Bishop Bernardino Ne Ne: “We listen to the people and stand alongside the displaced. Peace is imperative”

In brief

Bishop Bernardino Ne Ne, the Coadjutor Bishop of Taungngu, said the Church is working to protect lives and support displaced families as conflict and economic hardship intensify in central-southern Myanmar. Speaking to Agenzia Fides, the bishop noted that priests are staying in their parishes to care for families and offer comfort despite the ongoing crisis.

The Bago Region, where the Taungngu diocese is located, serves as a strategic link between central Myanmar and the eastern regions where ethnic armed groups and the military have fought for decades. Bishop Ne Ne reported that civil war has expanded in the area following the February 2021 coup, bringing airstrikes near cities and causing widespread fear.

The bishop stated that the Church is avoiding large gatherings that are not permitted to ensure safety. He also noted that soaring inflation and the collapse of social and economic conditions are causing the population to struggle for survival.