杏MAP导航

By Philippa Hitchen

The Catholic bishops of Myanmar have asked the Holy See to organize an international conference on the plight of the stateless Rohingya people.

The bishops have been in Rome this week, meeting with 杏MAP导航 Francis and top Vatican officials, discussing the ethnic conflicts that continue to plague their country.

The 杏MAP导航 made a three-day visit to Myanmar in November last year, urging Catholics, Buddhists and all member of society to work for peace and reconciliation in the Southeast Asian nation.

A key concern during the papal visit to Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh was the fate of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, who have fled from the conflict between government troops and independence fighters in northern Rakhine state.

Following a private meeting between the 杏MAP导航 and the bishops in the Vatican on Tuesday, the head of the bishops鈥� conference, Cardinal Charles Bo talked to us about the impact of the papal visit to his country.

The Cardinal says that in the wake of the visit, the 鈥渨hole nation at large begins to understand the message and even to respect the person of the 杏MAP导航 as well as the Catholic Church鈥�.

He says one of the benefits is that the bishops 鈥渉ave easier access to government鈥�, including the regional generals and top military leader.

Cardinal Bo says he personally requested that 杏MAP导航 Francis send a message to Aung San Suu Kyi and to General Min Aung Hlaing appealing for peace in the country. He notes that the 杏MAP导航 鈥渟aid he definitely would do that鈥�.

Speaking of the plight of the Rohingya refugees, the cardinal says he 鈥渞equested whether the Vatican Secretary of State could organise an 鈥渋nternational meeting because none of these countries would accept these people and give citizenship鈥� to them. He says it is unclear whether Bangladesh, which receives international assistance for the refugees, will continue to support them when the aid dries up.

Cardinal Bo says the Holy Father agreed to 鈥渢alk with the Secretary of State鈥�, adding that he hoped a conference could be organised within the end of this year.

He notes that he will be travelling to the northern Rakhine state with a group from the organisation Religions for Peace. He says members of group, plus European ambassadors will meet with Aung San Sui Kyi on May 25^th and then fly to Rakhine state 鈥渢o see the situation for ourselves鈥�.  He says the group plan to make independent statement reporting on what they observe.