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Today I had the opportunity to join the National Day of Prayer for Just Peace in Myanmar.
Dr Tun Aung Shwe, Representative to Australia of the National Unity Government of the Union of Myanmar, joined Bishop Philip Huggins at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Port Melbourne.
I had asked Dr Tun about optimism and hope and was delighted to hear him include it in his address to the congregation.
Dr Tun said, "You may ask me why my people are so resilient to this repressive regime. We are very optimistic. The people are living with optimism because they hope that they will be able to restore human rights and democracy in Myanmar. That optimism gives them the energy to resist the repressive regime."
Bishop Philip Huggins said, “We pray that we may imagine ourselves and also current perpetrators of violence soon as nation-builders, forgiven and free together to help repair the damage done in these years.”
"We are committed to achieving a Myanmar in which atrocities cannot occur and in which people feel safe and are democratically free.
"In our songs, prayers and reflections of loving faith, blessed by the hospitality of our hosts, we will affirm together our journey towards a just and beautiful peace for Myanmar. The spirit in which we prepare to gather is captured in the following quotes from contributors to this National Day of Prayer for Just Peace in Myanmar."
Rev Meewon Yang, Multicultural Consultant, Baptist Union of Victoria, said, “The yearning of our hearts is that those with power to end the violence will do so. That those who know this is wrong, perhaps some of the military, will walk away from the company of the perpetrators.”
Dr Mark Zirnsak, Senior Social Justice Advocate, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, said, “We will also be praying that the international community will increase pressure on the military junta to step aside and allow for a genuine democracy to emerge that will respect the wellbeing of all people in Myanmar.”
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