Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees from January, despite rights groups warning that their safety is still not assured should they return.

The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and Myanmar met in Dhaka to finalise the agreement signed on November 23 for the voluntary return of nearly three-quarters of a million stateless Rohingya living in refugee camps along the border.

A new working group would &quot;ensure commencement of repatriation within two months&quot; by developing a timetable for the verification of refugee identities and logistics of their return, Bangladesh&#39;s foreign ministry said in a statement.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The reaffirmation comes a day after Human Rights Watch, citing analysis of satellite imagery, said Myanmar&#39;s army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing the repatriation deal with Bangladesh</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The reaffirmation comes a day after Human Rights Watch, citing analysis of satellite imagery, said Myanmar's army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing the repatriation deal with Bangladesh" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&quot;Now, we will start the next step of our work,&quot; Bangladesh foreign minister AH&nbsp;Mahmood Ali told reporters after the meeting.

The reaffirmation comes a day after Human Rights Watch, citing analysis of satellite imagery, said Myanmar&#39;s army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing the repatriation deal with Bangladesh.

The watchdog said the deal was &quot;a public relations stunt&quot; and warned it contained no guarantee the Rohingya would be safe should they return to Myanmar&#39;s conflict-wracked Rakhine state.

An estimated 655,000 refugees from the stateless minority group have poured across the border into Bangladesh since August, fleeing what the US and United Nations have described as ethnic cleansing.

Last week the group Doctors Without Borders released a survey which found that nearly 7,000 Rohingya had been killed in the first month of the Rakhine violence.

The military has put the number in the hundreds and denied targeting civilians or committing atrocities, while Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi said major security operations stopped in early September.

Myanmar has in the past blamed fires in villages on Rohingya insurgents who on August 25 attacked security posts, killing a dozen police and triggering fierce army retribution.

Responding to international pressure, Suu Kyi&#39;s civilian government signed an agreement with Bangladesh to start the repatriation of the stateless Muslim refugees within two months.

The agreement promises the &quot;safe and voluntary return&quot; of displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh -- not just the latest 655,000 new arrivals but more than 70,000 from a separate influx in October 2016.

Testimonies gathered by AFP from displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh suggest few refugees wish to return to Myanmar, where many saw their villages burned to ashes and loved ones killed.

The persecuted minority has been the target of past pogroms in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which does not recognise the group as a genuine ethnicity and has stripped them of citizenship.

Aid groups have warned Myanmar they would boycott any new camps for Rohingya returnees, saying refugees must be allowed to settle in their own homes and not forced into ghetto-like conditions.

The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and Myanmar met in Dhaka to finalise the agreement signed on November 23 for the voluntary return of nearly 750,000 Rohingya refugees

Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees from January, despite rights groups warning that their safety is still not assured should they return. The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and Myanmar met in Dhaka to finalise the agreement signed on November 23 for the voluntary return of nearly three-quarters of a million stateless Rohingya living in refugee camps along the border. A new working group would "ensure commencement of repatriation within two months" by developing a timetable for the verification of refugee identities and logistics of their return, Bangladesh's foreign ministry said in a statement. The reaffirmation comes a day after Human Rights Watch, citing analysis of satellite imagery, said Myanmar's army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing the repatriation deal with Bangladesh × "Now, we will start the next step of our work," Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali told reporters after the meeting. The reaffirmation comes a day after Human Rights Watch, citing analysis of satellite imagery, said Myanmar's army burned down dozens of Rohingya homes within days of signing the repatriation deal with Bangladesh. The watchdog said the deal was "a public relations stunt" and warned it contained no guarantee the Rohingya would be safe should they return to Myanmar's conflict-wracked Rakhine state. An estimated 655,000 refugees from the stateless minority group have poured across the border into Bangladesh since August, fleeing what the US and United Nations have described as ethnic cleansing. Last week the group Doctors Without Borders released a survey which found that nearly 7,000 Rohingya had been killed in the first month of the Rakhine violence. The military has put the number in the hundreds and denied targeting civilians or committing atrocities, while Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi said major security operations stopped in early September. Myanmar has in the past blamed fires in villages on Rohingya insurgents who on August 25 attacked security posts, killing a dozen police and triggering fierce army retribution. Responding to international pressure, Suu Kyi's civilian government signed an agreement with Bangladesh to start the repatriation of the stateless Muslim refugees within two months. The agreement promises the "safe and voluntary return" of displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh -- not just the latest 655,000 new arrivals but more than 70,000 from a separate influx in October 2016. Testimonies gathered by AFP from displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh suggest few refugees wish to return to Myanmar, where many saw their villages burned to ashes and loved ones killed. The persecuted minority has been the target of past pogroms in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which does not recognise the group as a genuine ethnicity and has stripped them of citizenship. Aid groups have warned Myanmar they would boycott any new camps for Rohingya returnees, saying refugees must be allowed to settle in their own homes and not forced into ghetto-like conditions.

Rohingya refugees to start returning to Myanmar from January: Officials

The European Union urged Myanmar on Monday to release &quot;as quickly as possible&quot; two reporters arrested last week.

&quot;The recent arrest in Yangon of two journalists working for Reuters News Agency is a cause of real concern,&quot; a spokeswoman for the EU&#39;s foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, said.

Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar&#39;s largest city.

Little is known of the allegations against the two journalists, other than that police said they were &quot;arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces.&quot;

&quot;We expect the Myanmar authorities to ensure the full protection of their rights and to release the journalists as quickly as possible,&quot; Mogherini&#39;s spokeswoman said.

&quot;Freedom of the press and media is the foundation and a cornerstone of any democracy.&quot;

The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, had expressed similar concerns on Friday at an EU summit in Brussels.

Earlier on Monday, Myanmar&#39;s civilian President Htin Kyaw authorised police to proceed with a case against the two detained reporters accused of violating the country`s colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Mogherini&#39;s spokeswoman said the EU was aware that the arrests may be connected to the journalists&#39;&nbsp;reporting on the crackdown in Rakhine on the Rohingya

Muslim minority. The two had reported on the issue in the past.

&quot;The EU reiterates its call on the Myanmar government to ensure transparency and to make serious efforts in order to hold accountable all those involved in serious human rights abuses in the context of the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State,&quot; the spokeswoman added.

The EU has sanctions in place against Myanmar barring the sale of arms and equipment that can be used for repression. In response to the Rohingya crisis, in October it also suspended invitations to Myanmar military officers.

The EU has sanctions in place against Myanmar barring the sale of arms and equipment that can be used for repression

The European Union urged Myanmar on Monday to release "as quickly as possible" two reporters arrested last week. "The recent arrest in Yangon of two journalists working for Reuters News Agency is a cause of real concern," a spokeswoman for the EU's foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, said. Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Little is known of the allegations against the two journalists, other than that police said they were "arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces." "We expect the Myanmar authorities to ensure the full protection of their rights and to release the journalists as quickly as possible," Mogherini's spokeswoman said. "Freedom of the press and media is the foundation and a cornerstone of any democracy." The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, had expressed similar concerns on Friday at an EU summit in Brussels. Earlier on Monday, Myanmar's civilian President Htin Kyaw authorised police to proceed with a case against the two detained reporters accused of violating the country`s colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Mogherini's spokeswoman said the EU was aware that the arrests may be connected to the journalists' reporting on the crackdown in Rakhine on the Rohingya Muslim minority. The two had reported on the issue in the past. "The EU reiterates its call on the Myanmar government to ensure transparency and to make serious efforts in order to hold accountable all those involved in serious human rights abuses in the context of the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State," the spokeswoman added. The EU has sanctions in place against Myanmar barring the sale of arms and equipment that can be used for repression. In response to the Rohingya crisis, in October it also suspended invitations to Myanmar military officers.

EU urges Myanmar to free journalists as soon as possible

Riding elephants and horses in heavily bejewelled costumes, thick eyeliner and rouged lips, boys in central Myanmar parade through their village as ancient princes in a ceremony to mark their passage to monkhood.

The whole village of Myinkabar, nestled among the centuries-old pagodas of Bagan city, turns out for an annual lavish feast in their honour.

Everyone pays respects to the children giving up their worldly belongings -- at least for a few days.

Buddhist tradition in Myanmar requires youths to spend some time in a monastery or nunnery before the age of 18 in what is viewed as an important coming of age ritual.

Most people undertake this at least once in their lives.

The first step for both boys and girls is to have all their hair shaved off.

They adjust to a demanding daily schedule of alms collecting, chores, study and worship.

But perhaps the hardest aspect is not eating from 12 noon until sunrise the next morning.

Many `novices` are happy to exchange their robes -- maroon or saffron for monks, pink for nuns -- at the end of the week for their normal attire and return to their families.

Others, however, are there for the long-term, destined for a monastic life.

&quot;Sometimes I want to play football like other children in Yangon but I can`t,&quot; says 13-year-old Tate Tha, who has been a novice monk in Yangon for five years already.

&quot;I`m envious of them but I`m doing good things in life and I am happy for that.&quot;

Traditionally monasteries and convents have offered the chance for children, particularly from poorer backgrounds, to receive an education in the country which is 87 percent Buddhist.

But as free places in government schools have become more widely available, the number of novice monks and nuns is in decline, a trend that worries some Buddhism experts.

&quot;It is like a tree whose roots are being destroyed,&quot; says Mya Thein, 50, a scholar at Yangon Buddhist University.

&quot;We need to take care of it and we also need to find a solution. It is now in danger.&quot;

&nbsp;

The whole village of Myinkabar turns out for an annual lavish feast in their honour

Riding elephants and horses in heavily bejewelled costumes, thick eyeliner and rouged lips, boys in central Myanmar parade through their village as ancient princes in a ceremony to mark their passage to monkhood. The whole village of Myinkabar, nestled among the centuries-old pagodas of Bagan city, turns out for an annual lavish feast in their honour. Everyone pays respects to the children giving up their worldly belongings -- at least for a few days. Buddhist tradition in Myanmar requires youths to spend some time in a monastery or nunnery before the age of 18 in what is viewed as an important coming of age ritual. Most people undertake this at least once in their lives. The first step for both boys and girls is to have all their hair shaved off. They adjust to a demanding daily schedule of alms collecting, chores, study and worship. But perhaps the hardest aspect is not eating from 12 noon until sunrise the next morning. Many `novices` are happy to exchange their robes -- maroon or saffron for monks, pink for nuns -- at the end of the week for their normal attire and return to their families. Others, however, are there for the long-term, destined for a monastic life. "Sometimes I want to play football like other children in Yangon but I can`t," says 13-year-old Tate Tha, who has been a novice monk in Yangon for five years already. "I`m envious of them but I`m doing good things in life and I am happy for that." Traditionally monasteries and convents have offered the chance for children, particularly from poorer backgrounds, to receive an education in the country which is 87 percent Buddhist. But as free places in government schools have become more widely available, the number of novice monks and nuns is in decline, a trend that worries some Buddhism experts. "It is like a tree whose roots are being destroyed," says Mya Thein, 50, a scholar at Yangon Buddhist University. "We need to take care of it and we also need to find a solution. It is now in danger."

Myanmar's child monks become royalty for a day

Myanmar`s civilian President Htin Kyaw, a close ally of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has authorised the police to proceed with a case against two detained Reuters reporters accused of violating the country`s colonial-era Official Secrets Act, a senior government spokesman said.

Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Myanmar`s largest city, Yangon.

&quot;The Ministry of Home Affairs has already submitted the case to the Office of the President,&quot; Zaw Htay, spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi, said by phone late on Sunday. He added that the president`s office had given approval for the case to go ahead.

Zaw Htay could not be reached on Monday to clarify whether Htin Kyaw or Suu Kyi had been personally involved in the decision, or if other officials had signed off on the president`s behalf. 
Suu Kyi, head of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), is barred from the presidency under a constitution written by the military. But she effectively runs the country in the role of &quot;state counsellor&quot;.

Approval from the president`s office is needed before court proceedings can begin in a case brought under the Official Secrets Act.

Section 13 of the Act states: &quot;No Court shall take cognizance of any offence under this Act unless upon complaint made by order of, or under authority from, the President of the Union.&quot; 
A number of governments, including the United States, Canada and Britain, and United Nations` Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler and a host of journalists` and human rights` groups have criticised the arrests as an attack on press freedom and called on Myanmar to release the two men.

Zaw Htay said the journalists` legal rights were being respected. &quot;Your reporters are protected by the rule of the law,&quot; he said. &quot;All I can say is the government can guarantee the rule of law.&quot;

Senior NLD figures join critics

But two senior figures in the NLD on Monday joined the criticism of how the two men are being treated.

Nyan Win, a member of the NLD`s central executive committee and one of Suu Kyi`s defence lawyers during her years of house arrest under junta rule, said it was &quot;unfair&quot; that the families of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were not allowed to contact them or be told where they are being held.

He said the police were being &quot;very secretive&quot; and called for &quot;openness&quot;, although said the NLD was unable to do anything about the issue as it was not being kept informed.

Although an NLD-led civilian government took office in April last year the police and home ministry, which are driving the case, remain under the control of the military.

Win Htein, another senior figure in the NLD, who was also critical of the journalists` detention, suggested they had probably been set up by the police. &quot;In my opinion this is a trap,&quot; he said.

&ldquo;They met with two policemen and then they were arrested somewhere else with the documents.&rdquo;

Asked on Mizzima Television what he would do for the detained journalists, Information Minister Pe Myint said: &quot;When I know all the facts of the current case, I will work to do what I can.&quot; 
Pe Myint is a former editor of the People`s Age in Yangon and was Wa Lone`s boss when the journalist worked at the paper in his first job as a reporter.

The two journalists had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis that has seen an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims flee from a fierce military crackdown on militants in western Rakhine state.

The Ministry of Information said last week that they had &quot;illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media&quot;, and released a photo of the pair in handcuffs.

It said they were being investigated under the 1923 Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

The ministry said at the same time that two policemen, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing and Police Sergeant Khin Maung Lin, had also been arrested under the same act. No details have been released on whether a case against them is also proceeding.

The authorities have not allowed the journalists any contact with their families, a lawyer or Reuters since their arrest.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on the authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the pair.

