Persecution of Chin Christians stressed in British House of Commons

12 December 2013: A December 3 debate in the House of Commons of the British Parliament highlighted the persecution of Chin Christians in Burma.

Kerry McCarthy, MP of the Labour Party, said in the debate that the Chin Christians had been targeted for their ethnicity and their faith.

She added that the Chin Human Rigths Organization (CHRO) documented cases of forced labour, more than 40 separate incidents of torture, and 24 official complaints from Chin Christians of human rights violations, including rape and extra-judicial killing, where no action was taken against the perpetrators.

In September last year, CHRO members had met with Kerry McCarthy during their advocacy trip to Europe following their report on persecution against ethnic Chin Christians in Burma.

Meanwhile, a press conference held in Rangoon last week by the Chin National Conference (CNC) put stress on the ongoing discrimination against Chin Christians on the basis of religion and ethnicity.

Salai Bawi Lian Mang, CHRO Executive Director, said at the event that at least 20 Christian crosses in Chin State had been demolished over a period of 20 years by successive Burma authorities.

More than 100,000 Chins have fled the country as refugees into neighbouring countries including India, Malaysia and Thailand mainly due to human rights violations and discrimination.

Salai Lian Bawi Thang, from CHRO, spoke at the Rangoon press conference emphasizing on the fact that over 50 Burma Army battalions were deployed for security in Chin State and questioning why such numbers were needed.

Until recently, Chin Christian pastors had been attacked but no action had been taken by the authorities.

In Chin State, Christian churches and organizations still face difficulties in obtaining permission to renovate and construct Christian infrastructure despite positive changes claimed by the central government of Burma.#