It might be wondered who wrote this open letter to Founder President Mr Mervyn Thomas of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). I am simply an ordinary citizen who loves our country and people. Particularly, I am an ordinary person who cannot accept one-sided accusations and pressure from international organizations and individuals, that aim our country and people to be in ruins.
We, the people, have seen the statement on Myanmar released by your CSW organization on 4 November 2025. We wish to categorically deny that your statement is merely unfounded and arbitrary allegations against the Government of Myanmar and the Tatmadaw, and a propaganda document that lacks factual validity and impartiality.
You echo other people’s
opinions, without truly understanding the current political situation in
Myanmar and the real circumstances on the ground. Instead, you rely only on
incorrect information distorted by domestic as well as foreign destructive
media and terrorist groups, according to their own agendas. Such undisciplined
statements not only show disrespect toward the country and its citizens but
also amount to an insult that encourages and supports the terrorists who seek
to disturb and destroy peace and stability.
Hence, this open letter
is the voice of an ordinary citizen who actually lives inside Myanmar and is
experiencing the violent acts by NUG, PDF and terrorist groups under the name
of ethnic armed groups, aiming to respond to your groundless allegations.
First, what you need to
understand is that the conflicts and the destruction, as well as losses
happening in the country, are not because the organization has been
deliberately targeting civilians as you accuse, but because the all-out
destruction path pursued by terrorist groups, under the name of NUG, CRPH and
PDF groups born by the extremist factions of the NLD party. They are making
attempts to achieve their self-serving political goals through violent means.
The international community already knows that terrorists are arbitrarily
killing any citizens who do not support them.
While your CSW
organization is seriously expressing its deep concern about religious
discrimination and lack of fairness, a question has been raised. Why don’t you
say a single word about the civilians who were killed by terrorist groups?
Why doesn’t your
research mention about 5,767 unarmed, innocent people who lost their lives
because of the killings by terrorists?
Why do you ignore the
cases of 88 Buddhist monks and two nuns who were killed by terrorists?
Why does your CSW
organization turn a blind eye to the terrorists’ killings of thousands of civil
servants, including 78 teachers who teach the new generation and
administrators?
Do the terrorists’
bombings and arson attacks against the 560 public schools, education buildings,
bridges, hospitals and administrative offices fit any standards of your
religious freedom?
Myanmar’s Tatmadaw is
the nation’s legitimate defence institution, and it has the responsibility to
counter terrorist acts and to safeguard the lives, homes and property of all
citizens from the terrorists’ acts of violence. All of the actions of the Tatmadaw
are just systematically conducting Counter-Terrorism Operations in line with
the Rules of Engagement (ROE). There is absolutely no discrimination or
targeted attacks based on religion, as you accuse.
We, the people, will
respond to your alleged statement published on 4 November, letting you know the
right facts. Citing the FORB Network, you claimed that more than 220 Christian
Churches were destroyed and 85 Christian monks were killed. It was a fraud.
You cited the
International Humanitarian Law (IHL). However, you deliberately left off the
part where IHL explicitly prohibits the use of places of worship for military
purposes. In reality, in many conflict-affected areas, including Chin State,
CNF, CNA, and PDF terrorist groups born by the NUG are deliberately committing
crimes, such as “abusing religious buildings as defensive posts,” “using as
temporary barracks”, and “planting landmines near places of worship”.
These CNF, CNA and PDF
groups are disturbing the government’s administrative mechanism, destroying the
lives, homes and property of peaceable civilians in Chin State. As a result,
fighting has broken out in regions where there had been no rebellion in successive
eras. In other words, these clashes are broken out by the misguided political
ego of the NUG group, which attempts to achieve its political goals through
violent armed means. These battles are not caused by the Tatmadaw’s military
operations. The Tatmadaw is just attacking terrorist insurgents to deter the
terrorists’ violent acts against unarmed civilians and to restore the rule of
law and stability.
The Tatmadaw has never
wantonly targeted or attacked any religious buildings. The damages are just the
Unavoidable Collateral Damage occurring within the battle zone, especially
because terrorist groups attack the Tatmadaw by employing churches and pagodas
for sheltering themselves.
You, who cited IHL,
should understand the point that once a legally protected location is used as a
military outpost, the place loses its protected status and becomes a legitimate
military target. So, the real culprits responsible for the wreckage of churches
are the terrorists themselves.
Freedom of religion is
already guaranteed under Section 34 of the Constitution of Myanmar. The
following is a list of religious buildings that belong to religions other than
Buddhism, which is a special position in Myanmar, for your awareness.
In accordance with the
Constitution, everyone has the freedom of religious right to practice their own
religion, including Buddhism. The government, led by the current Acting
President and State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) Chairman of the Republic
of the Union of Myanmar, attends various religious festivals, depending on the
time free from work.
However, terrorists are
taking advantage of religious festivals in urban areas. They deliberately
attempt to carry out acts of violence and bombings by taking shelter among
crowds, neighbourhoods and churches.
