Renews appeal for peace amid outrage over air strike in predominantly Christian region that killed at least 11 children
This photo taken on Sept. 17 shows debris and bloodstains on the floor of a damaged school building in Depeyin township in Myanmar’s northwest Sagaing region, a day after an attack on the village by a military helicopter. (Photo: AFP)
Pope Francis has decried the bombing of a school in an appeal for peace as violence escalates in Myanmar, sparking further displacement amid a lack of attention by the international community.
During the Angelus prayer at the conclusion of the Holy Eucharist in Matera where he marked the end of the National Eucharistic Congress on Sept. 25, the pope said he is thinking of Myanmar, where “for more than two years that noble country has been martyred by serious armed clashes and violence, which have caused many victims and displaced persons.”
“This week I heard the cry of grief at the death of children in a bombed school. We see that in today’s world there is a trend for bombing schools. May the cry of these little ones not go unheard! These tragedies must not happen!” he said.
The pope’s plea came a week after at least 11 children were killed by an air strike on a village school by Myanmar’s military that sparked global outrage for contravening international humanitarian law against attacks on children in times of conflict.
Catholic bishops in Myanmar have repeatedly called for respect for places of worship, hospitals and schools after dozens of churches, Christian institutions and convents were attacked by the military.
“Human dignity and the right to life can never be compromised. We strongly demand respect for life, respect for the sanctity of sanctuary in places of worship, hospitals and schools,” the bishops said in an appeal on June 11.
“We are concerned about the support for IDPs”
Pope Francis has spoken several times about the crisis in Myanmar, which he regards with much affection after visiting the country in November 2017.
He has repeatedly called for the junta to stop the violence, release all detained people and pursue dialogue to seek peace and reconciliation.
There has been no let-up in violence in the Southeast Asian nation where the military junta, is continuing its oppression against civilians, particularly in areas where Christians predominate.
Myanmar’s western Sagaing region — where there are several historic Catholic villages — has become a stronghold of resistance against the military which ousted the civilian government in February 2021.
The Church has played a vital role in providing shelter and food to internally displaced people (IDPs) and called on the junta to allow humanitarian access to displaced communities amid restrictions imposed by the military.
“We are concerned about the support for IDPs in the longer term as we have less funding from some bishops’ conferences and international donors,” a Church official who oversees aid for IDPs told UCA News.
There were an estimated 1,312,000 internally IDPs across the country, including 982,000 people who have been newly displaced since Feb. 1, 2022 according to a report by the UN’s refugee agency released on Sept. 6.
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