Last Chance for True Democracy: A Call to Prayer
Myanmar (also known as Burma) is a country in southeast Asia, that shares a border with Thailand, China, India, Laos and Bangladesh. It has a population of 54 million people with 135 distinct ethnic groups grouped into 8 major ethnic races and is one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world.
Myanmar was ruled by military dictatorship from 1962 to 2011, when a new government began the transition to democracy. However, the military has continued to have dominant influence. On Feb. 1st, the military staged a political coup, exerting control after losing the majority in last November’s election. Most democratically elected leaders have been locked up or disappeared.
The people of Myanmar believe this is their last opportunity for true democracy and took to the streets in peaceful protests of civil disobedience called The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). In the last 6 weeks, the world has watched as they have faced growing violence at the hands of the military, even killing children and youth and going house to house hunting, torturing, and killing their people.
SGM sponsors a children’s home in Myanmar for displaced and vulnerable children and is now vulnerable to attack. Please join us in praying for the safety of the children, staff, and their families and for God to put a barrier of protection around the property and food supplies.
Please also pray for the people of Myanmar for resolve and resource support, for God to soften the hearts of the military leaders and for leaders around the world to stand with the people of Myanmar in their fight for freedom. Please pray that God will use what is meant for evil, for His glory.
Additional history of Myanmar:
Myanmar (Burma) became independent from Britain in 1948 but struggled to realize a free democracy as various ethnic group leaders wrestled for power.
Myanmar was under military rule from 1962 – 2010 and has become one of the least developed countries in the world.
§ Restrictions began loosening in 2010, after the world witnessed peaceful protests turn violent.
§ This led to the installation of a government led by veteran opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2011, with free elections to follow in 2015.
§ In 2017, the Rohingya ethnic group came under deadly military assault, which the UN
referred to as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.
