Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw and some priests were forced to leave after several attempts by the military junta to take over the compound of Christ the King Cathedral on November 27.
In a statement, the prelate said the Burmese military “intentionally shot the Pastoral Center with 120mm artillery pieces many times and the roof of the chapel of the Pastoral Center was hit and the ceiling was destroyed by the artillery shells.”
The bishop and some of his priests decided to leave the Pastoral Center on Monday but “just before their departure, 50 soldiers came and occupied [the Cathedral] to make use of it as a shield”.
The bishop and the resident priests made an effort to convince the military generals of the importance of the religious sites and requested them to spare the place, but the attacks continued.
The Diocese of Loikaw in Kayah State is the smallest in Myanmar with a total population of around 300,000. Kayah State covers an area of 4,500 square miles, mostly hilly and mountainous.
As a result of escalating armed conflicts in November, over 80 percent of the population in both urban and rural areas of Kayah State has been internally displaced.
On November 11, approximately 800 residents from the town sought refuge in Christ the King’s compound.
According to the diocese, the total number of displaced individuals, including both existing and newly displaced persons, surpassed 1,300.
The Burmese junta has employed a range of heavy weaponry, including fighter jets, armored vehicles, ballistic missile systems, and mobile defense systems.
The diocese reported that residents from both urban and rural areas are evacuating their homes, dispersing in various directions. Some have sought refuge in the northern part of the State, while others have fled to locations such as Ye Phyu and Hsi-hseng in Shan State.
Among the refugees are elderly and infirm individuals, the paralyzed, women, and some young people who remained at the Pastoral Center of Loikaw until yesterday. In total, there are 82 individuals, including 10 priests, 16 religious missionaries, and several employees.
