US Congressman Frank Wolf denounces Burmese military’s $3 million lobbying contract and persecution of Christians

Mizzima

US Congressman Frank Wolf, a leading champion of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, highlighted the Burmese military’s severe persecution of Christians during his remarks at the 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award Program, hosted by 21WILBERFORCE in Falls Church, Virginia, on October 27.

President Bill Clinton signed the International Religious Freedom Act into law on October 27, 1998, and it remains one of the central pillars of U.S. foreign policy for promoting religious freedom worldwide.

This year’s award was presented to Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, Executive Director of the Burma Advocacy Group. Rev. Dr. Robin Stoops, Chairman of the Board of the Burma Research Institute (BRI) and former Associate General Secretary of American Baptist Churches USA, and Zo Tum Hmung, BRI’s President and CEO, attended the program, along with U.S.-based Baptist leaders from the Chin, Kachin, and Karen communities.

In his remarks, Congressman Wolf condemned the Burmese military’s $3 million-a-year contract with DCI Group, a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm, to cultivate relations with the United States. He also described the military’s grave violations of religious freedom, particularly its targeting of Christian communities.

Following the remarks, Zo Tum Hmung thanked Congressman Wolf for raising the plight of Burma’s Christians and for underscoring the need for legislation to bar the Burmese military from hiring U.S. lobbying firms.

“Congressman Wolf has stood with persecuted people of faith for decades, and we are deeply grateful that he continues to speak for the Christians of Burma,” said Dr. Robin Stoops. “The military should not be able to buy influence in Washington while it bombs churches and terrorizes communities of faith. Congress should act to close that door.”

The call echoes a recommendation in the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) 2026 Annual Report, released in March 2026. The report urged Congress to introduce and pass legislation banning the Burmese military (Tatmadaw) from using U.S.-based lobbying firms to evade accountability for its crimes and to cultivate ties with the United States. BRI welcomed the report’s recommendation at the time of its release.

On October 19, 2026, the International Religious Freedom Secretariat sent a multifaith letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to take action to protect persecuted Christians in Burma.