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Religious Freedom Summary* (1997) Adherents of all religions duly registered with the authorities generally enjoyed freedom to worship as they chose; however, the Government imposed some restrictions on certain religious minorities. In recent years, Buddhists continued to enjoy a privileged position. The Government has made special efforts to link itself with Buddhism as a means of asserting its own popular legitimacy. Photographs of SLORC officials paying homage or making donations at pagodas throughout the country appear regularly in the official newspaper. The Government monitored the activities of members of all religions, in part because congregation members have in the past become politically active. The authorities continued to regard the Muslim and Christian religious minorities with suspicion. Moreover, there is a concentration of Christians among some of the particular ethnic minorities against whom the army has fought for decades. Religious publications, like secular ones, remained subject to control and censorship. Christian bibles translated into indigenous languages could not be imported or printed legally, although this ban is not enforced in some areas. It remained difficult for Christian and Muslim groups to obtain permission to build new churches and mosques. In March authorities did little to halt attacks on Muslims by Buddhists monks (see Section 5). Religious groups of all faiths were able to establish and maintain links with coreligionists in other countries and travel abroad for religious purposes; however, the Government reportedly monitored these activities. Foreign religious representatives usually were allowed visas only for short stays but in some cases were permitted to preach to congregations. Permanent foreign missionary establishments have not been permitted since the 1960's, but seven Catholic nuns and four priests working in Burma since before independence in 1948 have been allowed to continue their work. *Source: County Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997, U.S. Department of State |