By CNS and Mark Bowling
IN March this year the photos and video of a 45-year-old nun on her knees with her arms spread wide, pleading with police, went viral.
The Catholic Leader carried the photos and the story of Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng, a Catholic nun from rural Myanmar who stood her ground against her country’s military.
She reportedly told security forces that day: “You’ll have to come through me. Shoot me instead of these young people.”
Sr Tawng has been honoured by the BBC as among the 100 most influential and inspiring women of the year, alongside Nobel laureates, politicians and professors.
A month after a military takeover on February 1, photos of Sr Tawng drew worldwide attention and became a symbol of Myanmar’s virulent nationwide protests against security forces.
Sr Tawng held her ground and challenged armed security forces in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin, Myanmar’s northernmost state, to halt their pursuit of fleeing demonstrators.
At that time, Pope Francis said that he too kneels on the streets of Myanmar as he appealed for an end to violence.
The BBC’s description of the incident reads: “Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng has openly spoken of protecting civilians, especially children. She has trained as a midwife and has led a life of service for the past 20 years, recently looking after COVID-19 patients in Myanmar’s Kachin state.”
On Monday, a court in military-ruled Myanmar found elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was removed by the generals when they seized power, guilty of charges widely dismissed as politically motivated and sentenced her to detention at an undisclosed location.
Other cases against the Nobel Peace Prize laureate include multiple charges of corruption, violations of a state secrets act, and a telecoms law that together carry a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison.
Her supporters have said the cases are baseless and designed to end her political career and tie her up in legal proceedings while the military consolidates power.
Aung San Suu Kyi has denied all the charges.
