In the shadow of one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, Pope Francis who is in Myanmar for a four-day visit, refrained from mentioning the word “Rohingya” throughout his speech at the capital, Naypyidaw.
The leader of the Catholic religion who has come out to defend the Rohingya since the violent crackdown in August, remained tight-lipped on using the term to describe the group, when he addressed the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Rakhine State.
Pope Francis' visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Peace can only be achieved through "justice and a respect for human rights", he said while sharing the stage with Myanmar’s de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. He also called for "respect for each ethnic group and its identity".
The term is never used by the government of Myanmar because the “Rohingya” or Rakhine Muslims are considered illegal Bengali Muslims who are squatting on Burmese land. Prior to the pontiff’s visit, rights groups urged the Pope to recognise the group as “Rohingya” but local Catholic churches warned him against doing so.
A fruitful visit?
Fellow and Lead Political & Security Affairs Researcher at the ASEAN Studies Centre, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Termsak Chalermpalanupap said in an email correspondence with The ASEAN Post that the pope eschewing the R-word was “not unexpected.”
“The Pope is a man of peace, love, and humanity. He need not take any “political stand” by using the controversial term “Rohingya” during visit to Myanmar. His constructive approach can win positive response from powers-that-be in Myanmar,” Chalermpalanupap said.
Many had anticipated that the papal visit to Myanmar – which has been under severe scrutiny for its handling of the humanitarian crisis – would send a signal to Naypyidaw that the international community would not tolerate the continued violence perpetrated against the Rohingya.
“While it is disappointing that Pope Francis did not use the word Rohingya during his speech in Myanmar today, his calls for respect for all ethnic groups and an inclusive society are welcome. Pope Francis’ visit has also helped focus international attention on Myanmar and the horrific crimes being carried out against the Rohingya people on a daily basis by Myanmar authorities,” said Ming Yu Hah, Amnesty International’s Deputy Campaigns Director for South East Asia and the Pacific.
Speaking to Agence France Presse (AFP), Myanmar-based political analyst Richard Horsey said that the pope’s words were “very carefully worded” considering the tensions surrounding the issue at hand.
“He is likely to have been more forthright in private meetings with Myanmar's leaders,” Horsey further speculated.
But the pontiff's words were of little comfort to Rohingya stuck in dire conditions in Bangladesh.
"We are very much disappointed that he did not mention the Rohingya crisis," said activist Mohammad Zubair from Kutupalong refugee camp, speaking of a religious leader who previously "even held prayers for the Rohingya".
An island solution for the Rohingya crisis?
Since August, more than 620,000 of Rohingya have fled Myanmar for nearby Bangladesh. But their situation there is no better as they live in squalid refugee camps with no proper sanitation and access to food.
The recent repatriation agreement signed by Bangladesh and Myanmar looks like the best bet for ending the crisis but it has been condemned as a premature move given that there are still refugees trickling into overcrowded camps that dot the border of both countries.
Days after signing the deal, Bangladesh approved a controversial 280-million-dollar project to transform the desolate Thengar Char island off its southern coast into a temporary camp for 100,000 Rohingya refugees on Tuesday, despite warnings the site is uninhabitable.
Location of Thengar Char.
The silty strip of land only emerged from the Bay of Bengal in 2006, and lies one hour's boat journey from the nearest inhabited island.
The navy has built two helipads and a small road on the island in recent months but concerns persist over its suitability for human habitation, with experts warning it could be swallowed by tides and rising seas.
The idea of relocating the refugees to the island was flouted in 2015 but faced harsh criticism by human rights activists. It has since resurged in September when the recent spate of violence caused a massive influx of refugees into Bangladesh.
"When you concentrate too many people into a very small area, particularly the people who are very vulnerable to diseases, it is dangerous," Watkins told AFP in October.
"There are stronger possibilities, if there are any infectious diseases that spread, that will spread very quickly," he said, also highlighting fire risks in the camps.
"It is much easier to manage people, manage the health situation and security situation if there are a number of different camps rather than one concentrated camp."
The church, very much alive in Myanmar
Francis received a warm welcome in Myanmar, whose Catholic community numbers just over one percent of a 51 million population and generally enjoy good relations with the Buddhist majority. This is the first ever papal visit to the country although there have been Catholics in Myanmar for over 500 years.
Estimated number of Catholics in the Southeast Asian region.
On Wednesday, he delivered a historic open-air mass to a sea of worshippers crowded into a football field in Yangon. Ranks of nuns sang in Latin, accompanied by organ music, as Francis delivered a homily urging compassion, opening his speech with "minglabar", Burmese for hello.
"I can see that the Church here is alive," the pontiff told the throng of believers in Italian which was then translated to Burmese.
“I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible.”
“The way of revenge is not the way of Jesus,” he preached.
In the last three years, the Vatican has canonised Myanmar's first saint and named its first cardinal before full diplomatic ties were established in May this year, paving the way for the pontiff's visit.
"When we heard the sound of his words, we could tell they came from the heart... and that gives us peace," 47-year-old Yangon resident Ko Ko Lay told AFP, after the mass had finished.
"I never dreamed I would see him in my lifetime," said Meo, an 81-year-old from the Akha minority in Shan state.
Additional reporting by Agence France Presse (AFP)
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