Religious freedom enjoyed fully, freedom of worship safeguarded by law, administrative and social means
( Friday, 1 December, 2000 )

The 83rd Annual General Meeting and AD 2000 Thanksgiving Service of Kayin Baptist Convention were held at Hpu Tha Byu Memorial Hall in Kayin Baptist Theological Seminary Compound in East Gyogon Ward, Insein Township, this morning.

Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt extended greetings. Also present were ministers, deputy ministers, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of department, President of Kayin Baptist Convention Reverend Waldo Thein, General Secretary Reverend Dr Honor Nyo, President of Myanmar Council of Churches, General Secretary of Myanmar Bible Society, Chairman of Church Affairs and Peace Committee and Adviser to Kayin Baptist Convention Reverend Saw Margay Gyi, the principal of Kayin Baptist Theological Seminary, executives of Kayin Baptist Convention, advisers and members. On the occasion, President of Myanmar Council of Churches Reverend Waldo Thein extended greetings.

Then, the Secretary-1 said that in the Union of Myanmar where national races are residing, unity built through loving kindness and peace and tranquillity maintained through justice are the most important elements to keep the Union in peace and perpetuity. All Myanmar national people made up of Kachins, Kayahs, Kayins, Chins, Bamars, Mons, Rakhines and Shans and other national races have been living in the Union of Myanmar through thick and thin, and they regard themselves as the flesh and blood of the Union. So the ties of kinship among them are indivisible. They have maintained the tradition of living in peace and unity in the course of history countable by the thousand, which is the striking characteristic of Union-born national races. As all the national races have freedom of faith throughout the history, all the religions are flourishing in the country. It is a significant characteristic of Myanmar that national races have freedom of faith and the right to maintain their own cultural traditions, and have resided in peace and unity in the country.

In fact, all the faiths teach all their faithful to be imbued with loving kindness, compassion and sympathy and to have high moral character, and also contributes to the flourishing of peace and tranquillity and justice in the society. The Secretary-1 expressed belief that the nation under the prevalence of peace and loving kindness will be able to stand tall with pride among the international community if all live in accord with the teachings of their respective religions. He said the state is rendering assistance and protection to all in ensuring religious freedom in the nation and for flourishing of all the faiths in the Union. At present, cent-per-cent religious freedom is flourishing in the nation; protection is being given from the legal, administrative and social point of views in ensuring religious freedom on all fronts and in all corners.

It is a significant fact that though the government is giving priority to the promotion and propagation of the Theravada Buddhism, the religion of the majority, it is also providing assistance and protection for the flourishing of other religions.

Not only the government but also the religious leaders and all those who have devotion should ward off the slanderous acts that will lead to eclipsing of noble principles such as loving kindness, unity and peace and tranquillity. Peace and tranquillity is prevailing in almost every part of the Union as the leaders of all the religions are actively taking part together with the government in endeavours to free the national people from disagreements and suspicions and to build mutual love, respect, understanding and trust among the national people.

Efforts to win regional peace of the peace-loving local elders and influential persons of Kayin State including Kayin religious leaders have gained success only to a certain extent; thus more efforts are required to win total peace in the state. Some of the internal and external organizations are launching accusations against Myanmar that there exist racial and religious discriminations in the country and are applying various means to weaken national solidarity and diminish the peace prospects; such perpetrations are being launched with intent to break up the Union.

As the State respects and values national unity, it will always strive for winning national consolidation. All the prominent persons and religious leaders who are at the meeting should harmoniously strive with Union Spirit for the flourishing of noble situations such as peace, unity and development in the Union. General Secretary Reverend Dr Honor Nyo spoke words of thanks. Afterwards, a special prayer session was held. Reverend Dr Clifford Kyaw Dwe blessed all those present. Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and party then posed for a photo with KBC members.