Release International

Paul’s torturers suspended him by his wrists for three hours and ordered him to preach. They arrested him in Chin State, where persecution is especially severe. Plain clothes intelligence officers had mingled with the crowd that had gathered to hear him preach. They dragged him away to a torture room.

'They handcuffed me and hoisted me above the ground by my handcuffs, and told me to preach the gospel that I loved so much,' said Paul. The authorities charged him with using his Christian faith to oppose the country and jailed him for 11 years.

A leaked government memo outlines the junta's programme to destroy Christianity in Burma. It decrees: 'There shall be no home where the Christian religion is practised'. A government pamphlet urges: 'Attack Christians by any means: violent or non-violent.'

The story of Burma's underground believers is told in the latest edition of Release International's Witness magazine. It also features in a special edition of RI's award-winning webcast: World Update on the Persecuted Church. Both are available on the website: www.releaseinternational.org

Persecution is worst away from the cities and beyond the glare of the human rights spotlight. Among the hardest hit are the Chin people, most of whom are Christian.

'In this country there is a saying,' said Pastor Barnabus. 'If you are a Christian and you are Chin, you have the C-virus - you are automatically considered a second-class citizen.'

Pastor Barnabus leads an underground Bible school. The authorities routinely close Christian training centres, along with churches and Christian-run orphanages. In Chin state, they have burnt churches, torn down crosses and put up Buddhist pagodas in their place - then made the Christians contribute to their cost.

Yet despite the hardship, the church is growing. 'Everywhere we go we see people are receptive to the gospel,' said Pastor James. Many Buddhists are converting to Christianity. 'What they say is they have 'Nirvana' - they have peace in their lives as a result of accepting the Lord Jesus Christ.'

'The courage and resilience of these Christians is astounding' says Release International's CEO Andy Dipper. ‘Christians in the UK need to pray and act. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Burma, for their protection and encouragement. And lobby the Foreign Secretary to put pressure on the UN Security Council.'

Release International has provided food for Christian families, supported the wives of pastors in prison and provided Christian literature.  Release International serves the persecuted Church in 30 nations. For video reports download our monthly webcast ­ - World Update - available from the Release International website: www.releaseinternational.org

ENDS

Notes to the Editor 

Witness magazine is attached and pictures are available for download from our media pages: www.releaseinternational.org/pages/media.php A broadcast-quality video report with audio that could be used for radio is available on request.

For further information, please contact Andrew Boyd on 01730 301905 or Release International on 01689 823491 or by email at info@releaseinternational.org

Through our international network of missions RI serves persecuted Christians in 30 countries, supporting pastors and Christian prisoners and their families, supplying Christian literature and Bibles, and working for justice. RI is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network.

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