&quot;All detainees must be allowed prompt access to a lawyer and to family members,&quot; said Frederick Rawski, the ICJ`s Asia-Pacific Regional Director, in a statement on Monday.&nbsp;

&quot;Authorities are bound to respect these rights in line with Myanmar law and the State`s international law obligations.&quot;

Police told Wa Lone`s wife on Thursday that the reporters were taken from Htaunt Kyant police station in north Yangon to an undisclosed location by an investigation team shortly after their arrest.

They added the reporters would be brought back to the station in &quot;two to three days at most&quot;. It is now almost six days since they were detained and there has been no further update on their whereabouts.

The authorisation was given by Myanmar`s civilian President Htin Kyaw, a close ally of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar`s civilian President Htin Kyaw, a close ally of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has authorised the police to proceed with a case against two detained Reuters reporters accused of violating the country`s colonial-era Official Secrets Act, a senior government spokesman said. Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Myanmar`s largest city, Yangon. "The Ministry of Home Affairs has already submitted the case to the Office of the President," Zaw Htay, spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi, said by phone late on Sunday. He added that the president`s office had given approval for the case to go ahead. Zaw Htay could not be reached on Monday to clarify whether Htin Kyaw or Suu Kyi had been personally involved in the decision, or if other officials had signed off on the president`s behalf. Suu Kyi, head of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), is barred from the presidency under a constitution written by the military. But she effectively runs the country in the role of "state counsellor". Approval from the president`s office is needed before court proceedings can begin in a case brought under the Official Secrets Act. Section 13 of the Act states: "No Court shall take cognizance of any offence under this Act unless upon complaint made by order of, or under authority from, the President of the Union." A number of governments, including the United States, Canada and Britain, and United Nations` Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler and a host of journalists` and human rights` groups have criticised the arrests as an attack on press freedom and called on Myanmar to release the two men. Zaw Htay said the journalists` legal rights were being respected. "Your reporters are protected by the rule of the law," he said. "All I can say is the government can guarantee the rule of law." Senior NLD figures join critics But two senior figures in the NLD on Monday joined the criticism of how the two men are being treated. Nyan Win, a member of the NLD`s central executive committee and one of Suu Kyi`s defence lawyers during her years of house arrest under junta rule, said it was "unfair" that the families of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were not allowed to contact them or be told where they are being held. He said the police were being "very secretive" and called for "openness", although said the NLD was unable to do anything about the issue as it was not being kept informed. Although an NLD-led civilian government took office in April last year the police and home ministry, which are driving the case, remain under the control of the military. Win Htein, another senior figure in the NLD, who was also critical of the journalists` detention, suggested they had probably been set up by the police. "In my opinion this is a trap," he said. “They met with two policemen and then they were arrested somewhere else with the documents.” Asked on Mizzima Television what he would do for the detained journalists, Information Minister Pe Myint said: "When I know all the facts of the current case, I will work to do what I can." Pe Myint is a former editor of the People`s Age in Yangon and was Wa Lone`s boss when the journalist worked at the paper in his first job as a reporter. The two journalists had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis that has seen an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims flee from a fierce military crackdown on militants in western Rakhine state. The Ministry of Information said last week that they had "illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media", and released a photo of the pair in handcuffs. It said they were being investigated under the 1923 Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. The ministry said at the same time that two policemen, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing and Police Sergeant Khin Maung Lin, had also been arrested under the same act. No details have been released on whether a case against them is also proceeding. The authorities have not allowed the journalists any contact with their families, a lawyer or Reuters since their arrest. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on the authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the pair. "All detainees must be allowed prompt access to a lawyer and to family members," said Frederick Rawski, the ICJ`s Asia-Pacific Regional Director, in a statement on Monday. "Authorities are bound to respect these rights in line with Myanmar law and the State`s international law obligations." Police told Wa Lone`s wife on Thursday that the reporters were taken from Htaunt Kyant police station in north Yangon to an undisclosed location by an investigation team shortly after their arrest. They added the reporters would be brought back to the station in "two to three days at most". It is now almost six days since they were detained and there has been no further update on their whereabouts.

Myanmar government says case against Reuters journalists can proceed

A group of Myanmar journalists said they would begin wearing black T-shirts on Saturday in protest at the detention of two Reuters reporters accused of violating the country&#39;s Official Secrets Act, as pressure builds on Myanmar to release the pair.

The Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists, a group of local reporters who have demonstrated against past prosecutions of journalists, decried the &quot;unfair arrests that affect media freedom&quot;.

In a statement on Facebook, the committee said its members would don black T-shirts &quot;to signify the dark age of media freedom&quot; in Myanmar. They demanded the unconditional and immediate release of the two reporters, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27.

&quot;Journalists all over the country are urged to take part in the Black Campaign,&quot; the group said. It said it also planned to stage official protests and prayers.

The group has staged several protests on behalf of arrested reporters from other media this year, including one in June in which around 100 journalists took part. It was not immediately clear how many journalists have joined the black T-shirt protest.

The Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists was formed in response to the arrest in June of a newspaper editor over the publication of a cartoon that made fun of the military, said video journalist A Hla Lay Thu Zar - one of the group&#39;s 21-member executive committee.

&quot;A reporter must have the right to get information and write news ethically,&quot; said A Hla Lay Thu Zar in reference to the case of the two Reuters` journalists. 
Myo Nyunt, deputy director for Myanmar&#39;s Ministry of Information, told Reuters the case had nothing to do with press freedom.

&quot;It`s related to the Official Secrets Act,&quot; he said. &quot;Journalists should be able to tell what is secret and what is not... We already have press freedom. There&#39;s freedom to write and speak... There&#39;s press freedom if you follow the rules.&quot;

Asked about the local reporters` &quot;black campaign&quot;, he said: &quot;Everyone can express his feelings.&quot;&nbsp;

Pressure from across the world&nbsp;

The journalists were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Myanmar&#39;s largest city, Yangon.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, and government officials from Canada, Britain, Sweden, and Bangladesh, have all called for their release.

The two reporters had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis that has seen an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims flee from a fierce military crackdown on militants in western Rakhine state.

The Ministry of Information said the journalists had &quot;illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media&quot;, and released a photo of the pair in handcuffs. It said they were being investigated under the 1923 Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Human rights advocates say press freedom is under attack in Myanmar, where the young civilian-led government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi shares power with the military that ran the country for decades. At least 11 journalists have been detained in 2017, although some have since been released.

Police told Wa Lone&#39;s wife on Thursday that the reporters were taken from Htaunt Kyant police station in north Yangon by an investigation team to an undisclosed location shortly after their arrest.

They added the reporters would be brought back to the station in &quot;two to three days at most&quot;. It is now four days since they were detained.

Separately, police lieutenant colonel Myint Htwe of the Yangon Police Division told Reuters on Thursday the reporters&rsquo; location would not be disclosed until the investigation was complete.&nbsp;

Since then, the authorities have not provided any further information on their whereabouts.

In a statement on Facebook, the committee said its members would don black T-shirts 'to signify the dark age of media freedom' in Myanmar

A group of Myanmar journalists said they would begin wearing black T-shirts on Saturday in protest at the detention of two Reuters reporters accused of violating the country's Official Secrets Act, as pressure builds on Myanmar to release the pair. The Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists, a group of local reporters who have demonstrated against past prosecutions of journalists, decried the "unfair arrests that affect media freedom". In a statement on Facebook, the committee said its members would don black T-shirts "to signify the dark age of media freedom" in Myanmar. They demanded the unconditional and immediate release of the two reporters, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27. "Journalists all over the country are urged to take part in the Black Campaign," the group said. It said it also planned to stage official protests and prayers. The group has staged several protests on behalf of arrested reporters from other media this year, including one in June in which around 100 journalists took part. It was not immediately clear how many journalists have joined the black T-shirt protest. The Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists was formed in response to the arrest in June of a newspaper editor over the publication of a cartoon that made fun of the military, said video journalist A Hla Lay Thu Zar - one of the group's 21-member executive committee. "A reporter must have the right to get information and write news ethically," said A Hla Lay Thu Zar in reference to the case of the two Reuters` journalists. Myo Nyunt, deputy director for Myanmar's Ministry of Information, told Reuters the case had nothing to do with press freedom. "It`s related to the Official Secrets Act," he said. "Journalists should be able to tell what is secret and what is not... We already have press freedom. There's freedom to write and speak... There's press freedom if you follow the rules." Asked about the local reporters` "black campaign", he said: "Everyone can express his feelings." Pressure from across the world The journalists were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Myanmar's largest city, Yangon. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, and government officials from Canada, Britain, Sweden, and Bangladesh, have all called for their release. The two reporters had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis that has seen an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims flee from a fierce military crackdown on militants in western Rakhine state. The Ministry of Information said the journalists had "illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media", and released a photo of the pair in handcuffs. It said they were being investigated under the 1923 Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. Human rights advocates say press freedom is under attack in Myanmar, where the young civilian-led government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi shares power with the military that ran the country for decades. At least 11 journalists have been detained in 2017, although some have since been released. Police told Wa Lone's wife on Thursday that the reporters were taken from Htaunt Kyant police station in north Yangon by an investigation team to an undisclosed location shortly after their arrest. They added the reporters would be brought back to the station in "two to three days at most". It is now four days since they were detained. Separately, police lieutenant colonel Myint Htwe of the Yangon Police Division told Reuters on Thursday the reporters’ location would not be disclosed until the investigation was complete. Since then, the authorities have not provided any further information on their whereabouts.

Myanmar journalists' group to don black T-shirts over arrest of reporters

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-much-touted-tax-cut-on-track-for-passage-in-us-congress-26872" target="_blank">Trump&#39;s much-touted tax cut on track for passage in US Congress</a>

A major tax cut promised by US President Donald Trump was on track for final passage next week, after two previous holdouts in his Republican party said Friday they would vote yes on the legislation.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-headquarters-celebrates-ahead-of-rahul-gandhis-swearing-in-ceremony-26884">Celebrations at Congress headquarters ahead of Rahul Gandhi&#39;s take over as party president</a>

Congress party headquarters in Delhi wore a festive look ahead of Rahul Gandhi&#39;s take over as party<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-swear-in-as-congress-president-today-26869">&nbsp;president today</a>&nbsp;with several&nbsp;supporters and party workers thronging 24, Akbar Road, early morning to celebrate the &#39;coronation&#39; of party&#39;s new Chief.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-top-diplomat-calls-for-release-of-two-reporters-arrested-in-myanmar-26871" target="_blank">Rex Tillerson calls for release of two reporters arrested in Myanmar</a>

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday that the United States was demanding &quot;the immediate release&quot; of two Reuters reporters arrested in Myanmar &quot;or information as to the circumstances around their disappearance.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cabinet-clears-triple-talaq-bill-3-years-jail-for-guilty-husbands-in-proposed-law-26824" target="_blank">Cabinet clears triple talaq bill, 3 years jail for guilty husbands in proposed law</a>

The Union cabinet on Friday cleared the triple talaq bill. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Cabinet had approved a proposal to introduce the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, to make instant triple talaq void and illegal.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/65-magnitude-quake-strikes-indonesias-java-island-26875" target="_blank">6.5 magnitude quake strikes Indonesia&#39;s Java island</a>

A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia`s main island of Java late Friday, leaving at least one person dead and rattling nerves in the capital Jakarta.

&nbsp;

Trump's much-touted tax cut on track for passage in US Congress A major tax cut promised by US President Donald Trump was on track for final passage next week, after two previous holdouts in his Republican party said Friday they would vote yes on the legislation. Celebrations at Congress headquarters ahead of Rahul Gandhi's take over as party president Congress party headquarters in Delhi wore a festive look ahead of Rahul Gandhi's take over as party president today with several supporters and party workers thronging 24, Akbar Road, early morning to celebrate the 'coronation' of party's new Chief. Rex Tillerson calls for release of two reporters arrested in Myanmar US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday that the United States was demanding "the immediate release" of two Reuters reporters arrested in Myanmar "or information as to the circumstances around their disappearance." Cabinet clears triple talaq bill, 3 years jail for guilty husbands in proposed law The Union cabinet on Friday cleared the triple talaq bill. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Cabinet had approved a proposal to introduce the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, to make instant triple talaq void and illegal. 6.5 magnitude quake strikes Indonesia's Java island A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia`s main island of Java late Friday, leaving at least one person dead and rattling nerves in the capital Jakarta.

WION Morning News Brief, 16 December 2017

The United States has identified one person it might impose sanctions on over the brutal crackdown in Myanmar against minority Rohingya Muslims and is examining others, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday.

Tillerson, who last month declared the violence against the Rohingya to be &quot;ethnic cleansing,&quot; has said Washington was considering &quot;targeted sanctions&quot; against those deemed responsible.

More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to southern Bangladesh since the end of August.

&quot;We are continuing to examine the circumstances around all of the events since the August attacks that have led to the enormous migration of people out of Myanmar, and have already identified one individual and we are examining other possible individuals to hold responsible for targeted sanctions from the US,&quot; Tillerson told reporters at the United Nations.

US officials told Reuters that President Donald Trump`s administration was considering only limited action at this stage. They said it was preparing narrow, targeted US sanctions against Myanmar`s military and could roll out the punitive measures by year-end.

The sanctions will be aimed at increasing pressure on Myanmar authorities, but are not expected to hit the highest levels of the military leadership and will stop short of reimposing broad economic restrictions suspended under former President Barack Obama, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The limited nature of any new sanctions is expected to be seen as little more than a warning for Myanmar and are not likely to satisfy international human rights groups and some US lawmakers who have accused Myanmar`s armed forces of crimes against humanity.

Other world powers and the United Nations called Myanmar`s campaign against the Rohingya population &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; well before the United States did so in late November.

US options mulled

US officials in Washington and Yangon have been looking in particular at ways to use the Global Magnitsky Act, a law originally designed to target Russian human rights violators, but which has recently been expanded to allow sanctions for abuses anywhere in the world, the sources said.&nbsp;

That can take the form of US asset freezes as well as bans on travel to the United States.

A spokesman for the US State Department said the administration was in the final stages of preparing this year`s Global Magnitsky report and had taken &quot;an expansive view of implementation&quot; of the act in the past year, but could not say when it might be delivered.

