Tatmadaw Raids Churches in Kachin State
Burma Army raided a Kachin Baptist Convention Church (KBC). According to religious officials, soldiers in two trucks arrived at the church in Kachin State and searched the premises for about 30 minutes.
An official told KNG that soldiers surrounded the property in Maw Hpawng village, Myitkyina Township, at 10pm, on April 5, before questioning security guards at the front gate.
On April 3, soldiers searched KBC, Catholic and Anglican churches in Mohnyin town, officials said. Soldiers arrived in ten military vehicles to search the Kachin Theological College and Seminary in the town of Myitkyina on March 13.
On February 2, a day after the military overthrew the government, Burma Army officials called up the Myitkyina Christian Council (MCC) to explain why it staged a coup.
Rev Magi Bawk La, chair of MCC, told KNG that Burma Army’s Northern Military Command Region told them “they seized power from the government because it failed to solve the issue of election fraud.”
Many Christians joined peaceful protests against the military regime in Kachin State. Armed forces fired live rounds, sound bombs and tear gas at demonstrators. Since the coup, at least ten people were killed in Kachin State.