Myanmar Spring Chronicle – December 25 Scenes
MoeMaKa, December 26 2022
The military leader & the Christmas occasion
Last night on the evening of Christmas Eve, Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the military council who is in Yangon, visited the Holy Cathedral on Shwedagon Pagoda Road, Yangon, where the Bishops of the Methodist Christian Church, Cardinal Charles Bo of the Catholic Christian Church and the Bishops of the Anglican Christian Church worship together. At a time when many Christians are fleeing war in villages and small towns in states and divisions, when some families are losing their family members, and when they spend their Christmas in the forest, in the mountains, in a bomb shelter or in a prison, the sight of the leader of the military council, who is said to be the most responsible for these events, shaking hands with the Christian religious leaders is seen as a heartbreaking event, even for Christians. It is not known that what the leader of the military council said recently in a speech, “religions are being used to organize for political gain” is whether referring to his act.
In recent weeks, military council troops raided Mon Hla Village in Khin-U Township, Sagaing Division, the birthplace of Catholic priest Cardinal Charles Bo, torching the houses, killing and injuring some of the villagers. It is sure that the junta leader is aware of that incident. However, he met with the highest cardinal of the Catholic Church and attended the Mass shamelessly. On the other hand, some Christians criticized their religious leaders, who welcomed and greeted the military leader at the Worship Mass, causing a difference of opinion between the Christians and their religious leaders.
There may be similar incidents involving the Buddhist religion of the Myanmar people. The military leaders and those who were in charge of the state have successively mobilized the religious leaders for political gain by taking photographs of ceremonies under the guise of donations to the bishops and monks. Religious leaders usually ignore the government’s comments and urges on some issues of public concern, and are expected to gain support from those in power.
It is seen that the so-called leaders of the country donate to the religious leaders as a form of worship when they are in charge of the country, but if you think carefully, the purpose of the donation is only political mobilization. While taking on the responsibility of the country, they have mixed up individual religious devotion and worship as the leaders of the government. Because there are 3 other major religions and other religions, not just Buddhism, in Myanmar, devoting only to Buddhism has the meaning of using the religion of the majority, and it also has the meaning of distinguishing it from the rest of the religions.
In addition to the use of religion, it can be said that the killings and burnings of houses committed against Islam, Christians, and Buddhists will go down in history as crimes committed by the coup military council, the organization responsible for the country’s government, and it has already become a stigma of history. Some of the anti-military armed forces are also killing some religious leaders, such as priests, depending on the difference in political support. It is true that the crimes committed by the organization responsible for the country’s government are more accountable than the crimes committed by the opposition armed forces, but the practice of assassinating religious leaders is an ugly sight for Myanmar’s society.
In Myanmar’s politics, the practice of seeking support from religious leaders should be ended, as well as the practice of some religious leaders wanting recognition of their worship from those in power in the political field.