Myanmar`s powerful army chief, General Min Aung Hlaing, is expected to be spared from the latest sanctions, according to three US officials and a congressional aide familiar with the matter.

In November, Myanmar`s military said it had replaced Major General Maung Maung Soe, the general in charge in Rakhine state, but gave no reason for his transfer from a post as the head of the country`s Western Command.

It was not immediately clear how far down the chain of command the US measures would reach and who might be named.

Two of the US officials said the Trump administration is considering only limited action at this stage to avoid upsetting the delicate political balance in Myanmar, where the civilian-led government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi must still contend with an influential military.

Washington also wants to hold tougher options in reserve to escalate the US response if needed, the officials said.

Although the sanctions plan was still being finalised, the U.S. officials said the aim was to roll it out before the end of December, possibly before Christmas, though one person close to the matter said an announcement could be delayed until early next year.

&quot;We have nothing to announce on sanctions,&quot; a White House National Security Council spokesman said when asked the coming measures. He declined comment on who might be named.

Preparations for Myanmar sanctions come at the same time that Washington has expressed concern over the detention this week of two Reuters journalists. 
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had worked on stories about the military crackdown on the Rohingya population in Rakhine state.

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh say their exodus from the mainly Buddhist country was triggered by a military offensive in response to attacks by Rohingya militant on security forces.

Washington has sought to balance its wish to nurture the civilian government in Myanmar, where it competes for influence with China, with its desire to hold the military accountable for the abuses.

The United States has identified one person it might impose sanctions on over the brutal crackdown in Myanmar against minority Rohingya Muslims and is examining others, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday

The United States has identified one person it might impose sanctions on over the brutal crackdown in Myanmar against minority Rohingya Muslims and is examining others, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday. Tillerson, who last month declared the violence against the Rohingya to be "ethnic cleansing," has said Washington was considering "targeted sanctions" against those deemed responsible. More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to southern Bangladesh since the end of August. "We are continuing to examine the circumstances around all of the events since the August attacks that have led to the enormous migration of people out of Myanmar, and have already identified one individual and we are examining other possible individuals to hold responsible for targeted sanctions from the US," Tillerson told reporters at the United Nations. US officials told Reuters that President Donald Trump`s administration was considering only limited action at this stage. They said it was preparing narrow, targeted US sanctions against Myanmar`s military and could roll out the punitive measures by year-end. The sanctions will be aimed at increasing pressure on Myanmar authorities, but are not expected to hit the highest levels of the military leadership and will stop short of reimposing broad economic restrictions suspended under former President Barack Obama, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The limited nature of any new sanctions is expected to be seen as little more than a warning for Myanmar and are not likely to satisfy international human rights groups and some US lawmakers who have accused Myanmar`s armed forces of crimes against humanity. Other world powers and the United Nations called Myanmar`s campaign against the Rohingya population "ethnic cleansing" well before the United States did so in late November. US options mulled US officials in Washington and Yangon have been looking in particular at ways to use the Global Magnitsky Act, a law originally designed to target Russian human rights violators, but which has recently been expanded to allow sanctions for abuses anywhere in the world, the sources said. That can take the form of US asset freezes as well as bans on travel to the United States. A spokesman for the US State Department said the administration was in the final stages of preparing this year`s Global Magnitsky report and had taken "an expansive view of implementation" of the act in the past year, but could not say when it might be delivered. Myanmar`s powerful army chief, General Min Aung Hlaing, is expected to be spared from the latest sanctions, according to three US officials and a congressional aide familiar with the matter. In November, Myanmar`s military said it had replaced Major General Maung Maung Soe, the general in charge in Rakhine state, but gave no reason for his transfer from a post as the head of the country`s Western Command. It was not immediately clear how far down the chain of command the US measures would reach and who might be named. Two of the US officials said the Trump administration is considering only limited action at this stage to avoid upsetting the delicate political balance in Myanmar, where the civilian-led government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi must still contend with an influential military. Washington also wants to hold tougher options in reserve to escalate the US response if needed, the officials said. Although the sanctions plan was still being finalised, the U.S. officials said the aim was to roll it out before the end of December, possibly before Christmas, though one person close to the matter said an announcement could be delayed until early next year. "We have nothing to announce on sanctions," a White House National Security Council spokesman said when asked the coming measures. He declined comment on who might be named. Preparations for Myanmar sanctions come at the same time that Washington has expressed concern over the detention this week of two Reuters journalists. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had worked on stories about the military crackdown on the Rohingya population in Rakhine state. Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh say their exodus from the mainly Buddhist country was triggered by a military offensive in response to attacks by Rohingya militant on security forces. Washington has sought to balance its wish to nurture the civilian government in Myanmar, where it competes for influence with China, with its desire to hold the military accountable for the abuses.

US says identified target for sanctions over Myanmar crackdown

Doctors Without Borders, a private charitable organization consisting of doctors and medical workers, said at least 6,700 Rohingyas have been killed in Myanmar in a month.

The aid group&nbsp;which provides assistance to people in distress across the world said: &quot;At least 6,700 Rohingya, in the most conservative estimations, are estimated to have been killed, including at least 730 children below the age of five years.&quot;

The aid group said it had released the figures based on a survey it had conducted.

The UNHCR in its report had said earlier at least 625,000 Rohingyas had arrived in Bangladesh since August 25th as the Myanmar Army allegedly started atrocities against the minority Rohingyas.

Speaking at the United Nations, Pramila Patten, special envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had said on Wednesday that United Nations Security Council members should visit Myanmar to investigate reports of large-scale violence by the Army against Rohingyas.

&quot;Some witnesses reported women and girls being tied to either a rock or a tree before multiple soldiers raped them to death,&quot; Patten told the Security Council.

Patten said that a Security Council resolution should demand an immediate end to violations against civilians in Rakhine state and outlining measures to hold the perpetrators accountable &quot;would send an important signal.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, councillors in Dublin councillors on Wednesday voted to revoke an award given to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to protest against her handling of violence against Rohingyas, Irish media reported.

The vast majority of councillors backed the move to revoke the &nbsp;&quot;Freedom of the City of Dublin&quot; award, with 59 votes in favour, two against and one abstention, broadcaster RTE said.

Doctors Without Borders, a private charitable organization consisting of doctors and medical workers, said at least 6,700 Rohingyas have been killed in Myanmar in a month. The aid group which provides assistance to people in distress across the world said: "At least 6,700 Rohingya, in the most conservative estimations, are estimated to have been killed, including at least 730 children below the age of five years." The aid group said it had released the figures based on a survey it had conducted. The UNHCR in its report had said earlier at least 625,000 Rohingyas had arrived in Bangladesh since August 25th as the Myanmar Army allegedly started atrocities against the minority Rohingyas. Speaking at the United Nations, Pramila Patten, special envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had said on Wednesday that United Nations Security Council members should visit Myanmar to investigate reports of large-scale violence by the Army against Rohingyas. "Some witnesses reported women and girls being tied to either a rock or a tree before multiple soldiers raped them to death," Patten told the Security Council. Patten said that a Security Council resolution should demand an immediate end to violations against civilians in Rakhine state and outlining measures to hold the perpetrators accountable "would send an important signal." Meanwhile, councillors in Dublin councillors on Wednesday voted to revoke an award given to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to protest against her handling of violence against Rohingyas, Irish media reported. The vast majority of councillors backed the move to revoke the "Freedom of the City of Dublin" award, with 59 votes in favour, two against and one abstention, broadcaster RTE said.

6,700 Rohingya killed in Myanmar in first month, including 730 children: International aid group

Special envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Pramila Patten urged the UN body to visit Myanmar over reported large scale violence by the Army against Rohingyas.

&quot;Some witnesses reported women and girls being tied to either a rock or a tree before multiple soldiers raped them to death,&quot; Patten told the Security Council.

Patten said the 15-member Security Council should visit Myanmar to get a first-hand account of the Rohingya crisis sweeping Myanmar.

UN said recently over 620,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh after August 25th due to atrocities by the Myanmar Army.

Patten said that a Security Council resolution should demand&nbsp;an immediate end to violations against civilians in Rakhine state and outlining measures to hold the perpetrators accountable &quot;would send an important signal.&quot;

The Myanmar Army has repeatedly denied committing any atrocities against the Rohingyas.

A United Nations women&#39;s rights panel had earlier asked the Myanmar government for a report of the last months on rapes and sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls by the security forces in Rakhine state.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) also asked Myanmar authorities to provide details on women and girls killed in the violence since the army crackdown began in late August.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pramila Patten said the 15-member Security Council should visit Myanmar to get a first-hand account of the Rohingya crisis sweeping Myanmar

Special envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Pramila Patten urged the UN body to visit Myanmar over reported large scale violence by the Army against Rohingyas. "Some witnesses reported women and girls being tied to either a rock or a tree before multiple soldiers raped them to death," Patten told the Security Council. Patten said the 15-member Security Council should visit Myanmar to get a first-hand account of the Rohingya crisis sweeping Myanmar. UN said recently over 620,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh after August 25th due to atrocities by the Myanmar Army. Patten said that a Security Council resolution should demand an immediate end to violations against civilians in Rakhine state and outlining measures to hold the perpetrators accountable "would send an important signal." The Myanmar Army has repeatedly denied committing any atrocities against the Rohingyas. A United Nations women's rights panel had earlier asked the Myanmar government for a report of the last months on rapes and sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls by the security forces in Rakhine state. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) also asked Myanmar authorities to provide details on women and girls killed in the violence since the army crackdown began in late August.

UN Security Council should visit Myanmar, says UN official

Rohingya Muslims remaining in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state and other communities in the violence-racked region are so terrified of each other that life has basically ground to a halt, the Red Cross said Wednesday.

More than 620,000 of Myanmar&#39;s Muslim minority have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-refugees-still-fleeing-from-myanmar-to-bangladesh-unhcr-26177">fled across the border to Bangladesh </a>since late August when the Myanmar army launched a sweeping crackdown on Rohingya rebels in northern Rakhine state.

The Red Cross, the only international aid organisation with broad access on the ground in Rakhine, estimates that only about 300,000 Rohingya remain in the entire state.

But Dominik Stillhart, director of operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the number should be taken with a &quot;big pinch of salt&quot; since a proper count has so far been impossible.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva after a three-day visit to the area, Stillhart said the situation in Rakhine appeared to have &quot;stabilised&quot;, with few incidents of violence.

Yet people are continuing to flee, with around 300 still crossing the border each day, mainly because of fear and anxiety for the future, he said.

He said he was especially struck by a lack of people on the roads, in the markets and out in the fields.

&quot;Life has stopped in its tracks... There are hardly any people moving around and you can really see that life has come to a halt,&quot; Stillhart said.

&#39;Scale of destruction&#39; 
 
While it was no surprise that the remaining Rohingya are living in fear, he said it was striking that Buddhist populations in neighbouring villages also appeared to be frightened.

&quot;You really get a sense that both communities are deeply scared of each other,&quot; he said.

The United Nations has warned that abuses against the Rohingya in Myanmar could amount to ethnic cleansing.

Stillhart refrained from commenting on the abuses but did say he had personally seen several burned villages.

&quot;You really see on both sides of the road, villages that are completely destroyed. It just gives you a bit of a sense of the scale of destruction,&quot; he said.

Meanwhile, Red Cross staff in the area had not seen many wounded people in the hospitals, and surprisingly few people appeared to have been rounded up and detained, he said.

&quot;Apparently there wasn&#39;t a huge wave of people arrested. The wave is out to Bangladesh, and not into the detention centres.&quot;

Stillhart also said the area did not seem heavily militarised at the moment, and there was no indication troops or police were restricting people&#39;s movement.

Rather, it appeared that people were restricting their own movement, he said.

&quot;People are deeply traumatised by what has happened and they are full of fear and anxiety,&quot; he said, emphasising the need for &quot;a very clear message from the authorities that it is fine&quot; to move about and that all communities &quot;will be protected&quot;.

Until then, any large return movement from Bangladesh is unlikely.

Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a repatriation deal last month, but so far, Stillhart said, basically no Muslims have returned home.

There has been concern that Myanmar is planning to build camps to house returnees, as they did in central Rakhine state after a 2012 outbreak of violence.&nbsp;

More than 100,000 Rohingya have been trapped in those squalid camps ever since.

&quot;One thing that we definitely don&#39;t wish to see is people being in camps,&quot; Stillhart said, saying the camps in central Rakhine were &quot;clearly not a model to follow.&quot;&nbsp;

Rohingya Muslims remaining in Myanmar's Rakhine state and other communities in the violence-racked region are so terrified of each other that life has basically ground to a halt, the Red Cross says

Rohingya Muslims remaining in Myanmar's Rakhine state and other communities in the violence-racked region are so terrified of each other that life has basically ground to a halt, the Red Cross said Wednesday. More than 620,000 of Myanmar's Muslim minority have fled across the border to Bangladesh since late August when the Myanmar army launched a sweeping crackdown on Rohingya rebels in northern Rakhine state. The Red Cross, the only international aid organisation with broad access on the ground in Rakhine, estimates that only about 300,000 Rohingya remain in the entire state. But Dominik Stillhart, director of operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the number should be taken with a "big pinch of salt" since a proper count has so far been impossible. Speaking to reporters in Geneva after a three-day visit to the area, Stillhart said the situation in Rakhine appeared to have "stabilised", with few incidents of violence. Yet people are continuing to flee, with around 300 still crossing the border each day, mainly because of fear and anxiety for the future, he said. He said he was especially struck by a lack of people on the roads, in the markets and out in the fields. "Life has stopped in its tracks... There are hardly any people moving around and you can really see that life has come to a halt," Stillhart said. 'Scale of destruction' While it was no surprise that the remaining Rohingya are living in fear, he said it was striking that Buddhist populations in neighbouring villages also appeared to be frightened. "You really get a sense that both communities are deeply scared of each other," he said. The United Nations has warned that abuses against the Rohingya in Myanmar could amount to ethnic cleansing. Stillhart refrained from commenting on the abuses but did say he had personally seen several burned villages. "You really see on both sides of the road, villages that are completely destroyed. It just gives you a bit of a sense of the scale of destruction," he said. Meanwhile, Red Cross staff in the area had not seen many wounded people in the hospitals, and surprisingly few people appeared to have been rounded up and detained, he said. "Apparently there wasn't a huge wave of people arrested. The wave is out to Bangladesh, and not into the detention centres." Stillhart also said the area did not seem heavily militarised at the moment, and there was no indication troops or police were restricting people's movement. Rather, it appeared that people were restricting their own movement, he said. "People are deeply traumatised by what has happened and they are full of fear and anxiety," he said, emphasising the need for "a very clear message from the authorities that it is fine" to move about and that all communities "will be protected". Until then, any large return movement from Bangladesh is unlikely. Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a repatriation deal last month, but so far, Stillhart said, basically no Muslims have returned home. There has been concern that Myanmar is planning to build camps to house returnees, as they did in central Rakhine state after a 2012 outbreak of violence. More than 100,000 Rohingya have been trapped in those squalid camps ever since. "One thing that we definitely don't wish to see is people being in camps," Stillhart said, saying the camps in central Rakhine were "clearly not a model to follow."

