Google – AFP, 28 October 2013
 |
A photo
taken on October 28, 2013 and released by the Osservatore Romano
shows Myanmar
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (R) being welcomed by
Pope Francis at the
Vatican (OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP, Francesco Sforza)
|
Vatican
City — Pope Francis called for inter-religious dialogue in Myanmar on Monday at
an audience for Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in which the two also
discussed her long campaign for democracy.
Francis
"expressed his appreciation for the opposition leader's non-violent
engagement in the cause of peace and democracy" during the meeting,
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.
"The
pope said he would pray for Myanmar, for inter-religious dialogue in the
country. He also said the Church would be at the service of everyone in Myanmar
without discriminating."
This was
the first meeting between Francis and the historic Myanmar opposition leader,
who has been criticised for not speaking out enough against ethnic and
religious tensions in her homeland.
Myanmar has
been rocked by sectarian unrest in recent months, prompting growing
international concern.
Around 250
people have been killed and more than 140,000 left homeless in several
outbreaks of Buddhist-Muslim violence around the country since June 2012,
mostly in western Rakhine state.
Catholics
are a small minority in Myanmar and mainly live in the northeast of the
country.
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