Myanmar: 45,000 More Rohingya Flee

An estimated 45,000 of Myanmar’s Rohingya have fled Rakhine State since mid-May in clashes between the nation’s ruling junta and the rebel Arakan Army (AA). As the AA now presses into Maungdaw, bordering Bangladesh, yet more Rohingya are expected to be displaced.

As a Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation, the Rohingya have faced decades of oppression. Other minority groups, including several mostly Christian tribes, have also been terrorized by the Burmese military and Buddhist extremists, but none so severely as the Rohingya. Nearly a million fled to Bangladesh after a military crackdown in 2017 killed at least 6,700 in less than a month and a terrifying more than 24,000 within the next year.

The 76-year civil war in Myanmar (since April 2, 1948) is the longest known in history. But the turmoil increased all the more in 2021 when a military coup overthrew the elected government. Since then, at least 50,000 people have died in air strikes, burnings and other military attacks on villages throughout the Southeast Asian nation. Rebel armies rose up in response to the coup, and in recent months have joined somewhat with already established ethnic armies to gain an advantage over the brutal military in many locations.

Although AA’s purpose is to fight for the autonomy of Rakhine’s ethnic population, they are now accused of atrocities against the Rohingya in this most recent conflict, including the burning of Buthidaung town and an unknown number of deaths and abuses. To complicate matters, Bangladesh hesitates to take in more Rohingya, with already more than a million crowded into refugee camps within their borders. This leaves the perhaps 200,000 fleeing the present arson attacks nowhere to go.

The Rohingya number about 609,000 in Myanmar and perhaps 2,248,000 worldwide. Strict adherents to Islam, most have never heard the good news about Christ. But in the midst of such tragedy, some from this unreached people group have found hope. When a Christian relief organization handed out solar-powered audio Bibles and other provisions to those in need, many Rohingya turned from Islam to Christ.

Lord, please have mercy on Rohingya who are displaced, grieving and abused. Protect them from harm and get them to safety. Provide food, water and shelter for them and hide them from those who seek to kill them. In the midst of so much tragedy, Lord, please bring forth great good. Visit every Rohingya in their dreams to tell them about Your plan for their salvation. Lift the veil from their eyes so they will see You as You truly are, and give them courage to lay down traditions, seek Truth with all their hearts and find You. Bring them in contact with Christians who will share with them Your good news. O Merciful Father, so many lives have been lost, so many orphans and widows made already in this war. Please protect the innocent. Be a Shield around those in danger. Get them to safety and provide for all their needs. Protect Christians who are aiding those in need, and empower them to share Your good news and shine Your love to the lost. Please, Lord, make a way for the violence to end soon, and for the people of Myanmar to at last live in peace. Awaken every heart to You. So many of the reports of murder and torture are horrific, we beg You now for every violent offender. Please break the chains that bind them to demons of lust, cruelty, death and violence. Set them free to hunger for Your love instead. More than ten thousand have already defected from the brutal military and police, Lord. Please convict thousands more of their evil crimes and draw them to repentance. Lift the veil from their eyes so they can see You as You truly are. Haunt their dreams, talk to them throughout the day. Destroy the darkness with Your light. As they go to do their evil acts, assign Your angel armies in front of them to block the way and fight for the innocence of young women, the future of the children, the welfare of the elderly and the hope of the youth. Make a way for every person in Myanmar to hear of Your great love in their native languages, especially among the 52 unreached people groups. Don’t let even one more person die without knowing the good news of Your salvation. Awaken all of Myanmar to You, O God. For only in You will they know true freedom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by finding gifts for those you love at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:

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