In a country just a little smaller than Texas, friends of Alpha Relief work tirelessly to aid refugees displaced by war and ethnic cleansing. Even the country’s name induces conflict – recognized as Myanmar by some countries and Burma by others.

Christian persecution is rampant in Burma, as the military junta seeks to rid the country of all non-Buddhists. In December 2010, the Thailand Burma consortium estimated there are 450,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burma and over 350,000 refugees living in camps on the Thailand/Burma border. There are also an estimated 200,000 refugees living outside recognized camps. That’s over a million people who have lost their homes and loved ones at the hands of the Burmese Army. Many of those refugees are orphaned children.

Facts:

• Bordered primarily by India on the west, China on the north, Thailand on the east, and the Indian Ocean on the south
• Population 48 million
• Was a British colony from 1824-1948. Memories of decades of abuse during British rule still fuel anti-Western sentiment
• Ruled by a military junta since 1962
• Politically tied to North Korea
• The central lowlands are ringed by rugged highlands in a tropical climate
• Burmese is the primary language of the country, but there are an estimated 111 ethnic minority languages
• 89% Buddhist, 4% Christian, 4% Muslim, 3% Other Religions
• One of the poorest nations in southeast Asia with a GDP per capita of $1,900 (as compared to the per capita GDP of North Korea at $1,800 and the USA $46,900)
• Many humanitarian organizations have reported multiple human rights violations by the military government