 14.4 million people will need aid in some form”.  

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