Burmese authorities have told a Kachin Baptist church in Rangoon it cannot hold a planned literary workshop on August 19 because it hasn’t obtained official permission.

Burmese authorities have told a Kachin Baptist church in Rangoon it cannot hold a planned literary workshop on August 19 because it hasn’t obtained official permission.

The church, run under the auspices of the Kachin Baptist Convention, has held similar workshops annually for the past four years without having to obtain official permission, a church pastor told The Irrawaddy. This year, the church had been informed that it must “report or seek permission first from the authority,”said the pastor, requesting anonymity.

This year’s workshop was aimed at young people, and was to have been addressed by two well-known Burmese writers, Ko Tar and Chit Oo Nyo.

The Baptist church has been under observation by the authorities, who even check its Sunday order of service, said a staff member.

Late last year, the Burmese military government ordered The Full Gospel Assembly, a rapidly growing church in downtown Rangoon, to cease all activities, including its weekly services of worship.

Although the Burmese junta claims it allows freedom of worship, it has been condemned by international Christian groups for its crackdowns on Burmese churches. The US State Department has also accused the junta of severe violations of religious freedom and designated Burma as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.