Life has 'stopped in tracks' in Myanmar's Rakhine state: Red Cross

Myanmar will delay a long-awaited reform that would open the door further to foreign investment, two officials told Reuters, a move likely to disappoint cash-starved businesses amid growing doubts over the management of the economy by the country&#39;s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The postponement of the corporate reform, which would have allowed foreign companies to take up to a 35 per cent stake in Myanmar companies, will likely deal a fresh blow to investor confidence in Suu Kyi&#39;s administration.

 
Economic reform is a key goal for her to complete Myanmar&#39;s democratic transition after decades of isolation under military rule.

The delay underscores the daunting challenge facing Suu Kyi, whose promise of a reformist government that would attract foreign investment is under threat.&nbsp;Some aid to Myanmar is already being withheld and investors are concerned that the sanctions that long hobbled the country&#39;s economy will be reinstated over its treatment of its Rohingya minority.

A Myanmar companies law, which could bring much-needed foreign capital to the country after decades of mismanagement by the former military junta, was approved last week by President Htin Kyaw without a commencement date specified.&nbsp;

Aung Naing Oo, head of Myanmar&#39;s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), told Reuters the authorities may not be ready to implement the new rules until as late as August 2018, after bylaws were prepared and a company registry that he said was vital to enforcement was completed.

&quot;We really want to implement the law as soon as possible but there are many things for us to do&quot;, he said, declining to elaborate what bylaws were needed. He said the government would make sure implementation would be no later than August 1. &quot;We have to make sure the reform is on the right track&quot;.

Myo Min, director of DICA, said the authorities needed up to eight months to &quot;work on the guidance and operating manual&quot; for the country&#39;s first modern online registry, an initiative driven by the Asian Development Bank to electronically revamp the country&#39;s company registry to boost transparency.

The law includes a first set of modern corporate governance regulations, in some parts replacing rules made over a century ago, to bring the country&#39;s business regulatory framework closer to international standards.&nbsp;At issue is a clause that allows foreigners to take up to a 35 per cent share in local companies, which would give local businesses access to a larger capital pool and open up the door for mergers and acquisitions in sectors that are in urgent need of an injection of cash from banking to property.

The delay of the much-anticipated reform comes as Suu Kyi faces criticism that she has neglected economic reforms. Growth in both foreign investment and gross domestic product have slowed since her National League for Democracy took office last year in one of the region&#39;s poorest countries.&nbsp;Htay Aung, president of the property-to-trading conglomerate Sakura Trade Center, said putting off implementation of the law &quot;was bad for business as it will bring delays and extra costs, which result in losses&quot;.

The company is seeking $100 million in over&shy;seas financing for a condominium development in Myanmar&#39;s commercial hub, Yangon. &quot;Foreign investment will be postponed and local businessmen will be disappointed.&quot;

Missed Opportunity

Investors have been waiting for the corporate reform, which was initiated by the former military-backed government in 2014. It establishes guidelines on how a company is run and governed, removing outdated rules on share transfers and offering greater protection to shareholders.&nbsp;But Chris Hughes, a lawyer with Berwin Leighton Paisner in Yangon who was commissioned to draft the rules, said it was a &quot;missed opportunity&quot; for Suu Kyi&#39;s administration.&nbsp;

&quot;I can&#39;t see a compelling economic reason or policy behind the delay. It seems more driven by technology or administrative factors&quot;.&nbsp;William Greenlee, managing director at law firm DFDL in Yangon, said the business community would struggle with the delay.

&quot;International investors are watching and it is wins like this that create a buzz and can materialize into a profound and sustained increase in foreign investment&quot;, he said. &quot;The euphoria will quickly turn to disappointment if it&#39;s not implemented quickly&quot;. Aung Naing Oo of DICA said there would be no negative impact on investment. &quot;Investors always need to take some time before they invest&quot;, he said. &quot;So this actually is the time for investors to make preparation to invest in Myanmar&quot;.

The Asian Development Bank, which gives financial and technical assistance to Myanmar, said &quot;it is ultimately the government&#39;s decision when the law comes into force&quot; and declined to comment further.

A clause which is likely to open doors for foreign investment leading to capital pool access for firms in urgent need of cash flow is likely tobe delayed

Myanmar will delay a long-awaited reform that would open the door further to foreign investment, two officials told Reuters, a move likely to disappoint cash-starved businesses amid growing doubts over the management of the economy by the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The postponement of the corporate reform, which would have allowed foreign companies to take up to a 35 per cent stake in Myanmar companies, will likely deal a fresh blow to investor confidence in Suu Kyi's administration. Economic reform is a key goal for her to complete Myanmar's democratic transition after decades of isolation under military rule. The delay underscores the daunting challenge facing Suu Kyi, whose promise of a reformist government that would attract foreign investment is under threat. Some aid to Myanmar is already being withheld and investors are concerned that the sanctions that long hobbled the country's economy will be reinstated over its treatment of its Rohingya minority. A Myanmar companies law, which could bring much-needed foreign capital to the country after decades of mismanagement by the former military junta, was approved last week by President Htin Kyaw without a commencement date specified. Aung Naing Oo, head of Myanmar's Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), told Reuters the authorities may not be ready to implement the new rules until as late as August 2018, after bylaws were prepared and a company registry that he said was vital to enforcement was completed. "We really want to implement the law as soon as possible but there are many things for us to do", he said, declining to elaborate what bylaws were needed. He said the government would make sure implementation would be no later than August 1. "We have to make sure the reform is on the right track". Myo Min, director of DICA, said the authorities needed up to eight months to "work on the guidance and operating manual" for the country's first modern online registry, an initiative driven by the Asian Development Bank to electronically revamp the country's company registry to boost transparency. The law includes a first set of modern corporate governance regulations, in some parts replacing rules made over a century ago, to bring the country's business regulatory framework closer to international standards. At issue is a clause that allows foreigners to take up to a 35 per cent share in local companies, which would give local businesses access to a larger capital pool and open up the door for mergers and acquisitions in sectors that are in urgent need of an injection of cash from banking to property. The delay of the much-anticipated reform comes as Suu Kyi faces criticism that she has neglected economic reforms. Growth in both foreign investment and gross domestic product have slowed since her National League for Democracy took office last year in one of the region's poorest countries. Htay Aung, president of the property-to-trading conglomerate Sakura Trade Center, said putting off implementation of the law "was bad for business as it will bring delays and extra costs, which result in losses". The company is seeking $100 million in overseas financing for a condominium development in Myanmar's commercial hub, Yangon. "Foreign investment will be postponed and local businessmen will be disappointed." Missed Opportunity Investors have been waiting for the corporate reform, which was initiated by the former military-backed government in 2014. It establishes guidelines on how a company is run and governed, removing outdated rules on share transfers and offering greater protection to shareholders. But Chris Hughes, a lawyer with Berwin Leighton Paisner in Yangon who was commissioned to draft the rules, said it was a "missed opportunity" for Suu Kyi's administration. "I can't see a compelling economic reason or policy behind the delay. It seems more driven by technology or administrative factors". William Greenlee, managing director at law firm DFDL in Yangon, said the business community would struggle with the delay. "International investors are watching and it is wins like this that create a buzz and can materialize into a profound and sustained increase in foreign investment", he said. "The euphoria will quickly turn to disappointment if it's not implemented quickly". Aung Naing Oo of DICA said there would be no negative impact on investment. "Investors always need to take some time before they invest", he said. "So this actually is the time for investors to make preparation to invest in Myanmar". The Asian Development Bank, which gives financial and technical assistance to Myanmar, said "it is ultimately the government's decision when the law comes into force" and declined to comment further.

Myanmar to delay law that would have allowed more foreign investment

Rohingya refugees continue to flee Myanmar for Bangladesh even though both countries set up a timetable last month to allow them to start to return home, the UN&nbsp;refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday.

The number of refugees appears to have slowed. 625,000 have arrived since August 25.30,000 came last month and around 1,500 arrived last week, UNHCR said

&quot;The refugee emergency in Bangladesh is the fastest-growing refugee crisis in the world,&quot; said deputy high commissioner Kelly Clements. &quot;Conditions in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhaine state are not in place to enable a safe and sustainable return ... refugees are still fleeing.&quot;

&quot;Most have little or nothing to go back to. Their homes and villages have been destroyed. Deep divisions between communities remain unaddressed and human access is inadequate,&quot; she said.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on November 23 to start the return of Rohingya within two months. It did not say when the process would be complete.

Myanmar&#39;s security forces may be guilty of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority, according to the top UN&nbsp;human rights official this week. Mainly Buddhist Myanmar denies the Muslim Rohingya are its citizens and considers them foreigners.

UNHCR would make a fresh appeal to donors for funds after the end of February in next year, Kelly said.

Rohingya refugees continue to flee Myanmar for Bangladesh even though both countries set up a timetable last month to allow them to start to return home, the UN?refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday

Rohingya refugees continue to flee Myanmar for Bangladesh even though both countries set up a timetable last month to allow them to start to return home, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday. The number of refugees appears to have slowed. 625,000 have arrived since August 25.30,000 came last month and around 1,500 arrived last week, UNHCR said "The refugee emergency in Bangladesh is the fastest-growing refugee crisis in the world," said deputy high commissioner Kelly Clements. "Conditions in Myanmar's Rakhaine state are not in place to enable a safe and sustainable return ... refugees are still fleeing." "Most have little or nothing to go back to. Their homes and villages have been destroyed. Deep divisions between communities remain unaddressed and human access is inadequate," she said. Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on November 23 to start the return of Rohingya within two months. It did not say when the process would be complete. Myanmar's security forces may be guilty of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority, according to the top UN human rights official this week. Mainly Buddhist Myanmar denies the Muslim Rohingya are its citizens and considers them foreigners. UNHCR would make a fresh appeal to donors for funds after the end of February in next year, Kelly said.

Rohingya refugees still fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh - UNHCR

The Supreme Court has scheduled the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-hear-rohingya-refugees-pil-challenging-deportation-22374" target="_blank"> hearing for Rohingya refugees deportation </a>on January 31.

The apex court has posted all petitions relating to the deportation of Muslim Rohingya refugees for a detailed hearing in January.&nbsp;

The Centre had earlier filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the issue of deportation of Rohingya Muslims from India.

The centre told the apex court that the presence of Rohingyas in the country posed a threat to the national security of the country.&nbsp;Besides being a security threat because of links to the ISI and the IS, Rohingyas will exhaust natural resources meant for Indian citizens resulting in hostility and social tensions, the centre added.&nbsp;

The argument was based on an information received from intelligence inputs which suggested that some of the Rohingya&#39;s had links with Pak -based terror groups.&nbsp;

The Public Interest Litigation was filed by two Rohingya Muslims challenging the Indian government&#39;s decision to deport around 40,000 people of the community.

In their petition, the two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, argue that they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there.&nbsp;

Another Rohingya refugee then filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court of India, denying the Indian government&#39;s claims that the Muslim community from Myanmar has terror links with Pakistan&#39;s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Islamic State. The affidavit states that the Rohingyas should be treated at par with Tibetan and Sri Lankan refugees.

Over 40,000 Rohingyas are living in India as refugees.

These refugees have been settled in Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.&nbsp;

About half a million Rohingya&#39;s were forced to flee Myanmar in order to escape the deadly violence.

The UN has described the Rohingya exodus as ethnic cleansing.

The apex court has posted all petitions relating to the deportation of Muslim Rohingya refugees for a detailed hearing in January

The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing for Rohingya refugees deportation on January 31. The apex court has posted all petitions relating to the deportation of Muslim Rohingya refugees for a detailed hearing in January. The Centre had earlier filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the issue of deportation of Rohingya Muslims from India. The centre told the apex court that the presence of Rohingyas in the country posed a threat to the national security of the country. Besides being a security threat because of links to the ISI and the IS, Rohingyas will exhaust natural resources meant for Indian citizens resulting in hostility and social tensions, the centre added. The argument was based on an information received from intelligence inputs which suggested that some of the Rohingya's had links with Pak -based terror groups. The Public Interest Litigation was filed by two Rohingya Muslims challenging the Indian government's decision to deport around 40,000 people of the community. In their petition, the two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, argue that they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there. Another Rohingya refugee then filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court of India, denying the Indian government's claims that the Muslim community from Myanmar has terror links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Islamic State. The affidavit states that the Rohingyas should be treated at par with Tibetan and Sri Lankan refugees. Over 40,000 Rohingyas are living in India as refugees. These refugees have been settled in Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan. About half a million Rohingya's were forced to flee Myanmar in order to escape the deadly violence. The UN has described the Rohingya exodus as ethnic cleansing.

Supreme Court to hear Rohingya petition on January 31

United Nations Human Rights chief<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-explains-why-he-did-not-say-rohingya-25787">&nbsp;Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein said</a> today there were &quot;elements of genocide&quot; against Rohingyas in &nbsp;Myanmar.

Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein said there were allegations of &quot;killing by random firing of bullets, use of grenades, shooting at close range, stabbings, beatings to death&nbsp; 
and the burning of houses with families inside&quot;.&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier said &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; was taking place in &nbsp;Myanmar.

The UN has said over 6,80,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th allegedly due to atrocities committed by the Myanmar Army.

