Pray with faith, act with courage, never surrender.
Free Burma Rangers
Burma/Myanmar has been under military control since a coup d'etat in 1962. During this time, the United Nations and several other organizations have reported consistent and systematic human rights violations in the country, including genocide, the use of child soldiers, systematic rape, child labour, slavery, human trafficking and a lack of freedom of speech.
Over 60 years of civil war have left Burma one of the poorest countries in the world. During this time, successive military dictatorships killed thousands of their own people and displaced millions in resistance areas, while effectively strangling the political process in areas under their complete control.
Recent developments in the government have included allowing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) to run and win in by-elections. There is more openness and less censorship in Burma, ongoing ceasefire talks with many ethnic groups, as well as our own unplanned but positive meeting with the Burma Army ceasefire delegation.
At the same time, attacks and military buildup continue in most ethnic areas, while in Kachin State the Burma Army continues an all-out assault on the people. In other areas there is ongoing laying of landmines, attacks on civilians, forced labor, destruction of civilian property and troop resupply.
The Free Burma Rangers formed in 1997 and are comprised of people from different ethnic groups within Burma providing direct relief to communities most affected by the results of the government's oppression. These teams are trained to provide medical care and counselling, while documenting and reporting human rights violations.
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* In Shan State, fighting and displacement continue and in the southern Shan State there have been continued clashes between the Burma Army and Shan resistance. FBR medics have given medical treatment to many of those wounded in these attacks by the Burma Army.
* In Karen State the Burma Army has used the ceasefires to supply their camps beyond the normal supply rate and continue to use forced labor. They have also built new camps in violation of the ceasefire agreement. Border Guard Forces under the authority of the Burma Army have continued attacks in Karen State through 2012.
* As of this report, many political prisoners remain under arrest. Censorship laws such as the Electronic Transactions Act remain in effect as does the threat of arbitrary arrest.
* In Arakan State, over 100,000 people have been displaced by inter-ethnic violence between the Rohingya and Arakan. This has been partially fueled by repressive Burma government policies.
* Humanitarian access is still blocked in many areas of Burma.
PRAYER REQUESTS FROM FBR:
* We need prayer to be still and know that God is God, to trust Him and obey.
* A prayer of thanks for all of you and how God is faithful to lead each of us, forgive us and use us and for Thailand and Burma.
* Pray for each person we meet and for each Ranger to know Jesus and follow Him.
* Prayer for God's help for the FBR mission to bring help, hope and love to people still under attack in Burma, and putting a light on the situation. And for God to help us in the building up all Rangers spiritually, physically, relationally, technically, and professionally. For God's way only in the expanding the FBR mission into new areas, and developing new teams.
* Pray for Soe Niang and the FBR arakan teams to respond to the crisis in Arakan state in God's way with all God's provision.
* Pray for the Burma army attacks in Kachin State and for FBR teams up in Kachin State- for the faith, wisdom, skill, boldness and funds.
* Pray for for the Shan trainings and mission to be a go, and for Sai Nawng to have full freedom to lead and serve there.
* For the Karen relief mission we are now on-for wisdom and to make a difference for good here.
* For each person and teams in FBR to receive the spiritual, material and relational resources we all need.
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