BANGKOK (UCAN) -- The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar (CBCM) has called on Catholics to pray for their country as street demonstrations by Buddhist monks against the military government entered a second week.

In a statement issued on Sept. 26, the conference said that the Church has been praying for the country, and though it is not involved in party politics or the current protests, Catholics "are free to act as they deem fit."

UCA News in Bangkok obtained a copy of the statement, signed by Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon, CBCM's general secretary, and Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng of Mandalay, CBCM's president.

Later that day, international media reported that security forces in Yangon were breaking up the demonstrations, beating and arresting protesters, and using tear gas. The reports say several thousand Buddhist monks and students rallied on Sept. 26 at the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city and former capital, despite a ban on public gatherings of more than five people and a nighttime curfew imposed the day before.

Monks have been demonstrating in Yangon and other cities against spiraling inflation, corruption and the government's continued suppression of democracy.

Myanmar's leaders warned them to halt the protests after a reported 100,000 people joined marches in Yangon on Sept. 24, the largest anti-government display since the military violently suppressed a 1988 pro-democracy uprising.

Foreign governments and religious leaders have urged the Myanmar government to deal peacefully with the situation. Two of them are the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, and South Africa's Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Both are Nobel Peace Prize laureates, as is Aung San Suu Kyi, whom Myanmar's government has kept under house arrest most of the time since 1990. Her political party won a landslide victory in elections that year, but it was not allowed to take power.

The CBCM statement follows:

Catholic Bishop' Conference of Myanmar (CBCM)

Most Rev. Your Grace,

Most Rev. Your Excellency,

Rev. Father, Religious and Lay Faithful,

Today the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar issued the following statement regarding the Stand of the Catholic Church in the face of the present situation that the Country is facing.

1. The Church in Myanmar has been doing Chain prayers, fasting and perpetual adoration turn by turn in all the parishes of all the Archdioceses and Dioceses for peace and development in the country since 1st February 2006 up to now.

2. Especially at the present situation, all Catholics are requested to make unceasing prayers and to offer special Masses for the welfare of the country.

3. In accordance with the Canon Law and Social Teachings of the Catholic Church, priests and religious are not involved in any party-politics and in the current protests.

4. Catholics, as citizens of the country, are free to act as they deem fit. The clergy and religious can give proper guidance.

While praying and looking forward to promoting national reconciliation and welfare of the country, we remain

Sincerely Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ

Archbishop Charles Bo

General Secretary

CBCM

Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng

President

CBCM

At CBCM, Yangon

26 September 2007, Wednesday

END