Mr. Ngahour, secretary of the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) ordered Pastor Panlai and Thuklai of Thatdun Baptist Church (TBC), Lawngvan Block, Matupi to discontinue the construction on May 3, 2007.

Brig. General Thura Aung Ko, Deputy Minister of the Ministry for Religious Affairs had given permission to construct the church to the TBC authorities, Pastor Rev. Biak Son, Rev. Thuk Leng and Pang Thang on April 9 at a meeting. But now the local authorities have canceled the permission.

“This is oppression of the Christian religious minority. More than that there is competition for power among the authorities, especially Brig. General Thura Aung Ko and the local authorities. Civilians always become victims of their dispute,” a local said.

A letter from the Matupi TPDC secretary said that the church should not be constructed till there is legal permission. A pastor of Matupi said, “Aung Ko had issued the permission, but the secretary of TPDC disregarded it. They are only making the people angry. It is meaningless because they keep changing their minds.”

The pastor said that they are trying to get the construction proposal through by praying and hoped that they would triumph over the authorities since they have been tormenting Christians. The church is meant to be constructed in the memory of Thatdun, the first preacher from Tluangram village, Thantlang Township who served for 10 years, in 1944. But now the pastors will approach Brig. General Thura Aung Ko for the construction.

Since the army take over in Myanmar in 1988, the regime has been systematically destroying Christian churches and the Cross to replace them with Buddhist Pagodas. Construction of churches as a result has been banned. - KNG