Myanmar, where all citizens enjoy freedom of worship

For a believer, religion is the faith he understands well in his mind and keeps in his heart. It is the concept of any person of every faith.

Now I am going to present some facts about the world religions. Hermits first discoursed the Hinduism according to Veda and Vedanta treatises in India in about 1500 BC. It later spread to other countries. It now has about one billion believers worldwide. Its God is the Great Brahma in the Heaven.

The Buddha delivered His first discourse, “the Dhamma Cakka” in Mijjhima, India, in 600 BC. The Three Pitakas are the foundation of Buddhism that has spread to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, Japan, Britain, Europe, North America, Russia, Republic of Korea, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia and Hawaii from India. Gottama Buddha is the Teacher of one billion believers.

Moses founded the Judaism in Palestine in about 1400 BC. The Old Testament is the religion's Bible. The people of Judaism Faith can be found in Israel and American continents, Europe and Asia. There are about 15 million people of the faith. Jehovah is the God in the Heavens.

Christianity founded by Jesus emerged in Palestine in 29 AD. The Old Testament and the New Testament are the two main Bibles of Christianity. It is flourishing in North and South America, Europe, Russia, Australia, Asia, and Africa. There are over two billion followers around the world. They worship God in the Heavens.

Zoroastrianism is a religion originated in ancient Persia started by Zoroaster (628-551 BC). The religion has over 200,000 followers in Persia and India. Mohammed (AD 571-632) founded Islam in Arabia. Allah is the God of the religion. It spread to Turkey, Africa, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Arab Emirates, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Europe, America and the Middle East. The religion has a population of about 1300 million.

Shinto is an ancient religion in Japan. Its followers are in Japan and some Asian nations. Over 60 million people in Japan believe in this religion.

Taoism was founded in 570 BC in China, and it has over 30 million followers. Confucianism has over 200 million followers in China. Faith will be a lifeblood for a believer. There may be differences among the religions, but the most important thing is to follow one’s own religion in a peaceful way. Only then, will the whole world be a peaceful and secure place. Some of the religions have different denominations, but the goal is the same.

About two centuries ago several big western capitalist nations colonized others to get cheap labour and industrial raw materials and energy at extremely low prices. First, merchants from western countries came to oriental and African nations to buy raw materials and agricultural produce. Missionaries followed later to organize the locals. Then came the military force to invade, occupy and exploit those nations.

Myanmar is a nation where Theravada Buddhism flourishes. Ninety per cent of Myanmar’s population are Buddhists, the people who are brought up under the teachings of Buddha. Thus, they are gentle people living in the land where loving-kindness and sympathy flourishes. They always try to suppress their greed. They fear to commit sins. Myanmar will have been a peaceful and prosperous nation if she has been free from intrusion, encroachments and interferences.

Buddhism arrived in Myanmar since the time of Buddha. The religious edifices of Tagaung, Srikestra, Bagan, Sagaing, Pinya, Inwa, Nyaungyan, Toungoo, and Konbaung eras bear witness to the fact that Buddhism flourished in Myanmar in the past. Myanmar organized the Fifth Synod and the Sixth Synod. Today, Buddhism is flourishing in the nation at an unprecedented degree.

Myanmar has been a union for all national races since yore. Christianity arrived in Myanmar in the 16th century together with the western merchants. About 5.6 per cent of the population in Myanmar are Christians. According to 1997 record, Myanmar had 5,200 churches. Roman Catholic and Protestant are the two leading Christian denominations in Myanmar. There are also 32 separate Christian communions.

Christians in Myanmar are allowed to freely hold church services and religious courses, examinations and conferences and publish brochures and books on the religion. Christian leaders can travel by boat and by train free of charge for doing religious matters. Religious Affairs Ministry has already made arrangements for religious leaders to attend meetings and conferences abroad. The Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) and wellwishers have been providing financial assistance to Christian homes for the aged and Christian schools for the disabled. The government has facilitated the links and connection of local Christian organizations and their sister organizations abroad. Ministers and high level officials always attend the Christian religious ceremonies and the government is providing financial and other assistance to the Christian Faith.

The Islam believers who entered Myanmar from far or near countries introduced Islam in the nation. In the time of Myanmar kings, Muslims were allowed to construct mosques. Muslims of Myanmar were allowed to make a Haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca; as they had to stay there for one and a half months King Mindon (1854-78) donated a community hall in Mecca.

Today, Muslims make up 3.78 per cent of the population of Myanmar and there are 3,215 mosques in the nation. In the past, the Ministry of Religious Affairs cooperated with four Islam religious organizations, and now it is dealing with five Islam religious organizations. The government provides yearly cash assistance for those religious organizations and free travel by boat and by train for Muslim religious leaders. It made arrangements for Muslim religious leaders to enable them to attend religious celebrations in foreign countries. Representatives from Myanmar attended Koran Treatise reciting contests held in ASEAN nations such as Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as Southeast Asia Islam Summit.

The Minister, deputy ministers and heads of department attended Islam religious ceremonies and the government sent messages to the ceremonies. Islam religious schools are allowed to open and courses conducted in the nation. The Department of Religious Affairs has provided help for Muslim religious organizations to receive publications and hospital equipment sent from foreign nations. Now, Islam welfare associations have come into existence. Yearly, families of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air Force) donate provisions such as rice, edible oil, salt and medicines for Islam homes for the aged.

With 1,010 Hindu temples, the total number of Hindus stands at 0.51 per cent of the population in Myanmar. Since yore, Hindus from India have entered Myanmar. The government has offered free travels by train and by boat to Hindu religious leaders. It also provides cash assistance to those leaders every year. The Religious Affairs Department yearly helps Hindus attend religious rituals in foreign countries. Tatmadaw families donate provisions to Thanantana Dhamma Palaka Hindu religious association ever year. State level dignitaries grace the occasions of Hindu religious rituals and festivals.

About 1.21 per cent of the nation’s population are animists, and 0.06 per cent are other faiths. Around 7,000 people in the nation follow other faiths. The State annually provides cash assistance for the animists in Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin and Shan states.

According to the data collected in the year 2000, there were 51,814 monasteries and 2,699 nunneries, 170,165 monks, 244,412 novices, and 26,232 nuns in Myanmar. All the religions coexist in Myanmar. So, unlike in some countries, there have occurred no conflicts nor riots based on religious or racial disputes in Myanmar. Whenever there was a racial tension due to an instigation or a wedge driven among religions, the government always settled the disputes in coordination with respective racial or religious leaders. Such incidents rarely occur in the nation.

Throughout the period of servitude, Myanmar suffered religious oppression. Since 1854 when the second Anglo-Myanmar War was just over, religious objects enshrined in pagodas and stupas had been robbed. Getting involved in the fight against the religious oppression of the colonialists, Sayadaws U Vicara and U Ottama were put behind bars. Sayadaw U Vicara met his end in jail after staging a hunger strike for 168 days.

In the post-independence period, religious impostors of the West bloc incited religious disputes and conflicts in the nation.

Myanmar is an independent nation. The 1947 Constitution, 1974 State Constitution, and the 104 basic principles laid down by the ongoing National Convention vividly prescribed religious freedom. In Myanmar, various religions coexist in harmony. Myanmar people are enjoying religious freedom fully and do not need to worry about religious disputes and conflicts in the nation.

Author : Tekkatho Myat Thu