I wanted to share this action alert from the MCC advocacy office in Washington, DC. This line of advocacy is the one supported by our partners in Myanmar and, while the results are uncertain given Russian/Chinese support for the military coup, the fruit of witnessing for peace and justice often appears in unexpected ways.
Please also consider sending a personal note of encouragement to our partners in Myanmar.
| February 10, 2022 Action: Stand up against violence in Myanmar (Burma) Background: February 1 marked one year since the Myanmar (Burma) military seized power in a coup d’etat, imprisoning elected representatives and prominent pro-democracy and human rights advocates. Since then, the army has killed more than one thousand protesters and injured and imprisoned thousands more. To address this violence, Congress has introduced the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act (BURMA Act). The BURMA Act would provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance, support civil society, promote human rights, and impose targeted sanctions to address human rights abuses. While MCC opposes the use of broad-based sanctions that restrict economies and limit humanitarian aid, MCC partners in Myanmar support these narrower sanctions that target military leaders and pressure them to cease the violent repression of democracy activists and ethnic and religious minorities. Stand up against violence in Myanmar (Burma) Faith Reflection: A Mennonite World Conference pastoral letter to the church in Myanmar, sent in April 2021, read: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! (Psalm 130). “Fellow believers [in Myanmar], as you await deliverance from the depths, Anabaptist-Mennonite churches around the world join in protest against violence suffered by Christians, Rohingya Muslims and other groups targeted by the military in your country. We call on our governments to use all diplomatic means to end this injustice. “God grant you strength to follow the way of Jesus, ‘wise as serpents and gentle as doves’ (Matthew 10:16).” -J. Nelson Kraybill, President, Mennonite World Conference Action: As we mark the anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar, stand up against violence in Myanmar (Burma) by asking Congress to support the BURMA Act. Please also consider sending a personal note of encouragement to MCC’s partners in Myanmar. Messages received through this link before February 22, 2022, will be compiled and shared with the staff and partners of MCC’s Myanmar program. (Some language adapted from Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns) |