The president of the Myanmar Bishops’ Conference is urging all parties to immediately end violence in the country after nearly four years of civil war.
Lisa Zengarini – Vatican City
«May 2025 be the year when peace flourishes in every heart and corner of Burma“, wrote the Archbishop of Rangoon and President of the Episcopal Conference of Burma (CBCM), Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, in a message for the new year and as the Church begins its Jubilee of Hope.
Nearly four years of civil war
Myanmar has been gripped by unrest since February 1, 2021, when the military overthrew the elected civilian government led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD). Pro-democracy protests following the coup were violently repressed, sparking a nationwide civil and then armed rebellion involving the different ethnic groups that make up the country.
Since the putsch, the army accused by the UN of “systematic violations of human rights” reportedly killed more than 6,000 civilians. More than 28,000 Burmese people have also been arrested, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who is serving a 27-year sentence linked to 14 criminal charges ranging from incitement to corruption to electoral fraud. Pope Francis, ready to welcome him to the Vatican, called for his release on September 24.
The junta in difficulty
After four years of civil war, the junta, which benefits from the support of China and Russia, has however suffered defeat after defeat in its fight against the various armed ethnic alliances, which today control more than half of the country.
At the origin of several calls for reconciliation in recent years, Cardinal Bo offered, on the occasion of the new year, his vision of the situation and the way forward so that the country regains dignity and hope . In his message, as reported by the Uca agency, the Archbishop of Yangon calls for an immediate end to the violence and the priority protection of civilians, particularly children. “No life should be neglected, no community marginalized», he writes.
According to the United Nations, which denounces war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the junta, the conflict has displaced more than 3.3 million civilians in this country of 54 million inhabitants. More than half of the population today lives below the poverty line.
Reconciliation and justice as a path to peace
Cardinal Bo said that young people are “the architects of peace”, highlighting the urgent need for the nation to provide them with opportunities and education. In doing so, he added, “we give them the means to rebuild not only their lives, but also the soul of our nation».
The president of the Burmese Episcopal Conference also suggests working towards reconciliation in order to achieve peace: “Reconciliation is not just a process, it is a choice – the choice to love beyond pain, to build beyond destruction».
Establishing justice and dignity also leads to peace, Cardinal Bo noted. “True peace transcends the absence of war; it embodies the presence of justice, security and dignity for all“, he said. “It is built on the foundation of trust, nourished by compassion and sustained by hope».
A woman prays for her loved ones on All Saints’ Day at the Kanasoekone Christian cemetery in the village of Wakema, November 2, 2024.
Failed diplomatic efforts
Despite repeated calls from the local Church and Pope Francis to end the violence, the Burmese military junta has shown no signs of appeasement, particularly in the predominantly Christian and Bamar regions. Catholic churches in Kayah and Chin states were razed by airstrikes and artillery, forcing thousands to flee.
All diplomatic efforts deployed so far, notably by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have failed to end the conflict and the junta’s promises to hold elections in 2025 have sparked widespread skepticism. On the other hand, the fragmentation of the country into several ethnic entities risks leading to a sort of balkanization making future reunification difficult, even in the event of the restoration of a democratic regime.
Promise of amnesty
On January 4, the military government announced the release of nearly 6,000 prisoners as part of an amnesty marking the Southeast Asian country’s Independence Day. However, there is no indication that Aung San Suu Kyi would be among the released prisoners.
Families of detainees looking for their loved ones just released by the army.
