4/1/2025 Myanmar (International Christian Concern) — Multiple reports from around Myanmar indicate that the military junta ruling the country bombed civilians as they scrambled to recover from a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country Friday.
Military planes bombed northern Shan state less than three hours after the earthquake, according to reports, with more strikes following soon after in Karen State, the quake’s epicenter Sagaing, and in areas close to the Thai border.
In contrast, the National Unity Government—which opposes the junta—announced that its militia forces would immediately begin a two-week pause in areas impacted by the earthquake to facilitate humanitarian activities.
The fact that the military, known locally as the Tatmadaw, would bomb civilians while they were working to rescue each other from the rubble of an earthquake, is “nothing short of incredible,” Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, told the BBC.
“Anyone who has influence on the [Tatmadaw],” he said, “needs to step up the pressure and make it very clear that this is not acceptable."
China and Russia, longtime allies of the Tatmadaw, have helped to provide emergency relief services in the wake of the earthquake but have not commented on the bombings. Despite sweeping international sanctions, both countries have supplied consistent military and economic support for the Tatmadaw.
The United States recently cut back on assistance and development aid to Myanmar as part of broader cuts to international aid. Reports indicate that it has not matched China and Russia’s emergency relief assistance since the earthquake. Last week, though, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
released a report criticizing the country for its systematic repression of religious minorities and urged the international community to increase attention to the plight of the persecuted in Myanmar.
Ongoing Displacement and the Plight of Religious Minorities
“The country has seen the displacement of over 3.5 million people in recent years,” the USCIRF report noted, “including more than 90,000 in Christian-majority Chin State, 237,200 in Kachin State, and one million Muslim-majority Rohingya refugees” Last week’s earthquake, and the airstrikes that followed, have only increased these high levels of displacement.
Though a strong majority of the population is ethnic Burman and an even greater percentage is Buddhist, the communities that make up the remainder are well-established, well-organized, and, for the most part, predate the formation of the modern state by centuries.
In many cases, Myanmar’s ethnic minorities have also taken on a distinct religious identity. About 20-30% of ethnic Karen are Christians, while other groups, such as the Chin, are over 90% Christian. This overlap of ethnic and religious identity has created a volatile situation for believers.
Historical Violence Against Ethnic and Religious Minorities
Representing an extremist interpretation of Buddhism, the Burmese military has a long history of violence against the people of Myanmar, including against ethnic and religious minorities like the Muslim-majority Rohingya and Christian-majority Chin.
The junta is known to abduct children, forcing them to walk ahead of their troops through minefields. In many cases, their victims are members of ethnic and religious minority communities fighting back against the atrocities of a military that has waged a decades-long war of ethnic and religious cleansing.
Despite this support, experts believe that the Burmese military is atrophying rapidly, with as few as 150,000 personnel remaining after the loss of about 21,000 through casualties or desertions since the 2021 coup. This number is significantly smaller than previous estimates of 300,000-400,000 and calls into question the junta’s ability to sustain its nationwide military campaign, especially after a series of high-profile losses in recent years.”
How ICC Is Responding to the Crisis
Less than two weeks before the devastating earthquake, an International Christian Concern (ICC) staffer visited the country to address conditions for local Christians and foreign workers amid the ongoing instability. While the findings painted a grim picture of widespread displacement, corruption, and strained infrastructure, what stood out was the resilience of the church and its believers, who remain steadfast in their faith despite the mounting challenges.
"I've contacted friends and local contacts to check on them since the earthquakes. They've talked about the huge devastation in Mandalay, with recovery efforts slowly working through the rubble and damage," said an ICC staffer in Southeast Asia. "The impact is huge across the country, too. Those I've contacted asked for continual prayers for local teams helping with recovery and for their country. Given their plight, one local pastor even selflessly asked if I had prayer requests myself. This shows the strong faith of the believers despite the obstacles. I've also contacted different Christian friends and contacts in Thailand to see how we can pray and help by God's grace."
ICC will continue to monitor the situation and explore ways to support recovery efforts.
Since 1995, ICC has served the global persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of assistance, advocacy, and awareness. ICC exists to bandage the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church in the toughest parts of the world.
