Pope Francis had an emotional meeting with Muslim refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh, using the word Rohingya to describe them for the first time on his Asia trip
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Pope Francis had an emotional meeting with Muslim refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh, using the word Rohingya to describe them for the first time on his Asia trip and calling for them to be respected.
The pope had earlier in the week visited Myanmar, where he met its leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
But there he avoided using the word Rohinngya, a term the authorities reject.
“We will not close our hearts, We will not look at the other side, The presence of God today is also called Rohingya.”
He also urged the world not to ignore refugees, persecuted minorities, the poor and vulnerable.
Pope Francis rode on a traditional Bangladeshi rickshaw as he arrived at an interfaith and ecumenical meeting for peace in the garden of the archbishop’s residence where he met with 16 Rohinnhya from a refugee camp in the country.