Pastors Dom Dawng Nawng Latt, 65, and 35-year-old La Jaw Gam Hseng were arrested on Dec. 24 after helping local journalists cover military conflict in northern Shan state, eastern Burma (Myanmar), where a Catholic Church building was bombed by Burma army jets in November. They are charged with unlawful association with an armed ethnic group, an accusation the Kachin Baptist Convention church leaders deny.
U Brang Di, attorney for the two pastors, told Morning Star News that normally suspects can be held for only 28 days without trial under Burmese law.
The prosecutor, Maj. Kyaw Zin Htun, has filed charges accusing the pastors of recruiting and spying for armed ethnic groups such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Under Burma’s Unlawful Association Act, the Christian leaders could face as much as three years in prison under Article 17/1 for making contributions to or assisting an “unlawful association,” and as much as five years under Article 17/2 for assisting in the management or promotion of one.
Meanwhile, all the media talks about are the Rohingya (Muslims) and how they’re allegedly treated. Not a word about the Christians.
Guyman, Ok has a lot of Burma Christian refugees.
Burma next target — go President Trump!
Any “religion” that tries to enforce their “beliefs” on anyone is not a religion, but a cult.
Believe what you want, but leave those that have another idea alone as long as they harm none.
Did some over the fence “adventure travel” in the mid 1980s into Burma. Hung out with some of the hill tribes who were fighting a guerrilla war against the Ne Win regime. Great people.
I was privileged to meet the Karen, Karenni, Mon, Pao, Shan, Kachin, Arakan hill tribes. Twas a great adventure until the Malaria nearly killed me.