Burma: Christians forced to pay for water festival

The military government of Burma has forced Christians in the Kachin State of the country to donate for Thingyan, a water festival that marks the start of the Burmese New Year.

According to the Kachin News Group (KNG), Christians claimed that donations in the Bhamo District were taken forcefully by local government officials. They said that they had to pay a fixed amount set by the officials.

The money was used to build stages that spray water on people celebrating Thingyan. The government’s Town Peace and Development Council (TPDC) ordered each neighbourhood in Bhamo to set up a stage for the celebration.

A Christian from the neighbourhood of Min Hla, which has around 50 Christian families said that he had to give 1,000 kyat (around £1) for the Thingyan and 500 kyat (around 50p) for municipal taxes “as requested by the authorities”.

Many families in the area, some of whom were hit by last year’s cyclone Nargis, already live on or below the poverty line.

According to Christians in the area, officials went door to door to every Christian family to collect the payments. Only parish churches and the homes of clergymen were exempted from paying the fee.

The rulers of Myanmar claim to be devout Buddhists. People following other religions are often the victims of discrimination and even violence, especially when they are from ethnic minorities like the Kachin and Karen.