This year isn’t just a crucial election year for the UK; later this year elections are scheduled to be taking place in Burma. After 50 years of military-backed regimes, these will be just the second ‘free’ elections in recent history. Many hope to see the democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi democratically elected, but Burma’s reform process has seemingly stalled and an unreformed constitution means she cannot stand for the presidency. At the same time religious tensions are on the increase, with anti-Muslim violence by militant Buddhists escalating.

This week please:

• Thank God for the progress that has been made over the last few years on Burma’s path to democracy and openness;
• Pray that the reform process, as well as the negotiations with ethnic armed groups, would get back on track, resulting in real change for all of Burma’s people;
• Pray that the elections that are due to take place will indeed go ahead and will be peaceful, free and fair;
• Pray for the Burma Day of Prayer which takes place in London this Saturday;
• Ask God to bring an end to hate speech, intolerance, discrimination and violence in Burma;
• Thank God for religious leaders, including some monks, who have become increasingly outspoken against religious freedom violations;
• Pray for the comfort and healing of the families who have lost loved ones in the terrible ethnic violence.