Last week, Pope Francis had visited Myanmar and Bangladesh to find a solution to the crisis which has spiralled out of control in recent months. 
&nbsp;

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said there were allegations of "killing by random firing of bullets, use of grenades and shooting at close range

United Nations Human Rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said today there were "elements of genocide" against Rohingyas in Myanmar. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said there were allegations of "killing by random firing of bullets, use of grenades, shooting at close range, stabbings, beatings to death and the burning of houses with families inside". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier said "ethnic cleansing" was taking place in Myanmar. The UN has said over 6,80,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th allegedly due to atrocities committed by the Myanmar Army. Last week, Pope Francis had visited Myanmar and Bangladesh to find a solution to the crisis which has spiralled out of control in recent months.

Rohingya row: 'Elements of genocide' in Myanmar, says UN rights chief

Bangladesh has called for a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to discuss the human rights issue of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

Recently, Bangladesh had sent a notice along with Saudi Arabia to the UNHRC in this regard, Dhaka Tribune has reported.

Their notice has received support of 33 of the 47 member states, and 40 other non-UNHRC nations.

The move comes just over a week after Sheikh Hasina-led government signed a bilateral agreement with Myanmar on Rohingya repatriation.

According to the national daily, Bangladesh also wants to discuss the human rights condition of other minorities living in Myanmar`s Rakhine state with the UNHCR members.

Since the military action began in Rakhine in August, after some militants attacked security forces&#39;&nbsp;post, over 6 lakh Rohingyas have fled the state to neighbouring countries, especially to Bangladesh.

As of now, 6.25 lakh refugees have taken shelter in the country.

According to Myanmar`s 1982 Citizenship Act, Rohingyas are not considered naturalised citizens and, repeatedly, have been at the receiving end of the ethnic clashes in the country.

Recently, Bangladesh had sent a notice along with Saudi Arabia to the UNHRC in this regard which has received the support of 33 of the 47 member states, and 40 other non-UNHRC nations

Bangladesh has called for a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to discuss the human rights issue of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Recently, Bangladesh had sent a notice along with Saudi Arabia to the UNHRC in this regard, Dhaka Tribune has reported. Their notice has received support of 33 of the 47 member states, and 40 other non-UNHRC nations. The move comes just over a week after Sheikh Hasina-led government signed a bilateral agreement with Myanmar on Rohingya repatriation. According to the national daily, Bangladesh also wants to discuss the human rights condition of other minorities living in Myanmar`s Rakhine state with the UNHCR members. Since the military action began in Rakhine in August, after some militants attacked security forces' post, over 6 lakh Rohingyas have fled the state to neighbouring countries, especially to Bangladesh. As of now, 6.25 lakh refugees have taken shelter in the country. According to Myanmar`s 1982 Citizenship Act, Rohingyas are not considered naturalised citizens and, repeatedly, have been at the receiving end of the ethnic clashes in the country.

Bangladesh calls for UNHRC meeting to discuss Rohingya crisis

Pope Francis&#39;s embrace of the Rohingya during a trip to Bangladesh has sparked some angry comment on social media in Myanmar, where just days earlier he chose not to publicly air their plight.

On Friday the head of the Catholic church met a group of refugees from Myanmar&#39;s stateless Muslim minority in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.&nbsp;

He referred to them as &quot;Rohingya&quot; - a term unacceptable to many in Myanmar where they are reviled as alleged &quot;Bengali&quot; illegal immigrants rather than as a distinct ethnic group.

During his public addresses on the previous leg of his trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, Francis did not refer to the group by name or directly allude to the crisis in Rakhine state, from where over 620,000 Rohingya have fled since August.

His caution initially won applause from Myanmar&#39;s tiny Catholic minority - who feared a nationalist blowback - as well as from Buddhist hardliners, who are on the defensive after a global outcry about the treatment of the group.

A deadly attack by Rohingya militants on police posts in late August sparked a ferocious crackdown in Rakhine by the Myanmar military, which the US and UN describe as ethnic cleansing.

As he arrived back at the Vatican, the pontiff said he had taken up the Rohingya cause in private in Myanmar, also describing how he wept after meeting the group of refugees.

&quot;I wept: I tried to do it in a way that it couldn&#39;t be seen,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;They wept too.&quot;

The comments sparked a flurry of online anger in Myanmar, a country locked off from modern communications for five decades but which now has an active social media.

&quot;He is like a lizard whose colour has changed because of weather,&quot; said Facebook user Aung Soe Lin of the pope&#39;s strikingly different stances on the crisis.&nbsp;

&quot;He should be a salesman or broker for using different words even though he is a religious leader,&quot; said another Facebook user called Soe Soe.

Myanmar&#39;s Catholic church had advised Francis not to stray into the incendiary issue of the status of the Rohingya in Myanmar, in case he worsened tensions and endangered Christians.

In his public addresses he treaded softly on the topic, urging unity, compassion and respect for all ethnic groups - but not naming the Rohingya.

&quot;The Pope is a holy person... but he said something here (in Myanmar) and he said different in another country,&quot; another Facebook user Ye Linn Maung posted. &quot;He should say the same things if he loves the truth.&quot;

Others were more sanguine about Francis&#39;&nbsp;choice of language once he had left Myanmar soil.

Maung Thway Chun, chairman of an unofficial party of nationalists called the 135 Patriots Party, applauded the pope&#39;s decision not to name them in Myanmar despite pressure from rights groups.

&quot;It means he respects Myanmar people,&quot; he said. &quot;He even did not use the word many times in Bangladesh... I think he said it once, just to comfort human rights organisations.&quot;

Pope Francis referred to the refugees as 'Rohingya' - a term unacceptable to many in Myanmar where they are reviled as alleged 'Bengali' illegal immigrants rather than as a distinct ethnic group

Pope Francis's embrace of the Rohingya during a trip to Bangladesh has sparked some angry comment on social media in Myanmar, where just days earlier he chose not to publicly air their plight. On Friday the head of the Catholic church met a group of refugees from Myanmar's stateless Muslim minority in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. He referred to them as "Rohingya" - a term unacceptable to many in Myanmar where they are reviled as alleged "Bengali" illegal immigrants rather than as a distinct ethnic group. During his public addresses on the previous leg of his trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, Francis did not refer to the group by name or directly allude to the crisis in Rakhine state, from where over 620,000 Rohingya have fled since August. His caution initially won applause from Myanmar's tiny Catholic minority - who feared a nationalist blowback - as well as from Buddhist hardliners, who are on the defensive after a global outcry about the treatment of the group. A deadly attack by Rohingya militants on police posts in late August sparked a ferocious crackdown in Rakhine by the Myanmar military, which the US and UN describe as ethnic cleansing. As he arrived back at the Vatican, the pontiff said he had taken up the Rohingya cause in private in Myanmar, also describing how he wept after meeting the group of refugees. "I wept: I tried to do it in a way that it couldn't be seen," he told reporters. "They wept too." The comments sparked a flurry of online anger in Myanmar, a country locked off from modern communications for five decades but which now has an active social media. "He is like a lizard whose colour has changed because of weather," said Facebook user Aung Soe Lin of the pope's strikingly different stances on the crisis. "He should be a salesman or broker for using different words even though he is a religious leader," said another Facebook user called Soe Soe. Myanmar's Catholic church had advised Francis not to stray into the incendiary issue of the status of the Rohingya in Myanmar, in case he worsened tensions and endangered Christians. In his public addresses he treaded softly on the topic, urging unity, compassion and respect for all ethnic groups - but not naming the Rohingya. "The Pope is a holy person... but he said something here (in Myanmar) and he said different in another country," another Facebook user Ye Linn Maung posted. "He should say the same things if he loves the truth." Others were more sanguine about Francis' choice of language once he had left Myanmar soil. Maung Thway Chun, chairman of an unofficial party of nationalists called the 135 Patriots Party, applauded the pope's decision not to name them in Myanmar despite pressure from rights groups. "It means he respects Myanmar people," he said. "He even did not use the word many times in Bangladesh... I think he said it once, just to comfort human rights organisations."

Myanmar social media anger after Pope says 'Rohingya'

Pope Francis visited a home in Dhaka founded by Mother Teresa for orphans, unwed mothers and destitute elderly on Saturday as he wrapped up his trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The pope, who leaves for Rome later on Saturday, was surrounded by children and nuns wearing the traditional blue-and-white habit of the woman who died in 1997 and became a saint in 2016.

Mother Teresa, who started the Missionaries of Charity to serve &quot;the poorest of the poor,&quot; opened the home in the early 1970s to look after Bengali women who became pregnant as a result of rape by Pakistani soldiers during the war of independence.

Today the home, in one of the world&#39;s poorest cities, looks after orphaned and abandoned children, unwed mothers and sick elderly people.

Francis, who has made outreach to the poor and other people on the margins of society a priority, visited some of the bed-ridden sick.

He later made an impromptu address to nuns and priests during which he praised Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country where Catholics make up less than one percent of its around 169 million people, for having what he called some of the best inter-religious relations in the world.

Francis said he was very pleased by an inter-religious meeting on Friday night, where he held an emotional encounter with Muslim Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and then used the word Rohingya for the first time on his current trip, saying they had God within them and should be respected.

Previously, in Myanmar, he followed the advice of Myanmar Church officials who said his use of the word could prompt a backlash against Christians and hurt Myanmar&#39;s fragile path to democracy.

That had disappointed rights groups such as Amnesty International.

Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar does not recognise the stateless Rohingya as an ethnic group with its own identity.

At the Saturday morning meeting at the home founded by Mother Teresa, the pope urged the priests and nuns who live in communities to avoid gossip, calling it a form of &quot;terrorism,&quot; a comparison he has made often in the past while visiting religious communities.

His last event in Bangladesh will be a meeting with young people at a college founded by Catholic priests after the war of independence in the early 1970s left the new country with a dearth of places of higher education.

Pope Francis visited a home in Dhaka founded by Mother Teresa for orphans, unwed mothers and destitute elderly on Saturday as he wrapped up his trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh

Pope Francis visited a home in Dhaka founded by Mother Teresa for orphans, unwed mothers and destitute elderly on Saturday as he wrapped up his trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh. The pope, who leaves for Rome later on Saturday, was surrounded by children and nuns wearing the traditional blue-and-white habit of the woman who died in 1997 and became a saint in 2016. Mother Teresa, who started the Missionaries of Charity to serve "the poorest of the poor," opened the home in the early 1970s to look after Bengali women who became pregnant as a result of rape by Pakistani soldiers during the war of independence. Today the home, in one of the world's poorest cities, looks after orphaned and abandoned children, unwed mothers and sick elderly people. Francis, who has made outreach to the poor and other people on the margins of society a priority, visited some of the bed-ridden sick. He later made an impromptu address to nuns and priests during which he praised Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country where Catholics make up less than one percent of its around 169 million people, for having what he called some of the best inter-religious relations in the world. Francis said he was very pleased by an inter-religious meeting on Friday night, where he held an emotional encounter with Muslim Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and then used the word Rohingya for the first time on his current trip, saying they had God within them and should be respected. Previously, in Myanmar, he followed the advice of Myanmar Church officials who said his use of the word could prompt a backlash against Christians and hurt Myanmar's fragile path to democracy. That had disappointed rights groups such as Amnesty International. Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar does not recognise the stateless Rohingya as an ethnic group with its own identity. At the Saturday morning meeting at the home founded by Mother Teresa, the pope urged the priests and nuns who live in communities to avoid gossip, calling it a form of "terrorism," a comparison he has made often in the past while visiting religious communities. His last event in Bangladesh will be a meeting with young people at a college founded by Catholic priests after the war of independence in the early 1970s left the new country with a dearth of places of higher education.

Pope visits Bangladesh orphans on last day of trip headlined by Rohingya crisis

Pope Francis will lead an open-air mass Friday for around 100,000 Catholics in Bangladesh, which is grappling with a rise in Islamist extremism and a massive influx of Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.

The head of the Catholic Church will also meet refugees in Dhaka, a day after urging the world to take &quot;decisive measures&quot; to resolve a crisis that has forced more than 620,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar.

Francis arrived Thursday from Myanmar, where he walked a diplomatic tightrope, &nbsp;staying away in public from allegations that the country&#39;s army is waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya despite pressure to confront the incendiary issue.

Shortly afterwards, he praised overcrowded and poor Bangladesh for giving refuge to the Rohingya refugees who have flooded in since a military crackdown in their native Rakhine state in August, and urged the world to help.

&quot;This has been done at no little sacrifice. It has also been done before the eyes of the whole world,&quot; he said, calling on other countries to offer &quot;immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs&quot;.

Francis is the first pope to visit mainly Muslim Bangladesh in more than three decades.

He is spending three days in the country of 160 million, where a rise in Islamist extremism has seen Catholics attacked for their faith.

Christians make up less than 0.5 per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s population and community leaders say some have left in recent years as it becomes more difficult to practise faith openly.

Since 2015 at least three Christians, including two converts from Islam, have been hacked to death in attacks blamed on Islamist militants.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-arrives-in-bangladesh-appeals-for-decisive-action-for-refugees-from-rakhine-state-25546">Pope arrives in Bangladesh, appeals for decisive action for &#39;refugees from Rakhine state&#39;</a>

Spread peace

Tens of thousands of Catholics have travelled to the capital hoping to catch a glimpse of the 80-year-old Argentine pontiff, who is to travel to the park for Friday&#39;s mass on a traditional cycle rickshaw.

He has established a reputation for his down-to-earth manner, vowing to stamp out extravagance among the clergy and bring the Catholic Church closer to the poor.

&quot;I have seen popes on television, but I have never seen them in person,&quot; said Abraham Dorez, 75, who lives in a village outside Dhaka.

&quot;I am an old man now. I hope he&#39;ll bless me and pray so that I can die in peace and go to heaven. I hope his prayers will spread peace all around the world.&quot;

Later the pope will hold a meeting with leaders of other faiths. Farid Uddin Masoud, a top Muslim cleric who will attend, said he hoped the pope would speak out for the Rohingya.

&quot;He is respected across the globe, not by Christians alone, for being a champion of the poor and oppressed people... So we will strongly expect him to speak for the oppressed Rohingya,&quot; he told AFP.

Pope Francis will also meet 16 Rohingya refugees who have travelled to the capital from their camp, among them two children.

Although the influx has slowed, hundreds of Rohingya refugees are still crossing the border into Bangladesh from Myanmar every day, the United Nations said this week.

