“These all died in faith… seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.”
Hebrews 11:13-16
Thousands of families living in the slums of Yangon’s Hlaing Thar Yar Township have been notified by the military junta that their homes will be demolished. They must leave by October 28th and 29th, within a day’s notice.
An on-the-ground partner reported that some families from the slums had been involved in resisting the junta in the People’s Defence Force (PDF). A recent attack from Hlaing Thar Yar prompted the military to clear out anti-coup resistance by demolishing the entire community. In March this year, Hlaing Thar Yar had been the site of a peaceful protest and military crackdown that left dozens of unarmed demonstrators dead. As the township is Yangon’s industrial zone, many demonstrators began burning Chinese-owned factories in retaliation.
Previous administrations in Myanmar have made efforts to demolish the shantytowns of Hlaing Thar Yar and make way for urban development, but past demolitions always attempted to relocate families to a new living area. The military junta has made no mention of any plan to provide these displaced families a place to stay. Our partner reported that he saw many families dismantling their houses and grabbing their few belongings, but they have nowhere to go.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray for resources to be multiplied and for the Church to rise up in sacrificial love for these homeless families.
2. Pray that displaced families would find a home in the love and redemption of Jesus.
