Pope Francis Begins His Visit to Myanmar Amid Rohingya Crisis

Pope Francis arrived in Myanmar on Monday, December 6, on a sensitive trip to a country with a Buddhist majority that has been accused by the U.S. of "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims. The Pope is also set to visit Bangladesh, where over 620,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Myanmar. Amnesty International has described the actions of the Myanmar government against Muslims as "crimes against humanity." According to Reuters, the Myanmar army has denied the allegations of killings, rapes, torture, and the expulsion of Rohingya people. After leaving Rome, Pope Francis told reporters on the plane, "They say it is hot there (in Myanmar). I am sorry, but let us hope that at least this trip will be fruitful." A Vatican spokesman stated that the Pope would have a private meeting at 6 PM local time with General Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the army, at St. Mary's Church in the heart of Yangon, Myanmar's capital. The report indicates that members of ethnic minorities welcomed Pope Francis at the airport in traditional clothing, and children presented him with flower branches as he disembarked from the plane. Only 700,000 of Myanmar's 51 million population are Catholic Christians. Thousands of them traveled by train and bus to Yangon, joining a crowd waiting for the Pope outside the airport. Win Min Set, a Catholic leader who brought 1,800 people from the south and west of the country to Yangon, said, "We are here to see the Holy Father. This happens once every few hundred years." He noted the sensitivities surrounding the Pope's discussions about the Rohingya, stating, "When it comes to political matters, he is an informed person. He manages issues wisely." Thousands of police forces have been deployed in Yangon, but according to Reuters, no signs of protests have been observed. This trip is so sensitive that some of the Pope's advisors have advised him to avoid using the term "Rohingya" altogether, as a diplomatic slip could provoke the army and government of Myanmar to take action against the country's Christian minority. Nevertheless, the Pope has used this term twice this year. The expulsion of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh began last August when a group of Muslim militants attacked security posts and the Myanmar army. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson referred to the actions of the Myanmar army against Muslims as "ethnic cleansing" and threatened sanctions against those responsible for "horrific atrocities." The Myanmar government has denied many of the allegations, and the army has stated that its investigations show no wrongdoing by its forces. Myanmar does not recognize Rohingya Muslims as citizens or as members of an ethnic minority and even rejects the term "Rohingya" and its usage. Many people in Myanmar instead refer to the Muslim minority in Rakhine State as illegal immigrants who have come from Bangladesh. The Pope is expected to meet and talk with some Rohingya refugees in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, during his visit.