Many have brought stories of horrific abuses at the hands of the Myanmar military and local Buddhist mobs, including rape, arson and murder. Myanmar regards them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and refuses them citizenship.

&quot;When I meet him, I would like to tell him about our plight, about how Myanmar&#39;s military tortured us, killed us, raped our women, about the kind of persecution we have been facing,&quot; 35-year-old refugee Abul Fayaz told AFP in Cox&#39;s Bazar where the camps are located.

&quot;We want him to help us get Rohingya citizenship, ensure our safety, help us move freely to wherever we want, whenever we want and most importantly, make a way so we can say our prayers with freedom like they (Buddhists) do.&quot;

Pope Francis will lead an open-air mass Friday for around 100,000 Catholics in Bangladesh, which is grappling with a rise in Islamist extremism and a massive influx of Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar

Pope Francis will lead an open-air mass Friday for around 100,000 Catholics in Bangladesh, which is grappling with a rise in Islamist extremism and a massive influx of Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar. The head of the Catholic Church will also meet refugees in Dhaka, a day after urging the world to take "decisive measures" to resolve a crisis that has forced more than 620,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar. Francis arrived Thursday from Myanmar, where he walked a diplomatic tightrope, staying away in public from allegations that the country's army is waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya despite pressure to confront the incendiary issue. Shortly afterwards, he praised overcrowded and poor Bangladesh for giving refuge to the Rohingya refugees who have flooded in since a military crackdown in their native Rakhine state in August, and urged the world to help. "This has been done at no little sacrifice. It has also been done before the eyes of the whole world," he said, calling on other countries to offer "immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs". Francis is the first pope to visit mainly Muslim Bangladesh in more than three decades. He is spending three days in the country of 160 million, where a rise in Islamist extremism has seen Catholics attacked for their faith. Christians make up less than 0.5 per cent of Bangladesh's population and community leaders say some have left in recent years as it becomes more difficult to practise faith openly. Since 2015 at least three Christians, including two converts from Islam, have been hacked to death in attacks blamed on Islamist militants. Also read: Pope arrives in Bangladesh, appeals for decisive action for 'refugees from Rakhine state' Spread peace Tens of thousands of Catholics have travelled to the capital hoping to catch a glimpse of the 80-year-old Argentine pontiff, who is to travel to the park for Friday's mass on a traditional cycle rickshaw. He has established a reputation for his down-to-earth manner, vowing to stamp out extravagance among the clergy and bring the Catholic Church closer to the poor. "I have seen popes on television, but I have never seen them in person," said Abraham Dorez, 75, who lives in a village outside Dhaka. "I am an old man now. I hope he'll bless me and pray so that I can die in peace and go to heaven. I hope his prayers will spread peace all around the world." Later the pope will hold a meeting with leaders of other faiths. Farid Uddin Masoud, a top Muslim cleric who will attend, said he hoped the pope would speak out for the Rohingya. "He is respected across the globe, not by Christians alone, for being a champion of the poor and oppressed people... So we will strongly expect him to speak for the oppressed Rohingya," he told AFP. Pope Francis will also meet 16 Rohingya refugees who have travelled to the capital from their camp, among them two children. Although the influx has slowed, hundreds of Rohingya refugees are still crossing the border into Bangladesh from Myanmar every day, the United Nations said this week. Many have brought stories of horrific abuses at the hands of the Myanmar military and local Buddhist mobs, including rape, arson and murder. Myanmar regards them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and refuses them citizenship. "When I meet him, I would like to tell him about our plight, about how Myanmar's military tortured us, killed us, raped our women, about the kind of persecution we have been facing," 35-year-old refugee Abul Fayaz told AFP in Cox's Bazar where the camps are located. "We want him to help us get Rohingya citizenship, ensure our safety, help us move freely to wherever we want, whenever we want and most importantly, make a way so we can say our prayers with freedom like they (Buddhists) do."

Pope to lead huge mass for Bangladesh Catholics

Pope Francis landed in Bangladesh on Thursday after a diplomatically sensitive trip to mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he made no direct reference to the plight of Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh in their hundreds of thousands.

The pope&rsquo;s trip to mostly Muslim Bangladesh is likely to less sensitive though his words will be closely watched following his decision not to use the word &ldquo;Rohingya&rdquo; in public during his four-day Myanmar trip to avoid a diplomatic incident with the country some have accused of ethnic cleansing.

On Friday, the pope is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees from among the roughly 625,000 who have fled to Bangladesh from neighboring Myanmar since the end of August.

&ldquo;He did not even pronounce the word &lsquo;Rohingya&rsquo; in Myanmar,&rdquo; H.T. Imam, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s political adviser, told Reuters on Thursday.

&ldquo;Here we would be looking forward to what he says.&rdquo;

Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid welcomed the pope at Dhaka airport. Hamid and the pope were both due to make speeches later in the day and to raise the refugee crisis.

The Vatican on Wednesday said the pope&rsquo;s moral authority was unblemished by his failure to refer to the persecuted Myanmar Muslim minority by the name they chose to identify themselves by, and his mere presence drew attention to the refugee crisis.

Pope Francis's trip to mostly Muslim Bangladesh is likely to be less sensitive, though his words will be closely watched following his decision not to use the word 'Rohingya' in public during his four-day Myanmar trip to avoid a diplomatic incident in the country

Pope Francis landed in Bangladesh on Thursday after a diplomatically sensitive trip to mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he made no direct reference to the plight of Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh in their hundreds of thousands. The pope’s trip to mostly Muslim Bangladesh is likely to less sensitive though his words will be closely watched following his decision not to use the word “Rohingya” in public during his four-day Myanmar trip to avoid a diplomatic incident with the country some have accused of ethnic cleansing. On Friday, the pope is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees from among the roughly 625,000 who have fled to Bangladesh from neighboring Myanmar since the end of August. “He did not even pronounce the word ‘Rohingya’ in Myanmar,” H.T. Imam, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s political adviser, told Reuters on Thursday. “Here we would be looking forward to what he says.” Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid welcomed the pope at Dhaka airport. Hamid and the pope were both due to make speeches later in the day and to raise the refugee crisis. The Vatican on Wednesday said the pope’s moral authority was unblemished by his failure to refer to the persecuted Myanmar Muslim minority by the name they chose to identify themselves by, and his mere presence drew attention to the refugee crisis.

Rohingya crisis: After visiting Myanmar, Pope arrives in Bangladesh

After spending three days in Myanmar, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-addresses-myanmars-buddhist-monks-avoids-using-the-term-rohingya-again-25447">Pope Francis arrived in Bangladesh today</a> to find a peaceful solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis which has created deep fissures between the Asian neighbours.

The Pope who has avoided <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bangladesh-priest-disappearance-casts-pall-over-pope-visit-25448">using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; so far </a>during his visit to Asia, spoke of &quot;refugees from Rakhine state&quot; as he arrived in Bangladesh.

In his speech before Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, the Pope praised Bangladesh&#39;s &quot;spirit of generosity and solidarity&quot; in helping &quot;a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;It is imperative that the international community take decisive measures to address this grave crisis,&quot; he added.

The appealed to everyone involved in the crisis to help offer&nbsp;&quot;immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;None of us can fail to be aware of the gravity of the situation, the immense toll of human suffering involved, and the precarious living conditions of so many of our brothers and sisters, a majority of whom are women and children, crowded in the refugee camps,&quot; he said.

Francis who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh is the first pope to visit the country in 31 years.&nbsp;

The Pope flew down from Myanmar after meeting the military chief and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi calling for calm even as the Rohingya refugees continued to pour into Bangladesh due to alleged atrocities against them in Rakhine state which has attracted worldwide condemnation.

&nbsp;

The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" so far during his visit to Asia, spoke of "refugees from Rakhine state" as he arrived in Bangladesh

After spending three days in Myanmar, Pope Francis arrived in Bangladesh today to find a peaceful solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis which has created deep fissures between the Asian neighbours. The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" so far during his visit to Asia, spoke of "refugees from Rakhine state" as he arrived in Bangladesh. In his speech before Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, the Pope praised Bangladesh's "spirit of generosity and solidarity" in helping "a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state". "It is imperative that the international community take decisive measures to address this grave crisis," he added. The appealed to everyone involved in the crisis to help offer "immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs." "None of us can fail to be aware of the gravity of the situation, the immense toll of human suffering involved, and the precarious living conditions of so many of our brothers and sisters, a majority of whom are women and children, crowded in the refugee camps," he said. Francis who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh is the first pope to visit the country in 31 years. The Pope flew down from Myanmar after meeting the military chief and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi calling for calm even as the Rohingya refugees continued to pour into Bangladesh due to alleged atrocities against them in Rakhine state which has attracted worldwide condemnation.

Pope arrives in Bangladesh, appeals for decisive action for 'refugees from Rakhine state'

Pope Francis addressed a gathering<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-meets-aung-san-suu-kyi-as-rohingya-crisis-simmers-25346"> of Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist monks today </a>and urged them to &quot;surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred&quot;.

Pope Francis has avoided using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar&#39;s military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported.

Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis.

In his speech to the Buddhist monks the Pope said: &quot;If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred&quot;.

Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages.

The prayer in Karen read: &quot;For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord.&quot;

The Pope is on a four-day visit to Myanmar which has been racked by the Rohingya crisis and has been severely criticised the world over for it handling of the refugee issue.

The Pope had met Myanmar&#39;s military chief General Min Aung Hlaing and&nbsp;Nobel peace laureate&nbsp;Aung San Suu Kyi&nbsp;in the last two days and appealed for peace and calm amid the spiralling Rohingya crisis.

Reuters said&nbsp;Vatican sources feel the Pope&#39;s&nbsp;trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily.

Pope Francis will leave for Bangladesh on Thursday, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.

Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis.

Pope Francis addressed a gathering of Myanmar's Buddhist monks today and urged them to "surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred". Pope Francis has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar's military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported. Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis. In his speech to the Buddhist monks the Pope said: "If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred". Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages. The prayer in Karen read: "For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord." The Pope is on a four-day visit to Myanmar which has been racked by the Rohingya crisis and has been severely criticised the world over for it handling of the refugee issue. The Pope had met Myanmar's military chief General Min Aung Hlaing and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in the last two days and appealed for peace and calm amid the spiralling Rohingya crisis. Reuters said Vatican sources feel the Pope's trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily. Pope Francis will leave for Bangladesh on Thursday, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.

?Pope Francis addresses Myanmar's Buddhist monks, avoids using the term 'Rohingya' again

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-addresses-myanmars-buddhist-monks-avoids-using-the-term-rohingya-again-25447" target="_blank">Pope Francis addresses Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist monks, avoids using the term &#39;Rohingya&#39; again</a>

Pope Francis addressed a gathering<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-meets-aung-san-suu-kyi-as-rohingya-crisis-simmers-25346">&nbsp;of Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist monks today&nbsp;</a>and urged them to &quot;surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred&quot;. Pope Francis has avoided using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar&#39;s military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ivanka-concludes-india-trip-with-visit-to-golconda-fort-25453" target="_blank">After GES, Ivanka concludes India trip with visit to Golconda Fort</a>

Advisor to United States President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ivanka-trump-arrives-in-hyderabad-to-addressing-the-global-entrepreneurship-summit-ges-25300" target="_blank">Ivanka Trump</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday concluded her three-day trip to India by visiting the iconic Golconda Fort. Ivanka, who posed for shutterbugs there, was taken on a guided tour of the fort and was accompanied by India&#39;s Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Sarna, and others.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-it-that-you-have-against-our-army-pm-modi-asks-congress-25435" target="_blank">&#39;What is it that you have against our army,&#39; PM Modi asks Congress at Gujarat election rally</a>

While addressing a rally in Prachi, Gujarat,&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Congress &quot;What is it that you have against our army?&quot;&nbsp;Referring to One Rank One Pension(OROP), he said the demand for raising pension for the armed forces was pending for forty long years, obliquely referring to the Congress.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pervez-musharraf-im-lashkars-biggest-supporter-they-like-me-too-25405" target="_blank">I am Lashkar&#39;s biggest supporter, I know they like me: Pervez Musharraf</a>

Pervez Musharraf has said that he is banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba&#39;s (LeT) &quot;biggest supporter&quot; and that he is aware that they &quot;like&quot; him too.&nbsp;In an interview with Pakistan&#39;s ARY News, Musharraf said that he is similarly appreciative of&nbsp;LeT co-founder and the man thought to be the&nbsp;mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Hafiz Saeed.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bcci-retires-sachin-tendulkars-no-10-jersey-25409" target="_blank">BCCI retires Sachin Tendulkar&#39;s No. 10 jersey</a>

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has &quot;unofficially&quot; retired the No 10 jersey worn by master blaster Sachin Tendulkar all through his One Day International (ODI) career.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pope Francis addresses Myanmar's Buddhist monks, avoids using the term 'Rohingya' again Pope Francis addressed a gathering of Myanmar's Buddhist monks today and urged them to "surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred". Pope Francis has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar's military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported. After GES, Ivanka concludes India trip with visit to Golconda Fort Advisor to United States President Donald Trump Ivanka Trump on Wednesday concluded her three-day trip to India by visiting the iconic Golconda Fort. Ivanka, who posed for shutterbugs there, was taken on a guided tour of the fort and was accompanied by India's Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Sarna, and others. 'What is it that you have against our army,' PM Modi asks Congress at Gujarat election rally While addressing a rally in Prachi, Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Congress "What is it that you have against our army?" Referring to One Rank One Pension(OROP), he said the demand for raising pension for the armed forces was pending for forty long years, obliquely referring to the Congress. I am Lashkar's biggest supporter, I know they like me: Pervez Musharraf Pervez Musharraf has said that he is banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) "biggest supporter" and that he is aware that they "like" him too. In an interview with Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf said that he is similarly appreciative of LeT co-founder and the man thought to be the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Hafiz Saeed. BCCI retires Sachin Tendulkar's No. 10 jersey The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has "unofficially" retired the No 10 jersey worn by master blaster Sachin Tendulkar all through his One Day International (ODI) career.

WION Evening News Brief, November 29, 2017

Pope Francis, who is on a state visit to Myanmar, met with a group of 17 leaders from various religious faiths in Yangon on Tuesday, and urged them to defend their identities and resist cultural colonialism.

