ASIA/MYANMAR – Bishops: “Compassion and hope in the face of the polycrisis in Myanmar”

Yangon – “This is not the moment to give up. It is the moment to find the embers of hope in the ashes of pain. Peace is possible; peace is the only way. Let us not be ruled by hatred. Let us not let despair prevail. Our response should be simple: compassion in action, gently spoken truth, and tirelessly striving for peace,” the bishops of Myanmar declared in a heartfelt appeal published today, October 29. It was drafted during an online assembly addressing the situation of the Church community after four years of civil war. … The text, entitled “A Message of compassion and hope in the Face of Myanmar’s Polycrisis,” sent to Fides and which was signed by all Burmese bishops, begins with a bitter observation of the reality on the ground: “Throughout our beloved country, from north to south, from east to west, our people are facing a crisis unprecedented in recent history. This is not a single tragedy. It is what experts call a ‘polycrisis,’ in which multiple crises overlap and exacerbate one another. We are experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, displacement, economic collapse, and a deep social fracture.” The first aspect highlighted is the impact on the people: “The suffering of the people breaks our hearts more than anything else,” the Burmese bishops write. “According to the United Nations, more than 3 million people in Myanmar have been displaced from their homes due to the escalation of the conflict. These are not just numbers. These are mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and children. Some are seeking shelter under trees, in rice paddies, monasteries, and makeshift shelters, without food, water, education, or security.” While cities in the conflict zones have “turned into ghost towns,” entire villages in the earthquake-stricken areas have been razed to the ground, causing “deep trauma and fear” among the population. The bishops state: “Women and children bear the heaviest burden. Many children have not been to school for years. Their classrooms are in ruins. Their future is uncertain. Some have lost their parents. Some have witnessed violence. Many are hungry, sick, and unable to express their feelings. Women also suffer in silence. They carry the pain of losing their families, the responsibility of caring for the youngest, and the fear of exploitation. In some cases, they must give birth or raise infants without shelter or medical care. And yet, it is they who hold communities together, cook for many, pray in the darkness, and comfort the bereaved.” The message doesn’t shy away from addressing the “painful issues”: “One of the deepest wounds we see today is the lack of understanding and trust between the various actors and interest groups. There are many fronts, many visions, many needs. Often there is little dialogue, few authentic spaces where hearts can truly listen to one another. For this reason, aid is blocked, development is delayed, and humanitarian access is restricted.” “The daily lives of the civilian population,” the message continues, “have become a daily struggle for survival. In many parts of the country, food prices have skyrocketed. Jobs have disappeared. Fuel and medicine are scarce. The electricity supply is unreliable. Fear has become a silent companion in every family.” And young people, “who only dream of studying, working, and building a future, are filled with fear, anger, and disillusionment. Their talents are being wasted, their hopes buried.” Against this backdrop, “we, as Christians and as people who work together with all faiths, ask ourselves: Where are we going? How can we end the war?” Christianity, they note, does not offer an easy way out of suffering, “but it does offer a path—a quiet and humble path—to reconciliation, healing, and lasting peace.” “Reconciliation does not mean forgetting or pretending everything is alright, but listening to the stories of others, weeping with those who weep, and seeking common ground where no one has to lose so that others can gain.” “Jesus himself said: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’ ,” the message continues, “peace is not passive. It is not silence. It is an active and courageous commitment to life instead of death, to dignity instead of revenge, to community instead of isolation.” Under these conditions and in this spirit, the bishops conclude with this wish: “May our wounded and battered nation rise again, not only with buildings, but with new hearts. And may our children one day be able to say: ‘They did not give up on peace. And so we found our way home.’ God bless Myanmar.”