Catholic Church groups in Myanmar organized various religious activities this including “prayer brigades” and gatherings to intercede for peace as attacks on civilians continued this week.
Braving artillery shelling and gunfire, several Catholic groups visit their parishes to pray together for peace and to gain the courage to endure hardships.
Radio Veritas Asia reported that in Kalay diocese, one of the worst affected dioceses in the country, the faithful visited seven churches within the Chin state and the Sagaing region on May 6.
In Loikaw town in Kayah state, the Christ the King Cathedral has been hosting rosary prayers every evening since May 1. The church houses hundreds of parishioners, including internally displaced persons.
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week condemned a weekend attack on a convoy carrying regional diplomats and aid workers in Myanmar, as they opened a summit on Wednesday in Indonesia.
In a joint statement, leaders of the regional bloc said they “condemned the attack” on a humanitarian convoy in Myanmar’s Shan state on Sunday and “underlined that the perpetrators must be held accountable.”
Indonesia President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, this year’s chair of ASEAN, urged members of the bloc to unite in the face of challenges.
“At the moment, the global economy has not fully recovered. Major power rivalries continue to sharpen. The global dynamic becomes more unpredictable,” he said in a speech to open the summit.
“Will ASEAN remain a spectator? Will ASEAN stay silent? Furthermore, will ASEAN be capable of being the engine for peace and economic growth?” he asked.
“I am confident that we are certain ASEAN is capable, as long as we hold the key element: ASEAN unity.”
In their collective statement, the Southeast Asian leaders expressed support for efforts by Jakarta to push for the implementation of a five-point peace plan, which ASEAN and Myanmar’s military rulers had agreed to during an emergency summit in April 2021.
The five-point consensus called for an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, constructive dialogue among all parties, appointment of an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian assistance and a visit by an ASEAN delegation.
The junta has largely ignored the plan, prompting ASEAN to bar its leaders from attending the group’s summits. – with reports from Radio Veritas Asia and RFA
