Rohingya crisis: Pope heads to Myanmar and Bangladesh
Pope Francis
CLOSE  Pope Francis  Arrived in Myanmar Time
Ethnic Kachin Christians arrive at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Yangon  Myanmar on Nov. 25  2017. Myanmar Christians from Kachin State arrived Saturday to welcome  Pope Francis who will begin his first official visit to Myanmar on Monday . (Photo: Thein Zaw  AP)
 Pope Francis'  trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh on Monday comes as the region confronts turbulent times  not least because of the festering Rohingya crisis. The violence and consequent displacement facing Rohingya Muslims based in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine have come under close scrutiny worldwide.
Pope Francis  who has established himself as a strong human rights advocate  has repeatedly called for solidarity with the people regarded as one of the most persecuted communities in the world. In August  the  Pope  appealed for an end to violence against the Rohingya and urged "full rights" to be given to the community. "My full closeness to our persecuted Rohingya brothers and sisters "  he  said.
Even former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan  a Nobel Peace Prize winner and author of an advisory commission report on Rakhine State  indicated that  the pope  should not use the term "Rohingya."
Human rights groups  however  call on  the pope  to raise the issue during his trip.
CLOSE Catholics in Myanmar prepare for  Pope Francis'  visit Video provided by AFP Newslook
"The Rohingya have little left besides their group name after years of statelessness  discriminatory restrictions on movement and access to life-sustaining services  and being targeted by a military subjecting them to ethnic cleansing and atrocities " Phil Robertson  deputy director for Human Rights Watch in Asia  told Reuters news agency. "The  Pope  absolutely should stand up for the Rohingya by using the name Rohingya "  he  said.
Last but not least  he recommended that Pope Francis meet with influential Burmese working for inter-religious dialogue and harmony.
CLOSE  [TGT]Arrived in Myanmar Time
Ethnic Kachin Christians arrive at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Yangon  Myanmar on Nov. 25  2017. Myanmar Christians from Kachin State arrived Saturday to welcome  Pope Francis who will begin his first official visit to Myanmar on Monday . (Photo: Thein Zaw  AP)
 [TGT]trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh on Monday comes as the region confronts turbulent times  not least because of the festering Rohingya crisis. The violence and consequent displacement facing Rohingya Muslims based in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine have come under close scrutiny worldwide.
[TGT]has repeatedly called for solidarity with the people regarded as one of the most persecuted communities in the world. In August  the  Pope  appealed for an end to violence against the Rohingya and urged "full rights" to be given to the community. "My full closeness to our persecuted Rohingya brothers and sisters "  he  said.
Even former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan  a Nobel Peace Prize winner and author of an advisory commission report on Rakhine State  indicated that  the pope  should not use the term "Rohingya."
Human rights groups  however  call on  the pope  to raise the issue during his trip.
CLOSE Catholics in Myanmar prepare for  [TGT]visit Video provided by AFP Newslook
"The Rohingya have little left besides their group name after years of statelessness  discriminatory restrictions on movement and access to life-sustaining services  and being targeted by a military subjecting them to ethnic cleansing and atrocities " Phil Robertson  deputy director for Human Rights Watch in Asia  told Reuters news agency. "The  Pope  absolutely should stand up for the Rohingya by using the name Rohingya "  he  said.
Last but not least  he recommended that [TGT] meet with influential Burmese working for inter-religious dialogue and harmony.