Thursday 18 May
Resolutions from Australian Baptist Mininstries.
At the Australian Baptist Ministries National Council meeting on May 17, 2023 the following resolutions relating to Myanmar were unanimously endorsed:
"The National Council of Australian Baptist Ministries [ABM] stand in solidarity with all the church communities from Myanmar that are members of State Unions affiliated with ABM. We grieve with them as they witness their family and friends displaced, persecuted, and killed at the hands of the Myanmar military.
We note, that according to the United Nations an estimated 1,584,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across Myanmar as of 30 January 2023 and there are more than 1 million refugees and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries. We know that church buildings have been destroyed and pastors detained.
We call on the Australian government to:
- Increase humanitarian visas to refugees from Myanmar, particularly from ethnic areas such as the Chin, Kachin, Karen and Karenni States where people have been displaced and waiting for settlement for upward of 35 years.
- Increase humanitarian aid to these ethnic areas that struggle to receive international support due to Myanmar Government restrictions.
- Increase pressure on the Myanmar government through further sanctions against individuals and companies associated with the Myanmar military and further action at ASEAN and the UN.
- Increase pressure on the Indian Government to issue exit permits to refugees who have already been granted Australian visas.
We commit ourselves to prayer, to continue to speak out on behalf of the people of Myanmar, in particular those connected to our church community members from Myanmar, and we commit to providing material support to displaced communities in Myanmar and border refugee camps."
You can join Baptist Mission Australia in advocating and praying for the people of Myanmar and the growing number of displaced people. You can also stand with them through the Stand with Myanmar appeal.
Find out more here >>
« Back to News