Papal advisers counseled the Pope not to speak about the Rohingya on his visit for fear of a backlash against the 650,000 Catholics in Burma, reports the Voice of America.
But human rights advocates urged him to speak out. Mark Farmaner, head of Burma Campaign UK, said on Twitter: “If the pope doesn’t use the word Rohingya, racist nationalists will see it as a victory, if he does, they will be upset and may protest. Which is better?”