April 11, 2022 

Ellicott City, Maryland, USA ——- On April 9, 2022  at around 9:00am in Myanmar/Burma, the Burmese military based in Kalaymyo, Sagaing Region fired rocket-propelled grenates (RPFs), commonly known as a shoulder launcher, on the Toungphila Baptist Church’s staff quarters in Kalaymyo. Some rooms in the building were destroyed and the military stole money and other belongings from the building. The three-story building hit on the third floor, which is where the pastor and his family live. Fortunately, the pastor and his family were not hurt. The army also interrogated the pastor and then released him, and the office staff suffered severe injuries including on his head where he was hit with a gun.

On March 31, 2022, the Tatmadaw in Kanpalet, Chin State fired and destroyed a multipurpose building of the Kanpalet Township Baptist Association in Kanpalet town. The military also destroyed the Association’s Van Ambulance. The Chin Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAM) will not disclose information regarding the sources due to security reasons.

CAM issues the following statement.                                                                                                                  

  1. CAM strongly condemns the destroying of the Toungphila Baptist Church’s staff quarters and office in Kalaymyo, Sagaing Region in Burma as well as the church offices and staff quarters of the Kanpalet Township Baptist Association’s multipurpose building and its Van Ambulance, in Kanpalet in Chin State.
  2. CAM’s recent Report (https://chinmd.org/2021/11/05/myanmar-burma-challenges-displaced-persons-refugees/) and the continued destroying of Christian buildings and persecution of Christian Chins in Chin State and Sagaing Region have further proved that the State Administration Council’s (SAC) actions amount to crimes against humanity and therefore, the Min Aung Hlaing-led SAC must be brought to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

Destruction of Toungphila Baptist Church in Kalaymyo, Sagaing Region

 

Destruction of multipurpose building of the Kanpalet Township Baptist Association in Kanpalet town, Chin State, as well as an ambulance.

Contact:

Zo Tum Hmung

Tel. 443-936-8616

zotumhmung@chinmd.org

 

Chin Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAM), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Maryland. CAM empowers the Chin communities in Maryland to be successfully integrated into American society. CAM also advocates for durable solutions for refugees and IDPs, and religious freedom and human rights in Burma. www.chinmd.org.