Pope urges respect for human rights in Myanmar avoids 'Rohingya' row
Pope Francis
NAYPYITAW (Reuters) -  Pope Francis  on Tuesday urged the leaders of majority-Buddhist Myanmar  mired in a crisis over the fate of Muslim Rohingya people  to commit themselves to justice  human rights and respect for âeach ethnic group and its identityâ.
 Pope Francis  meets Myanmarâs State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw  Myanmar November 28  2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi
 The pope  avoided a diplomatic backlash by not using the highly charged term âRohingyaâ in  his  addresses to officials  including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
However   his  words were applicable to members of the beleaguered minority  who Myanmar does not recognize as citizens or as members of a distinct ethnic group.
More than 620 000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh - where  the pope  heads on Thursday - since the end of August  escaping from a military crackdown that Washington has said included âhorrendous atrocitiesâ aimed at âethnic cleansingâ.
 Francis  made  his  comments in Naypyitaw  the countryâs capital  where  he  was received by Suu Kyi  the Nobel peace laureate and champion of democracy who has faced international criticism for expressing doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failing to condemn the military.
Pope Francis signs a guestbook during a meeting with Myanmarâs President Htin Kyaw at the Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw  Myanmar November 28  2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi
Referring to the countryâs communal tensions   Francis  said religious differences âneed not be a source of division and distrust  but rather a force for unity  forgiveness  tolerance and wise nation-buildingâ.
Only about 700 000 of Myanmarâs 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them have traveled from far and wide to see him and more than 150 000 people have registered for a mass that  Francis  will say in Yangon on Wednesday.
 Francis  is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees in Dhaka  the capital of Bangladesh  on the second leg of  his  trip.
NAYPYITAW (Reuters) -   [TGT] on Tuesday urged the leaders of majority-Buddhist Myanmar  mired in a crisis over the fate of Muslim Rohingya people  to commit themselves to justice  human rights and respect for âeach ethnic group and its identityâ.
  [TGT] meets Myanmarâs State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw  Myanmar November 28  2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi
  [TGT] avoided a diplomatic backlash by not using the highly charged term âRohingyaâ in   [TGT]   addresses to officials  including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
However    [TGT]   words were applicable to members of the beleaguered minority  who Myanmar does not recognize as citizens or as members of a distinct ethnic group.
More than 620 000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh - where   [TGT] heads on Thursday - since the end of August  escaping from a military crackdown that Washington has said included âhorrendous atrocitiesâ aimed at âethnic cleansingâ.
  [TGT] made   [TGT]   comments in Naypyitaw  the countryâs capital  where   [TGT]   was received by Suu Kyi  the Nobel peace laureate and champion of democracy who has faced international criticism for expressing doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failing to condemn the military.
 [TGT]  signs a guestbook during a meeting with Myanmarâs President Htin Kyaw at the Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw  Myanmar November 28  2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi
Referring to the countryâs communal tensions    [TGT] said religious differences âneed not be a source of division and distrust  but rather a force for unity  forgiveness  tolerance and wise nation-buildingâ.
Only about 700 000 of Myanmarâs 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them have traveled from far and wide to see  [TGT]  and more than 150 000 people have registered for a mass that   [TGT] will say in Yangon on Wednesday.
  [TGT] is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees in Dhaka  the capital of Bangladesh  on the second leg of   [TGT]   trip.