Pope urges respect for human rights in Myanmar without mentioning Rohingya

Pope Francis on Tuesday urgedthe leaders of majority-Buddhist Myanmar, mired in a crisis overthe fate of Muslim Rohingya people, to commit themselves tojustice, human rights and respect for "each ethnic group and itsidentity."

The Pope avoided a diplomatic backlash by not using thehighly charged term "Rohingya" in his addresses to officials, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, his words were applicable to members of thebeleaguered minority, who Myanmar does not recognize as citizensor as members of a distinct ethnic group.

More than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh wherethe Pope heads on Thursday since the end of August, escapingfrom a military crackdown that Washington has said included"horrendous atrocities" aimed at "ethnic cleansing."

Francis made his comments in Naypyitaw, the country'scapital, where he was received by Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace laureate and champion of democracy who has faced internationalcriticism for expressing doubts about the reports of rightsabuses against the Rohingya and failing to condemn the military.

Pope Francis avoids naming Rohingya in Myanmar speech

7 years ago

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Pontiff calls for respect, dignity, human rights in address to officials

"The future of Myanmar must be peace, a peace based onrespect for the dignity and rights of each member of society, respect for each ethnic group and its identity, respect for therule of law, and respect for a democratic order that enables each individual and every group none excluded to offer itslegitimate contribution to the common good," he said.

Myanmar rejects the term "Rohingya" and its use, with mostpeople instead referring to the Muslim minority in Rakhine stateas illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

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The Pope had used the word Rohingya in two appeals from theVatican this year.

But before the diplomatically risky trip, the Pope's ownadvisers recommended that he not use it in Myanmar, lest he set off a diplomatic incident that could turn the country's militaryand government against minority Christians.

Human rights groups such as Amnesty International, which hasaccused the army of "crimes against humanity," had urged him toutter it.

A hardline group of Buddhist monks warned on Monday without elaborating that there would be "a response" if he spoke openly about the Rohingya.

Religious differences 'aforce for unity'

Richard Horsey, a former UNofficial and analyst based inYangon, said the Pope's speech was "very cautiously worded" and"crafted to avoid antagonising local audiences."

"He has clearly taken the advice of his cardinals to avoidweighing in too heavily on the Rohingya crisis, but he certainly alludes to it with a message in his speech on some of thespecific points that he makes," Horsey said.

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Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the tripwas decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Suu Kyi.

The Pope met privately with Suu Kyi at the presidentialpalace in this sparsely populated town that became the capital in 2006, and then they both made public addresses at aconference centre.

He has clearly taken the advice of his cardinals to avoid weighing in too heavily on the Rohingya crisis.- Richard Horsey, analyst

Suu Kyi said in her speech that there had been an erosion oftrust and understanding between communities of Rakhine state,but did not refer to the Rohingya.

Francis, speaking in Italian, said that as it emerged fromnearly 50 years of military rule, Myanmar needed to heal the wounds of the past.

He called for a "just, reconciled and inclusive socialorder,"adding that "the arduous process of peacebuilding and national reconciliation can only advance through a commitment tojustice and respect for human rights."

Myanmar's army, whose leaders the Pope met on Monday, hasbeen battling various autonomy-seeking ethnic minority guerrillas for decades.

The military has denied the accusations of murder, rape,torture and forced displacement of the Rohingya that have beenmade against it.

The Rohingya exodus from Rakhine state began after Aug. 25,when Rohingya militants attacked security posts and the Myanmararmy launched a counter-offensive.

Referring to the country's communal tensions, Francis saidreligious differences "need not be a source of division and distrust, but rather a force for unity, forgiveness, toleranceand wise nation-building."

He made the same point at an earlier meeting with leaders ofthe Buddhist, Islamic, Hindu, Jewish and Christian faiths inYangon, where he called for "unity in diversity."

Aye Lwin, a prominent Muslim leader who was at theinterfaith meeting, told Reuters he had asked the Pope to appeal to Myanmar's political leaders "to rescue the religion that wecherish, which could be hijacked by a hidden agenda."

Only about 700,000 of Myanmar's 51 million people are RomanCatholic. Thousands of them have travelled from far and wide tosee him and more than 150,000 people have registered for a massthat Francis will say in Yangon on Wednesday.

Francis is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees inDhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on the second leg of his trip.