Pontiff’s visit to Myanmar, the first by any pope, set to focus international attention on plight of Rohingya Muslim minorityPope Francis will travel to Myanmar and Bangladesh this year for a landmark visit that is likely to focus international attention on the plight of the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority. The visit to Myanmar will be the first by any pope to the country formerly known as Burma. Francis has regularly spoken out in defence of the Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim group in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. The treatment of approximately 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya in mainly Buddhist Myanmar has emerged as the biggest challenge for national leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Vatican said Francis would visit Yangon and capital, Naypyidaw, while in Myanmar and Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on the second leg of his trip.

Source: The Guardian August 28, 2017 09:56 UTC