The head of the Catholic church and one of the most influential religious figures in the world, Pope Francis is visiting Myanmar at a time when Amnesty International has declared the treatment of Rohingya minorities in Myanmar as “apartheid” and Washington has already said that the situation in Myanmar is akin to “ethnic cleansing” of the Muslim Rohingya people.

The Pope will also visit Bangladesh where at least 600,000 Rohingyas have taken refuge after fleeing Myanmar. The Pope’s seven-day visit to the two countries begins Monday.

In a video message sent to Myanmar last week, the Pope had said he aimed to spread the message of “reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace.”

Source: Sputnik