Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion and belief throughout Myanmar.

We are deeply concerned by the violence and hate speech against Muslims and Christians in Burma. It is clear that the Rohingya face persecution and that Christians in Chin, Kachin and Kayin States face intimidation. Fears have been whipped up by nationalist Buddhists against the Rohingya, fuelling attacks against Muslims in Rakhine which have seen a sharp escalation since the attack by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on police posts on 25 August. Following its election in 2015, the civilian government have attempted to build interfaith and inter communal relations through a message of ‘strength through diversity’. These words need to be demonstrated by their actions.