The Statistics.
- A army consisting of 70,000 child soldiers, the largest number of child soldiers in any army in the world.
- Over 2.5 million people displaced through ongoing state ordered conflict.
- A staggering 40% of children malnourished in a resource rich country.
- Over 3000 villages destroyed by the army in Eastern Burma alone.
- An inflation rate approaching 40% in 2007.
- A civil war which has lasted for almost 60 years - the longest in history.
The Cause.
A series of Army strongmen have ruled Burma with an iron first since a military coup led by General Ne Win in 1962. Their policies have curtailed virtually all civil and political liberties, turned a once prosperous nation into one of the poorest in Asia, created a drug trade which has made the country the world's second largest producer of illegal opium, and initiated a subtle but vicious period of extended genocide against ethnic minority groups, using rape, landmines, forced labour, inhumane treatment and arbitrary executions as their weapons of war.
The Solution.
A global outcry that goes beyond just words, that goes beyond the constraints of our legal systems, that goes beyond the apathy of our society that keeps us from believing we have the power to end the suffering of millions of our fellow human beings. It's time for an end to the suffering of millions of people. It's time for an end to the rule of an evil and illegitimate government. It's time for an end to almost 60 years of civil war...
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'Burma' by Holly Brown
I visited a refugee camp called Mae La in 2006 and spent time with Partners staff. I heard lots of stories, and I have forgotten a lot, but there are several things that remain in my memory. One image is that of a teacher telling me where all the children come from. She said that some are orphans, some are sent to the camp for schooling, and some are lost children. Another man told me that Karen parents teach their children that when the Burma Army comes, that they are to run. They are to run into the jungle, not to come back to the village, and run east until they cross a big river, and then they will be safe. They will be in Thailand. These children find each other as they run through the jungle, together in the uncertainty of what has happened to their parents. They are together in the misery of not knowing if their parents are dead, whether they have escaped to another refugee camp, or are hiding in the jungle. These are the lost children.
Another image I have is that of a father explaining his anguish that he had to leave one of his children behind. He will never know if the child is alive, dead, or captured by the army. And he will have to live with the guilt of making that decision.
But the image that shouts the loudest in my mind is the hope. When asked what will change the Burma army a man once answered, “They need the love of Jesus.” In the midst of so much pain and suffering, the Karen cling to forgiveness and hope. And this hope is from God.
A new day is dawning in Burma. A day where fear is not their consuming thought. Where running will be done for the pleasure it brings. A day where people are free. And it is through the power of the love of Jesus that this day is coming. And I ask you.... How can you show the love of Jesus?
Lyrics:
Always running, never ceasing, under darkened skies
Heading eastward through the mountains and cross the river wide
Lost my mother and my father on the day the soldiers came
Burning houses, hurting people, its never been the same
How long will this last, when will this war end?
How long till it’s past and there’s justice in the end?
Always hungry, ever thirsty, never satisfied
Seeking shelter in the jungle and running to survive
How long will this last, when will this war end?
How long till its past and there’s justice in the end?
And I will wait on my feet again
For the skies to clear and sun to shine again
And I will pray on my knees again
For this hate to pass and love to rule again
And I will stay in this place again
A place where hate and fear cannot steal my heart
And I will pray on my knees again
For you love to warm and melt this heart of stone.
Download 'Burma' (3.95MB MP3)
© 2008 Holly Brown
Supported by Partners Relief & Development Australia