The Pope spoke in Spanish during the 40-minute long meeting and drew a difference between unity and uniformity, warning that while unity was beautiful, an insistence on uniformity could lead to cultural colonialism.

&quot;Everyone has their values, their wealth and their shortcomings. Each faith has their traditions, their wealth to give, and this can only happen if we live in peace,&quot; he said.

The meeting between the Pope and the religious leaders was held at the archdiocesan headquarters, where the Pope is staying during his Myanmar visit which began on Monday.

The Bishop of the Pathein Diocese in Myanmar John Hsane Hgyi had opened the meeting, followed by leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Anglican and Roman Catholic faiths, according to Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke.

During the meeting the Pope urged Myanmar&#39;s religious leaders to understand the value of ethnic and religious differences they represented, rather than be daunted by them.

The Pope also met Buddhist leader Sitagu Sayadaw separately to discuss peaceful coexistence among communities in the country that has been in the glare for months over continuing atrocities against the Rohingyas, a Muslim minority community from the Rakhine region in western Myanmar.

The Pope later visited Naypyidaw and met Nobel Peace Laureate and the de-facto leader of the country Aung San Suu Kyi.

(All the rights of the contents (text, photo, video, multimedia products and others) included in the services supplied to the user in this test are EFE-EPA property and shall be reproduced under EFE-EPA @copyright. Contents shall be reproduced only in the terms agreed with EFE and by no mean can those be redistributed, transferred or traded. User shall be held responsible for the alteration or misuse of the contents and products included in EFE-EPA services. User is compelled to follow the national law and will be the only responsible for the use or misuse of the contents provided by EFE-EPA.)

In his address, the Pope drew a difference between unity and uniformity, warning that while unity was beautiful, an insistence on uniformity could lead to cultural colonialism.

Pope Francis, who is on a state visit to Myanmar, met with a group of 17 leaders from various religious faiths in Yangon on Tuesday, and urged them to defend their identities and resist cultural colonialism. The Pope spoke in Spanish during the 40-minute long meeting and drew a difference between unity and uniformity, warning that while unity was beautiful, an insistence on uniformity could lead to cultural colonialism. "Everyone has their values, their wealth and their shortcomings. Each faith has their traditions, their wealth to give, and this can only happen if we live in peace," he said. The meeting between the Pope and the religious leaders was held at the archdiocesan headquarters, where the Pope is staying during his Myanmar visit which began on Monday. The Bishop of the Pathein Diocese in Myanmar John Hsane Hgyi had opened the meeting, followed by leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Anglican and Roman Catholic faiths, according to Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke. During the meeting the Pope urged Myanmar's religious leaders to understand the value of ethnic and religious differences they represented, rather than be daunted by them. The Pope also met Buddhist leader Sitagu Sayadaw separately to discuss peaceful coexistence among communities in the country that has been in the glare for months over continuing atrocities against the Rohingyas, a Muslim minority community from the Rakhine region in western Myanmar. The Pope later visited Naypyidaw and met Nobel Peace Laureate and the de-facto leader of the country Aung San Suu Kyi. (All the rights of the contents (text, photo, video, multimedia products and others) included in the services supplied to the user in this test are EFE-EPA property and shall be reproduced under EFE-EPA @copyright. Contents shall be reproduced only in the terms agreed with EFE and by no mean can those be redistributed, transferred or traded. User shall be held responsible for the alteration or misuse of the contents and products included in EFE-EPA services. User is compelled to follow the national law and will be the only responsible for the use or misuse of the contents provided by EFE-EPA.)

Pope Francis warns Myanmar religious leaders against cultural colonialism

Pope Francis will hold talks with Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday, a key moment of a tour aimed at alleviating religious and ethnic hatreds that have driven huge numbers of Muslim Rohingya from the country.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid reaction to the plight of the Rohingya.

After the talks in the capital Naypyidaw, the pontiff will address Suu Kyi and diplomats there -- his first opportunity to speak publicly about the conflict that looms over his trip.

The 80-year-old pontiff late Monday received a &quot;courtesy visit&quot; from the powerful army chief Min Aung Hlaing -- whose troops, according to the UN and US, have waged a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya from Rakhine state.&nbsp;

General Min Aung Hlaing has firmly denied allegations of widespread brutality by his forces, despite the flight to Bangladesh since late August of 620,000 Rohingya who have recounted widespread cases of rape, murder and arson.

His office said he told the pope there was &quot;no discrimination&quot; in Myanmar, and praised his military for maintaining &quot;the peace and stability of the country&quot;.

The pope has repeatedly spoken out from afar about the crisis, standing up for what he has called his Rohingya &quot;brothers and sisters&quot;.

A similar approach in Myanmar is fraught with danger -- using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; is unacceptable in a mainly Buddhist country where the Muslim minority are denied citizenship and branded illegal &quot;Bengali&quot; immigrants.

The country is listening closely to see if Francis will use the word &quot;Rohingya&quot; on Myanmar soil, and risk provoking the outrage of Buddhist nationalists.

Early Tuesday, day two of his four-day visit, the pontiff met leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Baptist and Jewish faiths in Yangon.

The conversation centred around themes of unity in diversity, with the pope sharing a prayer and giving a &quot;very, very beautiful speech&quot;, according to Sammy Samuels, a representative from the small Jewish community.&nbsp;

Francis flies up to Naypyidaw Tuesday afternoon to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Lady, as she is fondly known in Myanmar, finally came to power after elections in 2015 but has fallen from grace internationally for not doing more to stand up to the army in defence of the Rohingya -- whose name she will not publicly utter.

Rights groups have clamoured for Suu Kyi to be stripped of her peace prize. Oxford, the English city she once called home, on Monday removed her Freedom of the City award for her &quot;inaction&quot; in the face of oppression of the Rohingya.

Catholics congregate

So far, the pontiff has received a warm welcome to the majority Buddhist nation.

Myanmar&#39;s Catholic community numbers just over one percent of the country&#39;s 51 million people.

But some 200,000 Catholics are pouring into the commercial capital Yangon from all corners of the country ahead of a huge, open-air mass on Wednesday.

Zaw Sai, 52, from Kachin state, found space for himself and his family to camp out in a churchyard.&nbsp;

&quot;We feel very pleased because we are from different ethnicities but are one in our religion,&quot; he told AFP. &nbsp;

Just days before the papal visit, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal to start repatriating Rohingya refugees within two months.

But details of the agreement -- including the use of temporary shelters for returnees, many of whose homes have been burned to the ground -- raise questions for Rohingya fearful of returning without guarantees of basic rights.

Francis will travel on to Bangladesh on Thursday. 
&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid reaction to the plight of the Rohingya

Pope Francis will hold talks with Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday, a key moment of a tour aimed at alleviating religious and ethnic hatreds that have driven huge numbers of Muslim Rohingya from the country. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid reaction to the plight of the Rohingya. After the talks in the capital Naypyidaw, the pontiff will address Suu Kyi and diplomats there -- his first opportunity to speak publicly about the conflict that looms over his trip. The 80-year-old pontiff late Monday received a "courtesy visit" from the powerful army chief Min Aung Hlaing -- whose troops, according to the UN and US, have waged a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya from Rakhine state. General Min Aung Hlaing has firmly denied allegations of widespread brutality by his forces, despite the flight to Bangladesh since late August of 620,000 Rohingya who have recounted widespread cases of rape, murder and arson. His office said he told the pope there was "no discrimination" in Myanmar, and praised his military for maintaining "the peace and stability of the country". The pope has repeatedly spoken out from afar about the crisis, standing up for what he has called his Rohingya "brothers and sisters". A similar approach in Myanmar is fraught with danger -- using the term "Rohingya" is unacceptable in a mainly Buddhist country where the Muslim minority are denied citizenship and branded illegal "Bengali" immigrants. The country is listening closely to see if Francis will use the word "Rohingya" on Myanmar soil, and risk provoking the outrage of Buddhist nationalists. Early Tuesday, day two of his four-day visit, the pontiff met leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Baptist and Jewish faiths in Yangon. The conversation centred around themes of unity in diversity, with the pope sharing a prayer and giving a "very, very beautiful speech", according to Sammy Samuels, a representative from the small Jewish community. Francis flies up to Naypyidaw Tuesday afternoon to meet Aung San Suu Kyi. The Lady, as she is fondly known in Myanmar, finally came to power after elections in 2015 but has fallen from grace internationally for not doing more to stand up to the army in defence of the Rohingya -- whose name she will not publicly utter. Rights groups have clamoured for Suu Kyi to be stripped of her peace prize. Oxford, the English city she once called home, on Monday removed her Freedom of the City award for her "inaction" in the face of oppression of the Rohingya. Catholics congregate So far, the pontiff has received a warm welcome to the majority Buddhist nation. Myanmar's Catholic community numbers just over one percent of the country's 51 million people. But some 200,000 Catholics are pouring into the commercial capital Yangon from all corners of the country ahead of a huge, open-air mass on Wednesday. Zaw Sai, 52, from Kachin state, found space for himself and his family to camp out in a churchyard. "We feel very pleased because we are from different ethnicities but are one in our religion," he told AFP. Just days before the papal visit, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal to start repatriating Rohingya refugees within two months. But details of the agreement -- including the use of temporary shelters for returnees, many of whose homes have been burned to the ground -- raise questions for Rohingya fearful of returning without guarantees of basic rights. Francis will travel on to Bangladesh on Thursday.

Pope to meet Myanmar leader Suu Kyi today

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-warns-myanmar-religious-leaders-against-cultural-colonialism-25357">After months of wrangling over the issue</a>, Bangladesh government today approved a project to develop an isolated island in the Bay of Bengal to temporarily house Rohingya refugees.

A Bangladesh government <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-meets-aung-san-suu-kyi-as-rohingya-crisis-simmers-25346">committee headed by PM Sheikh Hasina</a> has approved the plan to develop Bhashan Char island, considered to be flood-prone into a temporary housing area for Rohingya refugees who have fled from Myanmar.

The UN estimates over 600,000 refugees have already crossed over to Bangladesh with several more expected in the months ahead.

Bangladesh&#39;s planning minister Mustafa Kamal told Reuters the project to house the Rohingya refugees would be completed in the next two years.

&ldquo;Many people are living in dire conditions,&quot; Kamal said, adding,&quot;it is a threat to both security and the environment.&quot;

Bangladesh&#39;s decision to set up housing for Rohingyas in the remote island in the Bay of Bengal comes even as it reached an agreement with the Myanmar government on repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi had said last week that repatriation of the Rohingya refugees would be based on residency and that it will be &ldquo;safe and voluntary&rdquo;.

However, Myanmar&#39;s army chief had said Rohingya refugees cannot return to Rakhine state until &quot;real Myanmar citizens&quot; are ready to accept them signalling their repatriation was still a long way off.&nbsp;

The army chief also said Myanmar would &quot;not allow the return of all Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh&quot;.

The UN estimates over 600,000 refugees have already crossed over to Bangladesh with several more expected in the months ahead.

After months of wrangling over the issue, Bangladesh government today approved a project to develop an isolated island in the Bay of Bengal to temporarily house Rohingya refugees. A Bangladesh government committee headed by PM Sheikh Hasina has approved the plan to develop Bhashan Char island, considered to be flood-prone into a temporary housing area for Rohingya refugees who have fled from Myanmar. The UN estimates over 600,000 refugees have already crossed over to Bangladesh with several more expected in the months ahead. Bangladesh's planning minister Mustafa Kamal told Reuters the project to house the Rohingya refugees would be completed in the next two years. “Many people are living in dire conditions," Kamal said, adding,"it is a threat to both security and the environment." Bangladesh's decision to set up housing for Rohingyas in the remote island in the Bay of Bengal comes even as it reached an agreement with the Myanmar government on repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi had said last week that repatriation of the Rohingya refugees would be based on residency and that it will be “safe and voluntary”. However, Myanmar's army chief had said Rohingya refugees cannot return to Rakhine state until "real Myanmar citizens" are ready to accept them signalling their repatriation was still a long way off. The army chief also said Myanmar would "not allow the return of all Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh".

Bangladesh approves plan to house Rohingyas in Bay of Bengal island

The U.N. Human Rights Council is expected to hold a special session on killings, rapes and other crimes committed against Rohingya in Myanmar that have driven more than 600,000 into Bangladesh since August, U.N. sources said on Monday.

&quot;There will be a special session on December 5,&quot; a senior United Nations source told Reuters.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-arrives-in-myanmar-on-high-stakes-visit-25246">Rohingya crisis: Pope arrives in Myanmar</a>

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein has described the Myanmar army&#39;s crackdown in Rakhine state as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

The military has denied the accusations of murder, rape, torture and forced displacement.

'There will be a special session on December 5,' a senior United Nations source told Reuters

The U.N. Human Rights Council is expected to hold a special session on killings, rapes and other crimes committed against Rohingya in Myanmar that have driven more than 600,000 into Bangladesh since August, U.N. sources said on Monday. "There will be a special session on December 5," a senior United Nations source told Reuters. Also read: Rohingya crisis: Pope arrives in Myanmar U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has described the Myanmar army's crackdown in Rakhine state as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. The military has denied the accusations of murder, rape, torture and forced displacement.

UN rights forum to hold special session on Rohingya: UN sources

United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council is expected to hold a special session on killings, rapes and other crimes committed against Rohingya in Myanmar.

There will be a special session on December 5,&nbsp;reported by Reuters&nbsp;

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid&nbsp; Ra`ad al-Hussein described the Myanmar army&#39;s crakcdown of Rohingya in Rakhine state as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

However, the military denied the accusations of murder, rape torture, and forced displacement.

So far&nbsp;more than&nbsp;600,000 Rohingya have been driven into Bangladesh since August.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

UN Human Rights Council is expected to hold a special session on December 5, on killings, rapes and other crimes committed against Rohingya in Myanmar

United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council is expected to hold a special session on killings, rapes and other crimes committed against Rohingya in Myanmar. There will be a special session on December 5, reported by Reuters UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra`ad al-Hussein described the Myanmar army's crakcdown of Rohingya in Rakhine state as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. However, the military denied the accusations of murder, rape torture, and forced displacement. So far more than 600,000 Rohingya have been driven into Bangladesh since August.

