Pope addresses authorities, civil society, diplomatic
corps
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| Pope Francis and Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar's Capital Nay Pyi Taw, November 28, 2017.- REUTERS |
In his first public discourse on Myanmar soil
on Tuesday, Pope Francis encouraged the nation on the “arduous process of peacebuilding
and national reconciliation” saying it can be achieved on only through a “commitment
to justice and respect for human rights,” a process in which religious
leaders have a crucial role to play.
The Pope made the remark to Myanmar’s state authorities,
leaders of civil society and the diplomatic corps, after he was given a state
welcome at the presidential palace in the country’s new capital Nay Pyi
Taw, some 320 km north of the former capital Yangon, where the Pope landed
on Monday and where he will spend the rest of his stay in Myanmar.
Peace founded on justice
Speaking in Italian, the Pope observed that according to
age old wisdom, justice means a steadfast will to give each person his due
which forms the “basis of all true and lasting peace.” The denial of this
caused the “tragic experience of the two world wars,” the Pope said, that led
to the establishment of the United Nations and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as the basis for the international
community’s efforts to promote justice, peace and human development
worldwide, and to resolve conflicts through dialogue, not the use of
force. The Pope said the presence of the diplomatic corps before him
confirms Myanmar’s commitment to uphold and pursue these foundational
principles.
The Holy Father noted that the people of Myanmar have
suffered much and continue to suffer from “civil conflict and hostilities that
have lasted all too long and created deep divisions.” The Pope said that in
its task of restoring peace, “the healing of those wounds must
be a paramount political and spiritual priority.”
The Pope stressed that the future of the nation must be
peace, a peace based on respect for the dignity and rights of
each member of society, respect for each ethnic group and its identity,
respect for the rule of law, and respect for a democratic order that enables
each individual and every group – none excluded – to offer its legitimate
contribution to the common good.
Role of religious leaders
In this great task of national reconciliation and
integration, the Pope said, Myanmar’s religious communities have a privileged
role to play. He pointed out that “religious differences need not be a
source of division and distrust, but rather a force for unity,
forgiveness, tolerance and wise nation building.” He said religions can help
repair “the emotional, spiritual and psychological wounds of those who have
suffered in the years of conflict,” and “uproot the causes of conflict, build
bridges of dialogue, seek justice and be a prophetic voice for all who
suffer.” The Pope considered it a “great sign of hope” that leaders of the
various religious traditions in Myanmar are making efforts to work together,
in a spirit of harmony and mutual respect, for peace, for helping
the poor and for educating in authentic religious and human values. In
seeking to build a culture of encounter and solidarity, they contribute to
the common good and to laying the indispensable moral foundations for a
future of hope and prosperity for coming generations.
Youth – future of Myanmar
Stressing that the future of Myanmar lies in the hands of
young people, the Pope called on the nation to provide them with real
opportunities for employment and a quality education, saying, it
will be an investment that will yield a rich return, which is urgently needed
for inter-geneartional justice. They need to be trained not only in
technical fields but especially in ethical values, such as honesty, integrity
and human solidarity that can consolidate democracy and the growth of unity and
peace at every level. Intergenerational justice, the Pope pointed out, also
demands that future generations inherit a natural environment
unspoilt by human “greed and depredation.”
Pope Francis said that the main purpose of his visit to
Myanmar was to “pray with the nation’s small but fervent Catholic
community, to confirm them in their faith, and to encourage them in their
efforts to contribute to the good of the nation.” He said he also wanted
to embrace the entire population of Myanmar and to offer a word of
encouragement to all those who are working to build a just, reconciled and
inclusive social order.
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