CCA mourns the passing of Rev. Saw Shwe Lin, prominent Myanmar church and ecumenical leader
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Chiang Mai, Thailand: Rev. Saw Shwe Lin, prominent church and ecumenical leader and former General Secretary of the Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC), passed away at the age of 59 this morning, 27 August 2024, in Yangon, Myanmar.
Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara expressed deep condolences on the passing of Rev. Saw Shwe Lin and recalled their more than two decades of close collaboration in the Asian ecumenical movement.
Rev. Saw Shwe Lin played a significant role as the local coordinator for the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of CCA and the Asia Mission Conference (AMC) which were held in Yangon, Myanmar in 2017.
He was a member of the General Committee of the CCA from 2010 to 2015. He was also an active participant in CCA’s programmes over the years, most recently attending the 15th CCA General Assembly in Kottayam in 2023.
Dr Mathews George Chunakara stated, “Rev. Saw Shwe Lin’s leadership in coordinating two major CCA events simultaneously in Myanmar in 2017 was exemplary. His ability to unite people from different churches and organisations in Myanmar in solidarity, faith, and purpose ensured the success of CCA’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, which saw massive participation.”
The CCA General Secretary reflected, "Rev. Saw Shwe Lin was a deeply committed church and ecumenical leader who upheld Christian values through his faith, commitment, and conviction, as well as through his profound involvement in the democratisation and human rights movement.”
Rev. Saw Shwe Lin, born in 1965, earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div) from the Myanmar Institute of Theology. His contributions to the ecumenical movement spanned almost a quarter of a century, during which he served in various capacities. He worked as the National Secretary of the Myanmar Student Christian Movement (SCM) and held several roles in MCC, including Youth Secretary, before assuming the position of MCC General Secretary for two terms from 2008 to 2016.
“During his tenure as General Secretary of the MCC, Rev. Saw Shwe Lin took a bold stand, encouraging churches and ecumenical organisations worldwide to speak out against human rights violations in Myanmar. He urged the World Council of Churches (WCC) to prioritise international advocacy for democratisation and human rights in Myanmar. This advocacy ultimately led to the WCC identifying Myanmar as a priority concern during the UN Advocacy Week (UNAW) in 2010. Rev. Saw Shwe Lin attended the 2010 UN Advocacy Week, marking the first time a Myanmar church leader participated in an international advocacy campaign. Despite the risks, he participated in a side event organised by the WCC at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva and spoke at the UNAW about the human rights situation in Myanmar” recollected Dr Mathews George Chunakara, who was Director of WCC International Affairs during that period and worked closely with Rev. Saw Shwe Lin on Myanmar’s democratisation and human rights.
Rev. Saw Shwe Lin also served as Vice-President of the MCC, and as Chairperson of the Finance Committee. Since 2018, he served as President of Yangon Council of Churches (YCC) and remained an active member of the Self-Supporting Kayin Baptist Mission Society (SSKBMS) in Yangon until his final days.
His funeral will take place on 29 August 2024 at 9:00 A.M. at Grace Worship Church, Myanmar Christian Fellowship of The Blind, Yangon.