Pope Francis, the world's most senior religious leader, arrives in Myanmar later today on the start of a delicate diplomatic visit. It is the first visit of a Papal leader to Myanmar, and represents a momentous moment for the country. "The Pope is a unifying figure, preaching compassion, love and peace and his visit comes at a decisive moment," Denzil Abel, a Myanmar intellectual, former diplomat and a Catholic told the Bangkok Post.
Many hope he can help galvanise support for Aung San Suu Kyi at a critical time for her government. Violence in the country's western region of northern Rakhine has led to more than 700,000 Muslim Rohingya fleeing across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh in the wake of a military crackdown that Washington has called "ethnic cleansing".
International human rights groups have accused the Myanmar army of "crimes against humanity", including murder, rape, torture and forcible dislocation -- allegations that the Myanmar military denies. These groups are hoping that the Pope will be able to highlight the plight of the Rohingya during his combined visit to both Myanmar and Bangladesh, which ends in Dhaka next Saturday. They are also pushing him to try to end the deadly violence against the largely stateless Muslims.
Larry Jagan is a Myanmar specialist and former BBC World Service news editor for the region.
There have been concerns that the religious leader might use the highly contentious term "Rohingya". It is not recognised by the authorities, who insist they are "Bengalis", to show they are trespassers from Bangladesh. The Pope has called them Rohingya in the past, when he urged the Myanmar authorities to end to the violent persecution of the minority Muslim population. But he is likely to avoid the term on this visit, according to sources close to the Vatican.
"We have asked him at least to refrain from using the word 'Rohingya' because this word is contested and not acceptable to the military, nor the government, nor to most people in Myanmar," the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, Cardinal Charles Bo told the Bangkok Post last week, after he had returned from Rome, where he briefed the Pope.
In Yangon itself, there is very little fanfare ahead of the visit. Few posters adorn the streets of the city -- and those are mainly outside the archbishop's residence and nearby St Mary's Cathedral. But the symbolism of the poster is highly significant, suggested Denzil Abel. One side there is Myanmar's flag and on the other the Pope holding a dove -- the international symbol of peace -- under the slogan "love and peace". In a video message sent to Myanmar last week, Pope Francis said he wanted the trip to lead to "reconciliation, forgiveness and peace" as well as encourage harmony and cooperation.
The Pope is the second most important leader to visit Myanmar, according to many diplomats in Yangon, after the president of the United States. "The Pope is one of the most respected moral voices in the world today, and therefore his visit is even more significant, coming as it does when Myanmar faces so many problems" said Denzil Abel.
Christianity in Myanmar is over 500 years old, and the Pope's visit, according to many in the Catholic flock, will help highlight the institution. It will show the shared Christian and Buddhist's vision of compassion, he added.
The visit is also significant as it comes at a time when Aung San Suu Kyi and her government are facing increasing international pressure to solve the communal conflict in Rakhine, end the violence and tackle the plight of the Muslim refugees. Part of her plan, based on the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Advisory Commission, is the promotion of reconciliation through the promotion of inter-faith dialogue.
As part of this strategy – and in an effort to galvanise the country behind the Rakhine reconstruction and reconciliation process -- Ms Suu Kyi launched a series of inter-faith meetings throughout the country. These prayer meetings for peace were held during October, initially with Buddhist monks participating.
In her public address to the whole nation announcing her plans for Rakhine's reconstruction and reconciliation, she emphasised Buddhist values. "I have no doubt that all of them [the people of Myanmar here and abroad] will come forth to help us with metta (loving kindness) and thitsa (truth)." The aim was to mobilise the nation behind the Buddhist tenets of love and kindness -- notions shared by other religions -- and to wrestle Buddhism out of the hands of extremists, according to an advisor involved in the speech.
But the military, and the Buddhist clergy, may have misunderstood this approach. "She looks like she wants to promote other religions above Buddhism," a former senior military officer reflected. And the leaders of the Buddhist faith have taken umbrage at what they saw as a slight against the monks who participate in the ceremonies. The 47-member Ma Ha Na -- the highest official Buddhist authority in the country -- recently banned monks from participating in all future interfaith gatherings.
"Aung San Suu Kyi -- as will Pope during his visit -- is promoting harmony, love and peace: the appreciation of diversity, and focusing on conciliation," said Cardinal Bo. Fears that the Pope may inadvertently enflame religious tensions seem to be misplaced. "The Pope doesn't want to anger any community, and is concerned not to divide or polarise," Cardinal Bo added. "This would not help the situation; this is not the solution."
But not all Myanmar Christians are as enthusiastic as the archbishop in his support for Myanmar's civilian leader.
"This over-enthusiastic support could cause divisions within the wider Christian community -- especially the Baptist communities like the Kachin, whose support for Aung San Suu Kyi is at its lowest ever point, given her perceived neglect and indifference to their suffering and persecution," Seng Raw, a Kachin activist and civil society leader, told the Bangkok Post.
This is not a view shared by most Catholics who believe that the Pope's visit will have a positive affect, with its emphasis on unity.
This is the reason he is also meeting the army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing -- at Cardinal Bo's suggestion.
Seng Raw also hopes that "Pope Francis's clear moral leadership -- that is lacking in the leaders of this country -- will inspire everyone to be more compassionate."
