Myanmar has ‘no religious discrimination’, army chief tells Pope

MNA Exclusive Desk: Pope Francis met Myanmar’s powerful army chief on Monday at the start of a highly sensitive trip, with the military man saying he told the pontiff there was “no religious discrimination” in his country despite allegations of ethnic cleansing.

The 80-year-old pope, the first to travel to Myanmar, received Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for a 15-minute meeting at the archbishop’s residence in Yangon, where the pontiff is staying during his visit.

The UN and US have accused the military of “ethnic cleansing” in a campaign sparked by attacks by a militant Rohingya group on police border posts in late August.

The army chief told the pope that “Myanmar has no religious discrimination at all. Likewise our military too… performs for the peace and stability of the country”, according to a Facebook post published by the general’s office a few hours after the meeting.

There is also “no discrimination between ethnic groups in Myanmar”, he added.

After the meeting a Vatican spokesman said the religious leader and the army chief had discussed the “great responsiblilty of the country’s authorities in this moment of transition”.

Earlier on Monday Pope was welcomed at Yangon’s airport in a colourful ceremony led by children from different minority groups in bright bejewelled clothes, who gave him flowers and received a papal embrace in return.