U.S Senate address religious freedom challenges in Burma

The state of religious freedom in Burma, designated a CPC since 1999, continues to decline following the killing, arrest, and torture of monks participating in a non-violent protest in September, 2007. The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has targeted monasteries, created “Muslim Free Zones,” and forcibly promoted Buddhism throughout the country. What is an appropriate strategy for the U.S. to address religious freedom challenges in Burma? How would you alter IRF policy with regard to Burma?

The repressive military regime in Burma continues to engage in systematic violations of human rights and religious freedom against a large number of its citizens. The continued imprisonment of monks for involvement in the 2007 protests is contemptible and hardly consistent with the regime’s claim to be the protector of Buddhism. There is also particular concern over the scale of the repression against the Muslim Rohingya, their lack of citizenship, severe government restrictions on their travel, and discrimination in employment and educational opportunities. Christian and Muslim groups also have difficulties importing religious texts, propagating their faith, and obtaining permits to build, maintain, or modify places of worship in most regions.

The regime maintains a pervasive internal security apparatus that infiltrates -- or monitors the activities of -- religious groups. The government applies pressure on some students and

underprivileged youth to convert to Buddhism and then seeks to control Buddhist organizations to ensure they do not again demand respect for human rights, as they did in 2007. Adherence or conversion to state-controlled Buddhism is generally a prerequisite for promotion to senior government and military ranks. The army’s attacks in ethnic minority regions, where there are higher concentrations of Christians and Muslims, have resulted in hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons and refugees.

We should continue to include raising religious freedom concerns regularly as part of wider

U.S. policy toward Burma, especially with those countries that provide Burma commercial advantages and diplomatic support. We should continue to engage within the multilateral context on efforts toward reform in Burma, particularly with neighboring ASEAN nations, and also encourage the work of NGOs supporting human rights and religious freedom both inside and outside of the country.

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