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Myanmar: Troops ‘have burned 30,000 homes,’ predominantly Christian Chin state among primary targets

September 1, 2022

The junta has not infrequently targeted Christian areas, and even churches, as it ostensibly hunts for anti-regime activity. It is likely indifferent to pleas not to target churches because in Myanmar as in other countries in the region, Christianity is seen as a foreign faith.

Christians make up about 8.2 percent of the population of Myanmar. Most of these Christians are Protestants, with Roman Catholics comprising most of the rest.

For more ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in Myanmar, see here.

“Myanmar troops ‘have burned 30,000 homes,'” UCA News, August 31, 2022:

Myanmar’s military junta has burned nearly 30,000 homes in the country during the past 19 months since it overthrew the democratically elected government, according to data compiled by a domestic research group.

Data for Myanmar said in a report released on Aug. 28 that junta soldiers had torched 28,434 houses since the military seized power on Feb.1, 2021.

The highest number of 20,153 houses were destroyed in the Sagaing region followed by 5,418 houses in the Magway region, both Bamar-Buddhist majority areas in central Myanmar.

The predominantly Christian Chin state in the country’s western region witnessed the burning of 1,474 houses. Another 1,389 homes were burned elsewhere.

The three regions are hotbeds of civilian resistance to military rule by the armed opposition People’s Defense Forces (PDF).

The villagers from those regions have witnessed fierce attacks including air strikes, heavy artillery and indiscriminate attacks on civilians that led to thousands of people being internally displaced.

“The junta leader denied committing arson”
At least 500 homes from historic Catholic villages like Chan Thar and Chaung Yoe in the Sagaing region were set ablaze during junta raids in May and June respectively.

Junta soldiers also burned civilian homes and property in Kachin, Kayah and Mon regions, southern Shan state, and in Bago, Tanintharyi and Mandalay regions.

In Chin state’s Thantlang town, hundreds of homes and several churches including Catholic ones were burned down by junta troops from last September to June, according to Church sources and rights groups….