Consequently, relevant
administrative officials are carrying out necessary security checks and
temporary restraints to protect the lives of the people. This is not targeting
Christianity. It is solely to prevent the acts of terrorists and to provide the
safety of worshippers. Officials do not consider Christianity and Islam as
foes, but consider the terrorists as enemies.
Among your accusations,
the easily verifiable falsehood is the claim regarding the Mandalay earthquake
that struck on 28 March 2025. You have accused that the order stating that “the
collapsed Christian Churches and mosques may only be rebuilt in their original
form” is discriminatory. Again, you have portrayed this restriction as the
reason why many long-standing Christian Churches have collapsed to the ground.
I seriously object that
your allegation is totally incorrect. The earthquake affected people of all
religions. The Mandalay earthquake that struck on 28 March did not selectively
target or discriminate against people and buildings based on religion. Your
research intentionally left off the damage to Mandalay’s world-renowned
Buddhist heritage. The Kuthodaw Pagoda, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site,
suffered severe destruction. Likewise, many significant Buddhist sites,
including the Shwegugyi Temple, Mae Nu Oak Kyaung (Mae Nu Brick Monastery) and
the Mingun Pagoda, were also heavily damaged.
Reconstruction efforts
are for everyone. The Government and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and
Culture have preserved, repaired, and reconstructed more than 1,700 damaged
ancient structures. The term ‘in their original form’ is an international
standard. The policy for rebuilding in the original form that you accuse of
being a discriminatory restriction is, in fact, not discriminatory at all. It
is an international standard for historical preservation, to be applied equally
to Buddhism, Christianity, and Islamic heritage alike, in line with the
guidelines by the experts of international heritage-preservation organization
such as UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS),
to ensure that the value of ancient heritages is not destroyed.
Since you intentionally
distorted the point and incited religious conflict, it is vividly proven that
the CSW group’s goal is not targeted at unity but at disintegration.
In addition to
accusations, the points you stated under the guise of demands reveal a colonial
mindset, as if you want to control the sovereign nation’s internal affairs from
afar.
Among your demands, the
most unacceptable, insulting remark is that you called for the immediate repeal
of the People’s Military Service Law that came into force in 2024.
What Mr Mervyn Thomas
needs to understand is that the People’s Military Service Law is legally
enacted and officially approved in line with Sections 385 and 386 of the
Constitution of Myanmar. It is not, as you accuse, a tool of persecution. It is
simply a public military service law similar to those practised not only in
neighbouring ASEAN countries but also in nations around the world. This law is
implemented as needed in accordance with the current situation for national
defence.
Does your CSW
organization have the courage to demand that countries like South Korea,
Singapore, Switzerland and Israel repeal their conscription laws? Or, are you
simply trying to interfere in Myanmar’s politics by taking sides? You must
clearly understand that it is not allowed/there is no tolerance for
interruption and interference by any international organization or individual
to repeal a law granted by the Constitution of a sovereign nation.
Your facade of humanity
completely disappears in your final demand. You asked that fuel supplies for
Myanmar’s Tatmadaw should be targeted and cut off. This is not a demand for
humanitarian aid, but a demand for military affairs.
Your genuine purpose is
to undermine the air capabilities of Myanmar’s Tatmadaw, which is crushing the
terrorist groups, and to provide cover for the terrorists.
Subsequently, you
requested aid for the direct flow to local civil society organizations. In
reality, you revealed that you were attempting to bypass the legitimate
government and channel illegal funds and supplies to NUG/PDF-affiliated groups.
Because of your
actions, the CSW group must be regarded as a group masquerading as a religious
organization, and you must be regarded as a supporter of terrorism and is
interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. You, Western
bloc-affiliated media outlets and INGOs alike are completely disconnected from
the genuine will of the people. The genuine desires of the majority of citizens
living in the country are not to be imposed by your sanction or your
interference.
The genuine desire of
the people is to end the terrorist acts of the NUG/PDF terrorist groups, such
as the killing of innocent civilians, the arson attacks on schools, and the
mine attacks against roads, bridges, as quickly as possible. What we want is to
end the violent acts and to have peaceful, stable and happy family lives.
You claim your CSW
group is a religious organization. However, you are: interfering in the
internal affairs of a sovereign nation; inflaming political conflict through
religion; and providing indirect support to terrorist groups. Here, I would
like to remind you that such actions can greatly damage the CSW group’s
reputation.
Witnessing your
actions, you can be regarded as a supporter of terrorists from an ordinary
citizen’s point of view. Accordingly, we, the ordinary people, call for an end
to your false allegations against the Government as well as the Tatmadaw, an
end to your support for acts of terrorism, and a respect for Myanmar’s
sovereignty. Through this letter, we also want to make it clear to you and the
international community that “the Government of Myanmar has fully legal
authority to respond to any actions that encroach on the sovereignty of the
nation”.
(This article is solely
the view of a citizen who values Myanmar’s sovereignty, peace and stability,
and it has no relation to religion.)
By Aung Shinn
#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar
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