United Nation rights council to hold special session on Rohingya: Reports

&#39;&#39;My presence is a sign of affinity and hope,&quot; said Pope Francis as he embarked on a six-day visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh against the backdrop of the unfolding Rohingya refugee crisis.&nbsp;

&quot;I ask you to be with me in prayer so that, for these peoples, my presence is a sign of affinity and hope,&quot; Francis told 30,000 believers in St Peter&#39;s Square, shortly before packing his bags for the diplomatically fraught trip.

Some 620,000 Rohingya, more than half their total number, have fled from Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August as a result of violence that the UN and the United States have described as ethnic cleansing.

AFP quoting Pope&#39;s aides stated Pope Francis will seek to encourage reconciliation, dialogue and further efforts to alleviate the crisis following last week&#39;s tentative agreement between the two countries to work towards a return of some of the Rohingya to Myanmar.

The Pope&#39;s message will be spelled out at a Yangon mass expected to be attended by up to a third of the country&#39;s 660,000-strong Catholic community, who will be welcoming a pope to their homeland for the first time.

Francis is also due to meet the country&#39;s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and army chief Min Aung Hlaing, AFP reports quoting official sources.

Local Church officials hope some 100,000 Catholics will attend an open-air mass in the capital Dhaka that will be subject to tight security in a country where Islamist extremist attacks are on the increase.

In Bangladesh, Francis will be treading in the footsteps of predecessors, John Paul II, who visited Bangladesh in 1986, and Paul VI, who visited what was then East Pakistan in 1970, a year before the country gained independence.

Some 620,000 Rohingya, more than half their total number, have fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August as a result of violence that the UN and the United States have described as ethnic cleansing

''My presence is a sign of affinity and hope," said Pope Francis as he embarked on a six-day visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh against the backdrop of the unfolding Rohingya refugee crisis. "I ask you to be with me in prayer so that, for these peoples, my presence is a sign of affinity and hope," Francis told 30,000 believers in St Peter's Square, shortly before packing his bags for the diplomatically fraught trip. Some 620,000 Rohingya, more than half their total number, have fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August as a result of violence that the UN and the United States have described as ethnic cleansing. AFP quoting Pope's aides stated Pope Francis will seek to encourage reconciliation, dialogue and further efforts to alleviate the crisis following last week's tentative agreement between the two countries to work towards a return of some of the Rohingya to Myanmar. The Pope's message will be spelled out at a Yangon mass expected to be attended by up to a third of the country's 660,000-strong Catholic community, who will be welcoming a pope to their homeland for the first time. Francis is also due to meet the country's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and army chief Min Aung Hlaing, AFP reports quoting official sources. Local Church officials hope some 100,000 Catholics will attend an open-air mass in the capital Dhaka that will be subject to tight security in a country where Islamist extremist attacks are on the increase. In Bangladesh, Francis will be treading in the footsteps of predecessors, John Paul II, who visited Bangladesh in 1986, and Paul VI, who visited what was then East Pakistan in 1970, a year before the country gained independence.

Rohingya crisis: Pope Francis heads to Myanmar & Bangladesh

Myanmar&#39;s Army chief General Min Aung Hlaing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-arrives-in-myanmar-on-high-stakes-visit-25246">met Pope Francis in </a>Yangon today as tensions between Bangladesh and Myanmar continued to simmer even after three months since&nbsp;the exodus of Rohingyas from&nbsp;Rakhine state.

A motorcade arrived at the archbishop&#39;s residence as the Pope arrived earlier in Myanmar with people on the streets coming out in huge numbers to welcome him.

During the meeting, Hlaing told Pope Francis that Myanmar had &quot;no religious discrimination&quot; as the two men spoke with each other for the first time.

&quot;Myanmar has no religious discrimination at all,&quot; adding, &quot;Likewise our military too... performs for the peace and stability of the country,&quot;&nbsp;Hlaing said.

The Pope who is on a four-day visit to the country will meet the Rohingya refugees including Myanmar leader Suu Kyi.

On November 29, the Pope will address the Sangha Maha Nayaka, the country&#39;s highest Buddhist authority, which is a government-backed panel of senior monks responsible for regulating the Buddhist clergy.

Pope Francis is visiting Myanmar for the first time.

A motorcade arrived at the archbishop's residence as the Pope arrived earlier in the day with people on the streets coming out in huge numbers to welcome him.

Myanmar's Army chief General Min Aung Hlaing met Pope Francis in Yangon today as tensions between Bangladesh and Myanmar continued to simmer even after three months since the exodus of Rohingyas from Rakhine state. A motorcade arrived at the archbishop's residence as the Pope arrived earlier in Myanmar with people on the streets coming out in huge numbers to welcome him. During the meeting, Hlaing told Pope Francis that Myanmar had "no religious discrimination" as the two men spoke with each other for the first time. "Myanmar has no religious discrimination at all," adding, "Likewise our military too... performs for the peace and stability of the country," Hlaing said. The Pope who is on a four-day visit to the country will meet the Rohingya refugees including Myanmar leader Suu Kyi. On November 29, the Pope will address the Sangha Maha Nayaka, the country's highest Buddhist authority, which is a government-backed panel of senior monks responsible for regulating the Buddhist clergy. Pope Francis is visiting Myanmar for the first time.

'No religious discrimination in Myanmar,' military chief to Pope Francis

Rohingya refugees who return to Myanmar from Bangladesh following a repatriation agreement will initially live in temporary shelters or camps, Dhaka said Saturday, a day after the UN raised concern for their safety when they go back.

The United Nations says more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August and now live in squalor in the world`s largest refugee camp after a military crackdown in Myanmar that the UN and Washington have said clearly constitutes &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-condemns-ethnic-cleansing-of-myanmars-rohingya-24870">ethnic cleansing</a>&quot;.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Thursday which would pave the way for the return of the refugees at the &quot;earliest&quot; opportunity, according to the deal, which Dhaka released on Saturday.

&quot;Primarily they will be kept at temporary shelters or arrangements for a limited time,&quot; Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali told reporters in the capital.

The comments come after the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday raised concerns over the agreement, saying conditions to enable refugees to safely return to Rakhine State were not in place.

Under the deal, Yangon will &quot;encourage those who had left Myanmar to return voluntarily and safely to their own households&quot; in Rakhine State or &quot;to a safe and secure place nearest to it&quot;.&nbsp;

However most of the Rohingya villages were burnt during the violence, Ali said, and refugees would have no choice but to live in temporary shelters there.

&quot;There are no houses. Where will they live? It is not possible to physically (return to their own homes),&quot; he said.

Under the terms of the agreement, Myanmar will ensure temporary shelters are only a short-term option and that refugees` &quot;freedom of movement in the Rakhine State will be allowed in conformity with the existing laws and regulations&quot;.

More than 100,000 Rohingya have been living in grim camps for internally displaced persons since violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012.

Rohingya activist Mohammad Zubair told AFP that &quot;Rohingya people will never agree to voluntary repatriation if they are not taken back to their villages and their land returned to them&quot;.&nbsp;

He said Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a similar repatriation agreement in 1992, which led to the return of some 200,000 Rohingya to Rakhine, but unresolved problems, including the issue of citizenship, continue to fester.

The stateless Rohingya have been systematically oppressed by Myanmar, which has stripped the minority of citizenship and severely restricts their movement, as well as their access to basic services.

Myanmar`s government says Rohingya are interlopers from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, even though many can trace their roots in Myanmar back generations.

&quot;Unless we get citizenship in Myanmar, no way the Rohingya will this time return to Rakhine,&quot; Zubair said.

UNHCR has echoed the concerns of the Rohingya, saying all returns must include &quot;the informed consent of refugees&quot;.

According to the agreement, some 700,000 Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh since October 2016 will be considered for repatriation.

But that still leaves hundreds of thousands of Rohingya -&nbsp;some of whom fled Myanmar years or decades ago - in Bangladesh.

&quot;The repatriation of residents who crossed over to Bangladesh earlier will be considered separately on the conclusion of the present arrangement,&quot; the newly-signed deal said.&nbsp;

Impoverished and overcrowded Bangladesh has won international praise for allowing the refugees into the country, but has imposed restrictions on their movement and said it does not want them to stay.

The new agreement has already drawn criticism at home, with the main opposition party saying &quot;taking steps to repatriate Rohingyas without stopping repression and genocide in their homeland will be tantamount to pushing them to the hell&quot;.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Thursday which would pave the way for the return of the refugees at the "earliest" opportunity, according to the deal, which Dhaka released on Saturday

Rohingya refugees who return to Myanmar from Bangladesh following a repatriation agreement will initially live in temporary shelters or camps, Dhaka said Saturday, a day after the UN raised concern for their safety when they go back. The United Nations says more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August and now live in squalor in the world`s largest refugee camp after a military crackdown in Myanmar that the UN and Washington have said clearly constitutes "ethnic cleansing". Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Thursday which would pave the way for the return of the refugees at the "earliest" opportunity, according to the deal, which Dhaka released on Saturday. "Primarily they will be kept at temporary shelters or arrangements for a limited time," Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali told reporters in the capital. The comments come after the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday raised concerns over the agreement, saying conditions to enable refugees to safely return to Rakhine State were not in place. Under the deal, Yangon will "encourage those who had left Myanmar to return voluntarily and safely to their own households" in Rakhine State or "to a safe and secure place nearest to it". However most of the Rohingya villages were burnt during the violence, Ali said, and refugees would have no choice but to live in temporary shelters there. "There are no houses. Where will they live? It is not possible to physically (return to their own homes)," he said. Under the terms of the agreement, Myanmar will ensure temporary shelters are only a short-term option and that refugees` "freedom of movement in the Rakhine State will be allowed in conformity with the existing laws and regulations". More than 100,000 Rohingya have been living in grim camps for internally displaced persons since violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012. Rohingya activist Mohammad Zubair told AFP that "Rohingya people will never agree to voluntary repatriation if they are not taken back to their villages and their land returned to them". He said Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a similar repatriation agreement in 1992, which led to the return of some 200,000 Rohingya to Rakhine, but unresolved problems, including the issue of citizenship, continue to fester. The stateless Rohingya have been systematically oppressed by Myanmar, which has stripped the minority of citizenship and severely restricts their movement, as well as their access to basic services. Myanmar`s government says Rohingya are interlopers from Muslim-majority Bangladesh, even though many can trace their roots in Myanmar back generations. "Unless we get citizenship in Myanmar, no way the Rohingya will this time return to Rakhine," Zubair said. UNHCR has echoed the concerns of the Rohingya, saying all returns must include "the informed consent of refugees". According to the agreement, some 700,000 Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh since October 2016 will be considered for repatriation. But that still leaves hundreds of thousands of Rohingya - some of whom fled Myanmar years or decades ago - in Bangladesh. "The repatriation of residents who crossed over to Bangladesh earlier will be considered separately on the conclusion of the present arrangement," the newly-signed deal said. Impoverished and overcrowded Bangladesh has won international praise for allowing the refugees into the country, but has imposed restrictions on their movement and said it does not want them to stay. The new agreement has already drawn criticism at home, with the main opposition party saying "taking steps to repatriate Rohingyas without stopping repression and genocide in their homeland will be tantamount to pushing them to the hell".

Rohingya to stay in temporary shelters after return from Myanmar

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Myanmar&#39;s top military general in Beijing on Friday and discussed China&#39;s support amid international criticism over its treatment of the Rohingya minority, according to a statement from the general.

China has offered diplomatic backing to its southern neighbour throughout the crisis, despite growing pressure from Western countries for the Myanmar military to be accountable for alleged atrocities.

More than 600,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim group have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine State to Bangladesh in three months since insurgent attacks on security posts sparked a brutal counter-insurgency campaign.

China helped to block a resolution on the crisis at the UN&nbsp;Security Council, while the United States this week called the response by the military and local vigilantes &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;, echoing earlier statements by senior United Nations officials.

According to a statement on the Facebook page of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, he and the Chinese leader on Friday discussed the &quot;promotion of cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, the situation of China standing on Myanmar&#39;s side at the forefront of the international community regarding the Rakhine issue,&quot; and other issues.

Min Aung Hlaing arrived in China on Tuesday and has largely met Chinese military officers during his visit.

The statement also said they discussed ongoing talks between Myanmar&#39;s government and myriad ethnic insurgent groups, some of whom are based along Myanmar&#39;s shared border with China.

According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi said China was closely watching the peace process and was &quot;willing to play a constructive role... for security and stability in their border areas.&quot;

The Xinhua account did not mention Rakhine, but cited Xi saying that China &quot;always respects Myanmar&#39;s sovereignty and territorial integrity&quot;.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Myanmar's top military general in Beijing on Friday and discussed China's support amid international criticism over its treatment of the Rohingya minority, according to a statement from the general

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Myanmar's top military general in Beijing on Friday and discussed China's support amid international criticism over its treatment of the Rohingya minority, according to a statement from the general. China has offered diplomatic backing to its southern neighbour throughout the crisis, despite growing pressure from Western countries for the Myanmar military to be accountable for alleged atrocities. More than 600,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim group have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar’s Rakhine State to Bangladesh in three months since insurgent attacks on security posts sparked a brutal counter-insurgency campaign. China helped to block a resolution on the crisis at the UN Security Council, while the United States this week called the response by the military and local vigilantes "ethnic cleansing", echoing earlier statements by senior United Nations officials. According to a statement on the Facebook page of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, he and the Chinese leader on Friday discussed the "promotion of cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, the situation of China standing on Myanmar's side at the forefront of the international community regarding the Rakhine issue," and other issues. Min Aung Hlaing arrived in China on Tuesday and has largely met Chinese military officers during his visit. The statement also said they discussed ongoing talks between Myanmar's government and myriad ethnic insurgent groups, some of whom are based along Myanmar's shared border with China. According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi said China was closely watching the peace process and was "willing to play a constructive role... for security and stability in their border areas." The Xinhua account did not mention Rakhine, but cited Xi saying that China "always respects Myanmar's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

China's Xi discusses Rohingya crisis with Myanmar army chief

myanmar

Myanmar, News on Myanmar, stories on Myanmar, articles on Myanmar, Myanmar stories at Wion, Myanmar news, Myanmar latest news