Categories: christianity
Date: 03 March 2009 00:29:43
Today's country is Burma (Myanmar)
Official languages: Burmese, Shan, Karen, local languages
Burma has around 4 million Christians (9% of the total population). Most Christians are members of the non-Burmese ethnic minorities such as the Chan and Karen (pron: Ka-ren - not as in the girl's name). Christians can be discriminated against based on their ethnicity and their faith.
Whole villages have been destroyed and the army sometime requires Christians to do forced labour on Sundays or Christian festivals. Children can be lured away from their families to train as Bhuddist monks. It is forbidden to print Bibles and smuggled copies can be confiscated and burned.
Some Christian areas were discriminated against following Cyclone Nargis and were barred from receiving assistance offered by international aid. Many lives were devasatated and have had to wait many months for any kind of aid.