Pope Francis is walking a diplomatic tightrope as he embarks on a peace mission in Myanmar today amid claims the country is committing genocide.
An estimated 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh since August following security operations by the Myanmar military. UN human rights official Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in September that the exodus was a “textbook example” of ethnic cleansing.
The Pope was greeted by children at Yangon International Airport, in south Myanmar, ahead of his meetings with the nation’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the head of the military. He will also visit Bangladesh to meet a small group of Rohingya refugees there, in a symbolic gesture.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The 80-year-old pontiff “has become known for his moderate views and willingness to denounce global injustice”, the BBC says.
But the situation is so delicate that some papal advisers have warned him not to use the word “Rohingya”, lest he “set off a diplomatic incident that could turn the country’s military and government against [its] minority Christians”, says Reuters.
Aaron Connelly, research fellow at Australia’s Lowy Institute, told CNN that the Pope’s desire to talk about the Rohingya was “clearly the thing that motivated this visit”.
According to Connelly: “The question is ... is he going to do that in a way which is less confrontational and engages? Or is he going to say, this is outrageous, these people have a right to be in Myanmar?”
-
Groypers: the alt-right group pulled into the foregroundThe Explainer The network is led by alt-right activist Nick Fuentes
-
10 concert tours to see this upcoming fallThe Week Recommends Concert tour season isn't over. Check out these headliners.
-
How to put student loan payments on pauseThe Explainer If you are starting to worry about missing payments, deferment and forbearance can help
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
How will the Myanmar earthquake affect the nation's military junta?Today's Big Question More than 2,700 people have reportedly died from the earthquake
-
Myanmar quake deaths rise as survivor search intensifiesspeed read The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar has killed a documented 2,000 people so far, and left scores more trapped beneath rubble
