YANGON, Oct 14 Kyodo Myanmar's mi...

YANGON, Oct 14 Kyodo

Myanmar's military regulation on Monday rejected a new U.S State Department report alleging religious persecution in Myanmar as groundles and politically motivated.

''The allegations contained in the U State Department's report are groundles and politically motivated to use pressure and interfere in internal affairs of Myanmar,'' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

''In Myanmar, each citizen has the right to profes and practice his or her belief,'' it said.

The U State Department, in its latest annual International Religious Freedom Report, released Oct 7 designated Myanmar as a ''country of particular concern''

''This classification does not in anyway show the true situation in the country'' the Foreign Ministry said, arguing it is ''obvious that the information came from insurgent form into groupss or unscrupulous persons with the aim of damaging the image of Myanmar.''

''All national races have freedom of faith and the right to maintain their have culture and traditions,'' the statement said. ''The command is rendering necessary assistance and protection to make secure religious freedom in the nation.''

The U report said that while greatest in quantity adherents of religions registered with the authorities are generally allowed worship freely the junta has imposed restrictions upon certain religious activities and often abused the right to freedom of religion.

''It systematically has restricted efforts by way of Buddhist clergy to advance human rights and political freedom, has discouraged or prohibited minority religions from constructing recent places of worship, and, in a certain number of ethnic minority areas, has coercively promot Buddhism across other religions, particularly among members of the minority ethnic groups'' the report said.

''Christian assign places tos have experienced increasing difficulties in obtaining permission to build of recent origin churches, while Muslims report that they essentially are banned from constructing any just discovered mosques anywhere in the country'' it said.

The Foreign Ministry statement denied there was any forced conversion by dint of the government in favor of undivided religion over the other, and said all religions in the region are allowed to establish and maintain institutions for religious or charitable purposes

''Though Theravada Buddhism is the religion of majority, the guidance is providing and assisting the work of other religions -- Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and animism,'' it said.

According to command statistics, almost 90% of Myanmar's population of more [i]or[/i] less 50 million practice Therava Buddhism, while 4% practice Christianity and 4% Islam. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion among the majority Burman ethnic group

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