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The Declaration of Unilateral Cease
- Subject: The Declaration of Unilateral Cease
- From: chinhro@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 21:53:00
Subject: The Declaration of Unilateral Cease-fire :CNF
CHIN NATIONAL FRONT
General Headquarters, Chinland
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The View of CNF on the Centenary Celebration and
Declaration of Unilateral Cease-fire
With the arrival of the first Christian missionary, Christianity was
introduced in Chinland in March of 1889. Now we are looking forward to
celebrating its centenary in March of 1999. For Chins who have believed
deeply in Christianity, regardless of where they are, this centenary is
a time of spiritual renovation. It is to be celebrated with honor and
respect for those who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the
good news of the gospel. The celebration is expected to be held in
Hakha, Chin State, Burma, where the first missionary couple, Rev. and
Mrs. Authur E. Carson began their mission work.
The request for permission to celebrate the centenary, however, has been
turned down by the Burmese military junta. Christian crosses placed on
tops of the mountains in Chin State have been cut down. Other activities
in preparation for the celebration have been banned and several Chin
Christian pastors have been taken into custody by the Burmese military
junta. Such oppressive acts of the Burmese military junta toward the
Chin people are a complete violation of the right to religion. The Chin
National Front (CNF) is therefore strongly opposed to and condemns such
oppressive conduct of the Burmese military junta.
It is most unfortunate that the Burmese military junta has viewed this
right to religion as the basis of some sort of political movement. There
is a distinction between religion and State, which the Burmese military
junta should be able to see. The CNF would therefore urge the Burmese
military junta to honor the rights of its own citizens? religious
freedom and to abandon such a wrong view and give permission for the
centenary celebration.
In a country like Burma, which is made up of different ethnic groups,
religious rights and cultural rights are every citizen?s basic human
rights and should never be interfered with. The CNF therefore requests
that for the sake of honoring the right to religious freedom, the
Burmese military junta not be obstructive to the plan for centenary
celebration.
In order to be not used as an excuse by the Burmese military junta in
the name of security for denying visas to invitees from other ountries
and for not granting permission for the celebration, the CNF has
declared Unilateral Cease-fire effective 15th of February 1999 to 15th
of April 1999.
February 9, 1999
Central Committee
Chin National Front
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