A prominent Myanmar Christian leader Dr. Hkalam Samson, well-known for his fearless humanitarian support for IDPs, has been slapped with an additional anti- terrorism charge at his hearing on February 14 th in a case that has stirred considerable international interest.
Samson’s wife, Zhon Nyoir, told RFA that said she is worried about her husband’s health because he has not been allowed to see his family since his arrest, and the family is not permitted to send him medicine or food. In Myitkyina people are very worried that “ he is in poor health, suffering from lung problems and high blood pressure while in detention,” his wife and other sources said.
The Myanmar Burmese Baptist Church that Samson previously led is headquartered in Myitkyina and has about 400,000 members, most of whom are ethnic Kachin.
Former Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) President Dr.Hkalam Samson has been charged under Section 52 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act at the February 14 trial.
Dr.Hkalam Samson has been also been charged with Section 17(1) for meeting KIO/KIA Chairman General N’ban La and KIA General Gun Maw in January 2022.
The Junta’s extremely harsh treatment is only in part triggered by his appeal to former US president Trump to help stop religious persecution in Myanmar. He had been charged under Section 505 (a) for “ having defamed the nation,” when he spoke the at a Christian youth conference in Asia with the banner of “Let’s build a nation in Christ” .
But probably the military motive that drives much of the Junta’s prosecution of Dr Samson is fueled even more by his humanitarian dedication to all Myanmar citizens whether Buddhist, Muslim or Christian and his opposition to the coup.
His Baptist colleagues recall his concern for all IDPs and how “he risked his life and went to the dangerous front-line areas where the fighting was going on, to evacuate [people].”
On December 5, 2022, Dr.Hkalam Samson was detained by the Military Council at Mandalay Tada-U International Airport while on his way to Bangkok, Thailand for a medical examination. The next trial has been rescheduled for February 21.
