Burmese Army Occupied Holy Place

The Kachin Post

October 20, 2003— A Christian religious place in southern Kachin State was commandeered by the Burmese army under the northern command after its commander chose to build military outpost, said villagers nearby the area.

The holy place for Kachin Baptist Christian was replaced by a military outpost in early of this month and already erected four big cannons, said a villager from the Daw Hpum Yang village closed to the area. The place was situated at the Hkang Gai Bum hill, about 70 miles southeast of capital Myitkyina and closed to Chinese border.

The hill was commemorated as a holy place since 1975 after celebrating the 50 anniversary of becoming Christianity of 14 villages nearby the area. The place has a prayer hall and monumental pillar.

Northern commander Maj-Gen Maung Maung Swe told the village chiefs during his visit that the place would be confiscated without seeking permission form the local residents, quoted by another villager.

“We are so distressed,” the villager said. Villagers are also concern that authority’s plan to built Pagoda. Burmese authority built many Pagodas at good location in Kachin State including the Pagoda at the Irrawaddy river confluence.

Army officer from the Kachin Independence Organization said that authority wants the place because it is strategically important for the military purpose for that area.

In Kachin State, constructing the Christian churches was banned by the authority since the last decade.