Global Watch List: Religious Freedom Profile of Christians in Myanmar

Key Chapter Title List

1. Violence and Pressure Levels
2. Main Findings
3. Background and Religious Composition
4. Differences in the Situation of Christians Across Regions
5. Classification of Affected Groups
6. Primary Sources of Persecution and Discrimination
7. Differences in Impact on Men and Women
8. Five-Year Trends in the World Watch List
9. Cases of Violence During the Reporting Period
10. Specific Pressures in Private Life, Family Life, Community Life, National Life, and Church Life
11. International Obligations and Violated Rights
12. Situation of Other Religious Minority Groups

Document Introduction

This report, based on in-depth investigations conducted by the research department of Open Doors International (World Watch Research) during the reporting period from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, systematically assesses the religious freedom situation faced by Christians in Myanmar. The report points out that since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar has entered its fifth year of escalating violent conflict. Christians, as an ethnic minority, particularly in regions such as Kachin, Karen, Chin, Kayah, and Shan States, have become primary victims in the conflicts between the government military and various ethnic armed forces, enduring multiple pressures including direct violent attacks, systemic discrimination, and social exclusion.

The report quantitatively analyzes the pressures faced by Christians across six dimensions: private life, family life, community life, national life, church life, and overall violence level. In 2025, Myanmar's total persecution score on the World Watch List rose to 81 points (out of 100), ranking 13th, reflecting a significant deterioration in the overall environment. The increase in violent incidents is the main reason for the rise in the total score, specifically manifested in frequent airstrikes targeting churches, killings, and detentions of Christians. The report details specific cases, including the January 2024 airstrike on a church in Sagaing Region that resulted in 17 deaths, and provides a quantitative data table based on minimum estimates.

The analytical framework further deconstructs the structural roots of persecution. The primary root is religious nationalism, which binds Myanmar (Bamar) identity to Buddhist faith, viewing non-Buddhists as an external threat to national unity. The second is "dictatorial paranoia" under long-term military rule, whose legitimacy partly relies on establishing and expanding the Buddhist domain. Furthermore, in Christian-inhabited areas rich in jade, minerals, and timber, as well as in opium-producing areas that are part of the "Golden Triangle," organized corruption and crime are intertwined with conflict, exposing Christians who oppose corruption to dual violence risks from both the military and insurgent groups.

The report also distinguishes the specific situations of different Christian groups: long-established Christian communities have long been oppressed by the military; converts from Buddhism or Islam face severe persecution from families, communities, and radical Buddhist groups; non-traditional evangelical and Pentecostal churches are particularly vulnerable in rural areas. The impact on male and female Christians shows gendered differences: women face risks of gender-based violence, forced marriage, and human trafficking; men may lose jobs due to their faith, be forced into military service, or subjected to forced labor. The report concludes by noting that Myanmar has failed to fulfill its obligations under several international treaties it has joined, violating the fundamental rights of Christians in areas such as religious education, access to resources, adequate standard of living, and freedom of marriage.