Pope Francis: appeal for end to violence against
Rohingya
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday
appealed for an end to the violent persecution of the
minority Rohingya population in Burma.
Speaking to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter’s Square following
the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father said, “Sad news has
reached us of the persecution of our Rohingya brothers and sisters, a religious
minority. I would like to express my full closeness to them – and let all of us
ask the Lord to save them, and to raise up men and women of good will to help
them, who shall give them their full rights.”
Pope Francis went on to say, “Let us pray for our Rohingya
brethren.”
Who are the Rohingya?
The Rohingya are an ethnic minority who live mostly in Rakhine
State – sometimes styled Arakan – on the western
coast of Burma, and practice Islam. The government of Burma – also
known as Myanmar – does not recognize the citizenship or the
ethnic minority status of the Rohingya.
After several years of fighting with the majority Buddhist population
in the state, Rohingya began fleeing their native land en masse,
precipitating a refugee crisis.
Organized violence against the Rohingya, with the
participation of government forces, has been underway since at least 2015,
with spikes of intensity in 2016 and 2017.
Rohingya flee to Bangladesh
Nearly 100 thousand Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in the
past year, though the Bangladeshi government has yet to recognize the refugee
status of the displaced minority.
Most recent violence
Pope Francis’ appeal Sunday follows fighting between the
Rohingya and the regular Burmese army on Friday in the city of Maungdaw,
which are reported to be the worst since October of last year, and
have prompted evacuations from the area of government personnel and of
non-Muslims. Nearly 100 people are officially reported dead in the ongoing
clashes, including 80 Rohingya insurgents and 12 members of
the Burmese security forces deployed in the theatre.
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