Myanmar’s Religious Persecution Escalates as ASEAN Fails to Stop Military Violence

As Laos assumes the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and prepares for its first meeting this week, the situation for religious minorities in Myanmar — a fellow ASEAN member — continues to deteriorate. Myanmar’s military, suffering significant battlefield losses, has intensified its attacks on civilian areas, including a series of airstrikes last month that were among the most intense since the military coup in 2021.

ASEAN, established in 1967 to foster economic cooperation and peaceful dialogue in Southeast Asia, has faced challenges in addressing Myanmar’s crisis. The 2021 coup overthrew the democratically elected government, allowing the military to escalate its long-standing campaign against civilians. According to the United Nations, at least 5,350 civilians have been killed, and over 3.3 million people have been displaced since the coup.

The U.N. reports that more than half of Myanmar’s population now lives below the poverty line, largely due to military violence. The military, or Tatmadaw, has arrested over 27,000 people, many of whom have been subjected to abusive interrogations, mistreatment in detention, and denial of healthcare. The Tatmadaw’s crackdown has also targeted religious sites, with 226 documented attacks on churches, monasteries, and pagodas during the reporting period.

Despite these atrocities, ASEAN has struggled to take effective action. Myanmar, a member since 1997, has been largely sidelined since the coup. In response to the crisis, ASEAN adopted a five-point consensus aimed at reducing violence and restoring peace. However, Myanmar’s military regime quickly backed out of the agreement, citing instability in the country. Since then, violence has only intensified, and the plan has failed to yield meaningful results.

Myanmar, a patchwork of ethnic and religious communities, is predominantly ethnic Burman and Buddhist, but the country also has well-established minority groups that predate the modern state. Many of those targeted by the military include pro-democracy activists, but ethnoreligious minority groups, including the Muslim-majority Rohingya and the Christian-majority Chin, have also been severely persecuted.

The Burmese military has a long history of violence against its people, promoting an extremist interpretation of Buddhism. Prior to the 2016 Rohingya genocide, the government fueled anti-Rohingya sentiment through disinformation campaigns on social media, leading to widespread killings and mass displacement of the Rohingya people.

Despite controlling only a small portion of Myanmar’s vast territory, the military announced in September plans to conduct a census in October to prepare for general elections in 2025. Analysts have criticized this move, viewing it as an attempt to gather information on opponents in military-controlled areas, as the military lacks control over large parts of the country.

Christians, who make up less than 1% of Myanmar’s population, remain one of the most persecuted groups. Ethnic divisions and ongoing civil conflict have contributed to human rights violations. Despite hopes for positive change with the establishment of a civilian-led government in 2016, Christians continue to face severe restrictions. They are under constant surveillance, religious leaders are tracked, and many live in fear of arrest or torture. The persecution of Christians and other minorities continues to reflect the deep-rooted challenges facing Myanmar under military rule.