Myanmar Military Burns Historic Banmaw Cathedral Amid Ongoing War

The Myanmar junta has burned down St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Banmaw, Kachin State, in its latest assault on religious sites since seizing power in 2021.

The cathedral was set ablaze on March 16 during military operations in the area, just a day before the feast of St. Patrick, to whom the church is dedicated. The Diocesan offices, priest’s house, and high school had already been torched on February 26.

St. Patrick’s is one of several churches targeted in the conflict. Earlier in March, St. Michael’s Catholic Church pastoral centre in Banmaw was destroyed, while airstrikes damaged the Sacred Heart Church in Chin State in February.

The civil war, triggered by the 2021 coup, has seen Myanmar’s military face growing resistance from ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces. The junta’s tactics—airstrikes, mass executions, and the burning of villages and religious sites—have drawn condemnation from human rights groups.

However, some ethnic militias within the resistance are also under scrutiny. Groups like the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) have been accused of forced conscription and violent crackdowns on civilians, sparking unrest in their territories.

Amid escalating violence, the junta promised elections on March 10, but with large swathes of the country under rebel control, the feasibility of such a vote remains uncertain.

Since the coup, nearly 6,400 civilians have been killed, over 28,700 arrested, and millions displaced, deepening Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis.

19-03-25